Are there drawbacks to an open-concept floor plan?

When you think of it, the first homes for humans – caves – were the original open-concept layouts, with occasional offshoots where people could sleep away from the noise of family. Sure, the aesthetics weren’t great, but in those days, inclement weather in the face of no umbrellas or snow blowers was a great incentive for finding shelter in the natural environment.

As time went on and women and men began to build their residences, the concept of specialization took over. Houses had separate rooms for specific needs: sleeping, cooking, dining, entertaining, chilling out, etc. Even many of us today grew up in homes with boxy layouts.  

Although he didn’t invent it, Frank Lloyd Wright was an early proponent of open-concept home design. Apparently, he felt the “housewife” shouldn’t be squirreled away in a kitchen, but should have open access to other areas of the home while carrying out her food duties. He obviously never had to clean up a cooking mess or do dishes, and he may not have heard of feminism, but I digress.

After the Second World War, the very first sort-of-open-concept plans started to appear in North America, with split-level and ranch-style layouts. The use of open concept in certain areas of the home meant smaller square footages could live larger than their numbers might dictate.

By the 1970s and 1980s, we were seeing pass-throughs installed between the kitchen and family room in new homes, so people who were cooking could keep an eye on their kids playing. In essence, part of the joining wall was knocked out. Some homes featured kitchens separated from the dining area by an island cut into the wall.

By the 1990s, the idea of eliminating entire walls/doors and opening up living, cooking and/or dining spaces into one big room was launched. Advancements in construction technology enabled heavy-duty beams to carry the weight of the floor above rather than the actual walls. What we think of today as open concept was born, and it became, and still is, a desirable design feature.

Why? Open-concept design is typically brighter, as natural light flowing in from outside is not blocked by walls. As life in general became more casual than formal, people found they were using traditional dining rooms less, or even not at all. Plus, the idea of cooking while being able to chat with guests relaxing in a living room setting caught on.

Open-concept offers an enhanced feeling of spaciousness, similar to artists’ lofts, especially when square footage is limited. In fact, some of the first open concept-style condo suites were called “lofts.” Considering the compact sizes of modern condominiums with floor-to-ceiling windows, this spacious feeling is a valid benefit.

Drawbacks? There are a few. Those who live in open-concept homes do lose something in privacy, and it can be a challenge to carry on an adult conversation when the TV is on for the kids. Nowadays, however, we’re pretty much used to background noise, and children and teens are as likely to be on their personal electronic devices as gathered around a television set.

Eliminating walls also translates to fewer places to hang artwork and family photos, and there are fewer spots for electrical outlets. When the kitchen is open to the living area, it means there is no hiding the sight and smell of a burnt roast, or dirty pots and pans, the spaghetti-sauce chaos of preparing an Italian meal from scratch.

Of course, bathrooms, bedrooms and home offices still require walls for privacy. Some home and condo designers have placed behind-closed-doors water closets in ensuite bathrooms so that both members of a couple can accomplish their morning routines simultaneously.

Who knows what the future will bring? Will we get sick of each other and revert to retro home design with boxed-in rooms again? Will entire houses be constructed with virtual walls we can shift wherever and whenever we want? What is the purpose of life? Oh wait, that’s for another column.