3 Pros and Cons of an Open Floor Plan Home

Could an open concept home be right for you?

Open floor plan homes, or open concept homes, have become increasingly popular over time. Essentially, this term refers to any home that combines multiple rooms that were traditionally separated, such as a kitchen, living room, and dining room. It can also refer to a property that doesn't have many walls dividing up the unique spaces within the house. 

If you are buying a house, you'll have to decide whether you would be willing to buy an open concept house or not. Before you make this decision -- and make the big commitment involved with getting a mortgage and making an offer -- you should carefully consider the pros and cons of this type of floor plan.

Advantages of an open floor plan home

Here are some of the biggest benefits of buying a home with an open floor plan: 

• The space may feel larger: When you don't have walls dividing up the space in your home, it can feel much bigger -- especially if you don't have a lot of square footage. While a small house with defined rooms may have a tiny kitchen that is claustrophobic to cook in, combining that kitchen with a living and dining room can make all three rooms feel much more spacious. 
• Demand for open floor plan homes may be higher: Buyers tend to like open floor plan homes, and many of the newer model properties have open concept designs. If you want to sell your house in the future and you believe this trend will continue, you may be better off choosing this style of property so you can appeal to the widest pool of potential buyers.
• Open concept homes can be ideal for entertaining and spending time with family: When you have a large open space everyone can gather in, it is much easier to be social both with the people you live with and with your guests. You won't be stuck in the kitchen by yourself when hosting a dinner party, but instead everyone will be gathered around in one shared room enjoying each other's company. 

Disadvantages of an open floor plan home

There are also some big downsides of open floor plan homes to think about as well:  

• Noise can carry: If you do not have walls to absorb sound, your home is going to be a much louder place. If you are trying to go to bed and others are in the large great room talking, this sound could more easily carry upstairs -- especially if you have a double height ceiling, which many people opt to add. 
• There's less privacy: Without separate divided rooms, you may have less private spaces to do activities that you enjoy. If you want to read quietly but your husband or kids are watching TV, you may not have many places to go in your house and get away. 
• Keeping your house looking tidy will be harder: Finally, when your entire house is one or two big rooms, you're going to have to keep all that space clean in order for the space to look nice. You can't just hide dirty dishes away in the kitchen and close the door. 

Now, you may decide that the advantages outweigh these downsides -- or vice versa. But the important thing is to really think about the big picture before committing to live in an open floor plan space. After all, you don't want to end up buying a house that you dislike living in!