Disadvantages of an Open Floor Plan

We’ve had a ton of clients ask us to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room lately. Usually it’s because a homeowner wants to give more square footage to their kitchen. In some cases, it really works, but I’m here to tell you that open floor plans don’t work for every situation. 

I feel that it makes sense to take down a wall if that means it’ll help you utilize the space better, allow for views to the outside, or make a space feel less choppy. However, I’m not a fan of knocking down every wall just to make a space feel bigger. Just because a space feels grand, doesn’t mean it actually works. 

It’s Noisy

Who here is from a big family? The day to day in an open floor plan can be tough to deal with if everyone in your family has vastly different routines and hobbies. If there’s someone in the family that loves to read, but the rest of the family likes to watch tv and play video games, it’ll be tough for people to enjoy what they’re doing simultaneously, unless they all head to their bedrooms. Although you might talk about the living room, dining room and kitchen as separate spaces, when there are no walls, it’s essentially one big room and sound travels much more easily.

In an office setting, an open floor plan can be really annoying. If the interior wasn’t designed with acoustics in mind, you can probably hear co-workers’ conversations loud and clear. You’re also a lot more likely to be interrupted by co-workers that are passing through the space. Before I worked for myself, sometimes I would put headphones on (without music playing) as a sort of ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign just so I could get my work done. 

Less storage opportunities

This is something that most people consider. The more open the floor plan, the tougher it is to design for storage because there are less walls to put cabinetry, built-ins or shelving against. On some projects, I’ve had to add walls, just to accommodate more storage. Without interior partitions, most of your major storage will need to be at the perimeter of the space. 

More Clean Up

Be honest, it’s great to be able to throw everything in a room and close the door when you need to clean up quickly for unexpected guests. An open floor plan often means that people will see everything in your space all the time–so if you’re self conscious about how neat your living spaces are, living in a loft-like dwelling may not be the best fit. 

It’s kind of like comparing open shelving to solid front cabinetry. Most of my clients love the idea of open shelving, but end up opting out because they just aren’t realistic for their lifestyle. Homeowners often feel that the shelving  would need to be neat and styled all the time, and most of my clients just don’t have the time or energy to worry about that. 

Less Privacy

If I’m at a party, I’m the kind of person who likes to find a quieter spot to sit and have a conversation with a small group of people. That’s really tough to do in a home with an open floor plan. What if you’re working from home and you have a Zoom meeting or a major deadline? In general, it’s much easier to focus and get some privacy in a separate room with a door. If you have guests overstaying their welcome, wouldn’t it be nice to at least be able to sneak off to another living space for a few minutes to catch a break?

Temperature Control is More Difficult

A few years ago, my entire family took a trip to the Poconos. We rented a huge house for about 25 people. The level with the most living spaces, including the kitchen, was an open floor plan. At one point, there was a huge fire going in the fireplace between the living and dining rooms and the air conditioner was also blasting in the den. It was nuts, because both systems were essentially canceling each other out, since there were no walls in between.

When there isn’t a division in between spaces, there isn’t an efficient way to create multiple temperature zones. In most settings, I have observed that there are people that are always a little bit warm, and those that usually like to wear an extra layer. Often, these people live in the same household. An open floor plan magnifies this issue.

Walls Solve a Lot of Problems

I understand that the open floor plan is popular right now, but not everyone wants to live in a space with less storage, less privacy, more noise and more clean up. Walls allow each space to have its own personality. For example, you know where to stop and begin a new paint color, you can play with door styles, and have the ability to change flooring in one space rather than the entire floor.

In a way, walls can give you more design freedom.