Keystone Blog
Homes have taken many shapes over the years, from one-room yurts in Mongolia to stone castles with winding staircases in Medieval France. The floorplans and materials you use to build your home depend on your lifestyle.
Open floorplans combine rooms with multiple functions into one large living space. For many years, homes were separated into small rooms by interior walls, and each flowed into each other in a logical progression. For example, the dining room was often next to the kitchen for practical reasons.
Many modern homes have an open floorplan so families can enjoy working and living together in the same space. These large rooms serve many purposes, such as cooking, dining, studying, and entertainment. Although open floorplans are a more recent idea, the community they create reflects the way people have lived for hundreds of years.
Examples of rooms that can be joined without a dividing wall include:
Both bedrooms and bathrooms typically remain separate in open floorplans. Communal spaces like kitchens and living rooms can be joined together to improve communication and visibility throughout the home. This layout is adaptable to many types of interior design.
There's a reason that open floorplan homes are so popular. From young professionals to families with kids to retirees, many people enjoy the spaciousness, sense of community, and versatility. Here are the top three benefits of an open floorplan to consider.
Open floorplans can increase natural light, bringing everyone together in a shared space and offering versatility through life's seasons. This can also make your home feel larger than it is. There are several factors that make an open floorplan feel like you have more room:
The more walls you have inside your home, the smaller each room will feel. Many people prefer to have one large space over many small rooms. Because you can see across a large area, your home will feel larger even though the space shares several functions. You can use design elements like rugs to delineate separate areas throughout the room. Because there are fewer physical restrictions, you can also move more freely around your home.
The improved visibility and shared space in an open floorplan change how people live at home. If you enjoy entertaining, a fluid layout makes it easy to move between the kitchen, dining room, and living room during a party. You can have friends and family serve themselves without creating a traffic jam, and no one will feel neglected.
Family time can be more communal since everyone can work on different tasks in the same shared space. You can cook dinner or finish up work while your kids do homework, read, or play games together. When you invite family over for group gatherings, an open floorplan makes it easy to move chairs around and seat everyone in the same space without feeling cramped or uncomfortable.
Privacy is an important part of family life, but communication and shared memories are equally important. With an open floorplan, you can enjoy privacy and community without having to search your home to find each other. This style of home can shift your family dynamics by supporting group activities and providing opportunities to come together.
When you combine spaces within an open floorplan, your home becomes more practical and adaptable. It's easier to move furniture around and change your space to meet your needs. You can try different furniture arrangements and flow without remodeling or committing to long-term changes.
Because an open floorplan is so flexible, it can work for you across many life seasons. You can keep an eye on your kids when they're little, rearrange the furniture to entertain, share family time as your kids grow up, host bridal showers, let your grandkids build massive forts with sheets and couch cushions, and much more.
Open floorplans bring elegance and simplicity to your home because they tie several spaces together with the same decor. Cleaning is easier because you can focus on one large space rather than several smaller rooms. Having an open floorplan can also help you reduce clutter since there are fewer nooks and crannies to store excess items.
Although there are many benefits to open floorplans, they may not be suitable for every lifestyle because they:
If you've never lived in a home with an open floorplan before, you may not be sure which option is best for you. If you're trying to decide whether this layout is the best choice for your family, start by considering your goals. Assess your personality, daily rhythms, and personal needs. Then, make a note of the activities that take place in communal areas most often and consider how a shared space may hinder or improve them.
At Keystone Custom Homes, we offer 30+ floorplans so you can build or buy the new construction home of your dreams. Our Designers can help you choose the floorplan and customization options that will make your home just right for your family and lifestyle. Many of our designs have open floorplans, including the following:
Keystone Custom Homes builds in select communities across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and North Carolina. We support you every step of the way throughout the building process, from choosing a homesite to making design choices to completing the construction process. Call us at 717-368-9831 to request an appointment today to get started!
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