How To Choose Open Floor Plans To Fit Your Lifestyle

As we build homes that are more airtight, this is much less of a concern although you should review your heating zones when remodeling an older house

. Open concept layout and floor plan are phrases that describe a home where rooms flow naturally from one room to the next. These floor plans provide visual openness so when you're in one room you're able to see into other rooms. Open floor plans seem to be what everyone wants today if you're watching the home shows on HGTV.

The major down side to an open floor plan is the inability to control your heating/cooling costs to keep your living space comfortable and affordable. One option I used when building a house was pocket doors, so in the winter I could keep the kitchen/family room toasty warm while leaving the open concept living room/dining room at 60F.

History

Barns might be considered as the first example of an open floor with their post and beam construction that allowed for large, interior spaces without the traditional walls that separate rooms while providing structural support. Frank Lloyd Wright is also credited with introducing the "open plan" concept in the design of his Prairie Houses (beginning in 1900) which included long, extended low buildings with shallow, sloping roofs, overhangs and terraces, plus tall windows that connected the home's interior with the outdoors. Wright used steel to support some of his larger spans, using his experience in designing commercial buildings.

The Advantages and Disadvantages

They're usually found on the main living floor and there's no reason why you can't apply most of the ideas to attic or basement space when finishing them to create added living space.

* Benefit of natural sunlight from one space, flooding other living spaces.

* Flexibility for activities in one room to spill over into other living spaces.

* Most homes with open floor plans also have higher ceilings, a feature that cannot be added easily when remodeling an older home. So what are the drawbacks to open floor plans?

* Clutter is no longer hidden in a single room, but visible from anywhere in the shared visual living space.

* Lack of private space for serious cooks, a home office or parents who want some private time. Room dividers, pocket or barn doors can give you the flexibility of when to close a room within an open floor plan.

* Open floors are better at blending interior space with the outdoors, making both spaces feel close, comfortable and larger than any one space, especially when they have floor to ceiling glass.

by: Tina Gleisner

POST COMMENT

Ril Plans To Foray Into The Telecom Sector Independently Wooden Gazebo Plans - Tips For Making A Wooden Gazebo Great Woodworking Plans With Lots Of Useful Information Where Can I Find Great Woodworking Plans? Three Products With Great Woodworking Plans Finding The Ideal Free Shed Plans What You Should Know With Shed Plans Collierville Dentists Offer Most Of These Standard Treatment Plans Debt Management Plans At Your Doorstep Only Cheap Vps Hosting Plans By Postcy Are Best In The Market The Best Guide To Finding Ideal Free Shed Plans The Best Way To Choose The Right Shed Plans Duck Pen Plans - Considerations Before You Begin Making Your Duck Pens