Love It or Leave It: Open Floor Plans

Concepts to Consider Before Breaking Out the Sledgehammer

Open floor plans. Whether you’re neck deep in the design world or just dipping your toes in the water for the first time, it’s a term that you have most likely heard quite a lot of lately. To say open floor plans are in vogue, is perhaps an understatement. But it’s not just about the fashion of knocking down walls – it’s about creating a flow to a space that works both aesthetically as well as fundamentally.

At Debowsky Design Group, we know how to create a space that is equal parts inclusive and inviting, perceivably spacious, and visually distinctive.

To date, we’ve never had a client miss the walls and doors once removed. However, we have seen our share of homeowners who wonder midway through their redesign if an open floor plan is really the right design for them.

Here’s some of the questions we ask, along with some of the expert advice we share during the decision process for taking on an open floor plan:

Do you love to entertain? No matter what’s playing on the big screen, and regardless of the Giant Jenga tournament in the backyard, your guests will most likely squeeze in the kitchen. Opening up the space encourages a more convivial, less sardine-packed atmosphere. Even better? You can invite more to the party.
Are you an extroverted family? Do you enjoy running conversations, room to room, as you check on dinner or set the table or curl up on the chaise? If so, an open floor concept is the design for you. But if you crave silence and solitude, and find yourself requesting that a certain someone please lowers the volume, you may need to keep a wall or three.
Let’s chat about your kitchen rules. Is your cooking mantra “Garlic, garlic, and more garlic?” Your living area may have to adopt that mantra, too. Are you a no-dirty-dishes-in-the-sink kind of a person, or do you wait awhile before scrubbing your hard-working pots and pans? With an open floor plan, your kitchen is in full view, full time. Is it ready for its close-up, even the day before the preschool bake sale?
Are you an art enthusiast? You might miss the wall space while searching for the perfect spot to display your latest acquisition. (Our team has found some brilliant ways around this, though, so please ask us about our floating art solutions.)
You’re always hunting down the sun. In an open floor plan design, there are no dark rooms or moody corners when the skies are clear. Unless you’d like a romantically moody corner, that is.

Still can’t decide if an open floor plan is for you? We’ve got even more ways to help you determine if you need a more fragmented, focused space, or if you’re ready to live in the wide open. And if you’re still undecided, let’s talk about sliding walls!

At Debowsky Design Group, we’ve got big ideas for your biggest design aspirations. Call us for a consult.