Open Floor Plan Advantages

There seem to be a limitless number of home floor plans to choose from today. Home builders all have their own unique styles that you can make your own. You also have the ability to create and customize your own floor plan. With so many options to choose from, which floor plan is best for you and your family? 

Open floor plans have quickly become a popular and common type of home for a few reasons: they are family-friendly, they offer a great sense of space, and they allow you to change the layout of your home to fit your preferences. If you’re looking for a new home, we recommend an open concept floor plan for its many advantages. What exactly are those advantages? Read on to find out!

Brief History of the Open Floor Plan

Homes with open floor plans are a dime a dozen nowadays, but it didn’t always use to be this way. Until the 1950s, many homes consisted of a common hallway leading to bedrooms, bathrooms, and a kitchen. Eventually, families and builders began using more open-style concepts to maximize space. These homes became the foundation for the open concept floor plans that we have today. 

Fast forward to the 1990s and open floor plans have become the standard for most new construction and suburban neighborhoods. Families and homeowners were drawn to the large common rooms and spacious feeling of open concept floor plans. Builders recognized how popular these styles of homes became and made it a point to create floor plans more families would be interested in purchasing. The open floor plan was here to stay.

Additional Open Floor Plan Guidelines

In order to be considered an open floor plan, a home needs more than just a big room in which your family can spend time together. Most homes done in this style have some combination of rooms placed together into one large room. A few common types of combinations include a room with a kitchen and dining space; a room with a dining and living space; or a room with a kitchen, dining, and living space.

The main purpose of an open floor plan is to create a spacious-feeling home through fewer hallways, walls, and enclosed spaces. By creating a large room that serves multiple purposes, you create a home that feels larger and more welcoming. 

Open Floor Plan Advantages

Many people prefer an open floor plan due to its advantages over other types of homes. From the open feel to the ease of gathering together as friends or family into one room, there are other advantages you may not have thought about. 

Here is a list of benefits to help you learn more about why an open floor plan might just be the type of home you and your family should live in.

Natural Light

Open floor plans often provide excellent natural light. Large living areas with large windows help bring more light in than conventional windows, as well as give you and your family a better view of your landscape and neighborhood. Most open floor plan homes have one or more walls made almost entirely of windows. It helps your home feel even larger by brightening the space and bringing the outside in.

If you enjoy natural sunlight and great views from inside your own home, an open floor plan can provide just what you need.

Layout Flexibility

Open floor plans provide many opportunities to customize the layout of your home. With the freedom to design and choose where you place furniture and decorations, it’s a great option for people who like to switch things up regularly. 

The larger spaces of an open floor plan also allow you to add more furniture than you could in a different style of home. If you enjoy hosting parties or dinners, the large open living area can house more seating or bigger dining tables. These open spaces give you the flexibility to design the inside of your home the way you want to.

Improved Traffic Flow

More space means a better flow throughout your home. By eliminating unnecessary hallways and enclosed spaces, you have more room to move freely from area to area and room to room. This is especially nice for large families where certain parts of the home are high-traffic areas, like the kitchen and family room. 

By improving the ability to move freely throughout your home, you create a greater sense of space and openness. No more traffic jams in hallways or in the dining room. You and your family can spread out and still enjoy spending time with each other in the large living area.

Inclusive Social Interactions

One of the best parts about an open floor plan is the ability to get together with family and friends. Spacious living rooms provide an excellent place to gather with your loved ones and enjoy each other’s company. You can easily rearrange furniture to open up room for more seating, move furniture out of the way for greater floor access, or even gather around the kitchen area for party food and large meals.

Since the kitchen is typically connected openly to the dining room in an open floor plan, you can easily cook your recipes for big family dinners and efficiently move the food to the dining room. With the open living area, getting together with others is easier than ever.

Enhanced Child Supervision

If you have a family with young children, an open floor plan can make a huge difference. For example, if you’re trying to get lunch ready for you and your children in the kitchen, you can still keep an eye on them while they play in the family room. Without walls and doors blocking your kids from line of sight, you can watch children easily and make sure they stay safe.

Open floor plans provide a central spot for families to spend time together, care for each other, and assure each other’s safety. 

Find the Perfect Open Floor Plan for You!

Open floor plan homes are a great option for any family, including yours! And nobody builds them better than we do here at Next Level Homes. With hundreds of homes across the Wasatch Front, you can find the perfect home for you and your family in the perfect neighborhood. Check out our floor plans below, and then schedule a walk through today!

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