Closed floor plans

Over the last decade my wife and I have bought three houses, lived in a few rentals, and thought a lot about floor plans and house layouts. We’ve also watched our decent share of home improvement shows.

I’m always struck by the apparently obvious statements on the benefits of open floor plans. Every show is tearing down walls, opening up spaces, and generally embracing and cheering the conglomeration of kitchen, living room, dining room, and maybe even a door leading directly to a bathroom.

I get it. Coming from an age where tiny houses sequestered every area of living into little rectangles—well that’s not a fun way to live. We embrace openness.

One place we lived had a kitchen completely disconnected from any part of the house. And the kitchen was tiny. It was impossible to do any food prep or serving without either inviting guests to cram in with you or spending time away from them.

But there has to be a balance. Sometimes things get messy. Where we live—especially when you have young children—can’t always be in a state of perfection. Having somewhat defined spaces, where noise can be limited, helps to make a home more comfortable for living and inviting guests.

So here’s to keeping up some of the walls, but tearing down others.