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POLL: Open-plan or closed layout?

HouzzUK Polls
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

Open-plan layouts are very, very popular, and for good reason. They're a great way to maximise space, whether you have a big or a small home.

However, tearing down walls can be expensive and some homeowners prefer to leave the smells and mess behind in the kitchen, so a closed layout is a better option for them.

What do you prefer - open or closed layouts?

Open-plan
Closed
Other - tell us below!
Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Amber Jeavons Ltd
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I like both but it entirely depends on the architecture of the build.. Spatially, feasibly as it's not right for all styles... and whether the client wants it. Then the other cruncher.... Financially doable on the given budget..... : ))

    Comments (22)

    • User
      8 years ago

      I agree, I like both too. If the kitchen is large enough then keep it enclosed. However, if you are battling with space, then certainly open it up.

    • PRO
      Louise Richardson-Vine
      8 years ago

      I've lived with both and have to say I prefer open plan. This might be because I've lived with two enclosed galley kitchens where it's been a struggle for two people to be cooking/washing up etc. at the same time and is unsociable when you have guests over. I also like that with open plan the fridge is never too far from the sofa...

    • SSR
      8 years ago

      Open plan is definitely more visually appealing but it can be a problem when cooking. You might not be able to get the smell out of the cloth furniture or carpet.

    • rmmul
      8 years ago

      With 2 teenage sons a fully open ground floor wouldn't work for us. So while I like the look of open plan sometimes it can more practical to have separate living areas. We do have an open kitchen dining living area which is great for entertaining and having the whole family in but they still each have their own areas (albeit compact!) to retreat to. 2 of our other rooms have double doors which can be opened out to create nearly a fully open ground floor though- maybe the best of both worlds!!

    • Olena Tkach
      8 years ago

      A separate kitchen is a must for our family because I often cook when everyone is sleeping, so I need closed doors in order to be able to use blenders and mixers and even chop products with a knife.

      Another must-have is a separate kids room as it allows both do not disturb a kid when it's sleeping and avoid Lego blocks and RainbowLoom bands all over the house.

      Everything else (dinning, watching movies, hobbies, resting and chatting) may be incorporated into one open layout to allow easier communications between family members.

    • User
      8 years ago
      It depends on how big your kitchen is. I had a galley kitchen and had I not been able to afford an extension I would definitely have had to have knocked a wall down to prevent my blood pressure from becoming fatal! So as long as rooms are big enough I prefer closed rooms. How on earth do you get away from the 'maddening' crowds otherwise!
    • biscuitaandcrumbs
      8 years ago
      I've always had a separate kitchen area, of which I prefer, but at the same time open plan is lovely if you have a lot of space.
    • Juliet Docherty
      8 years ago

      Loved open plan until I have had to endure 5000 episodes of Spongebob whilst trying to enjoy a quiet coffee in the kitchen.....

    • Jackie Hales
      8 years ago
      Ideally both, big kitchen, diner and family space for sharing with another separate dining & lounge. Well I can but dream
    • margretg2
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      One of the arguments for open plan is that it's more visually appealing and makes the space look larger. I agree that it can look visually appealing in carefully-wrought design photos where everything is perfect. But if it's not perfect? If there are dirty cups on a counter (come on, we all produce those) a mess of toys on the floor, the remains of someone's artistic/craft effort on a table instead of a tastefully arranged vase and two books, it's a different story. And does it really make the space look larger? Ask any trained gardener which looks bigger - an open space or a sequence of rooms (try visiting the famous Hidcote - http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote/ ) and the answer will always be that a space looks larger when the eye cannot see everything at once. Smaller rooms with mirrors can look double their size.

    • Tina
      8 years ago

      I live in a traditional Victorian terraced house which had the hall/living room/dining room knocked through by a previous owner. This aspect is open plan and is bright, large and very usable for a young family. However, the kitchen is the standard small but perfectly formed galley. This combination offers the best of both worlds - I can keep my on the children and chat with visitors in the living room or at the dining table while cooking but can close the door to block food smells and visible mess. Perfect :-)

    • Jan Johnson
      8 years ago

      Had bad experience with open plan when family was young. The noise from the kitchen interferred with TV watching and yes the cooking fumes went throughout the house.

    • margretg2
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      Jan Johnson, I agree. Cooking fumes are always going to be a problem in open-plan living. Extractor fans get fancier but even some experts agree they're not that efficient. And even if they are, they're usually placed over the hob. What about the oven? Most ovens - Agas are an exception - blow the smells straight back into the kitchen. Very nice if you're baking bread or cakes; not so good for roast meat or anything containing onions.

      Like most things in interior design (flush-faced doors, blocked off Victorian fireplaces, fake-stone chimney breasts, feature walls) open-plan is a fashion. When it falls out of favour, we'll all be putting back the stud walls the previous owners demolished.

    • Karin Madgwick
      8 years ago
      In Australia open plan is the way to go, with this space then opening out onto a covered alfresco
    • PRO
      EZ-PLANS
      8 years ago

      Open plan is the way forward !!

    • PRO
      Redwood Home Improvements Ltd
      8 years ago

      Open plan creates a much better living space

    • Wendy White
      8 years ago

      Open plan ensures that you use ALL your space... do you have a room that doesn't get used because it feels shut off from the rest of the house?... solution...open plan living. (excluding bathrooms of course!).

    • PRO
      Coats Architecture
      8 years ago

      Open plan works best if the space is flexible and environment controlled to suit user

    • PRO
      The Inclusive Home
      8 years ago

      I generally prefer open plan from a flexibility and accessibility point of view, but it is nice sometimes to zone or separate some areas depending on the home and how you like to use it

    • PRO
      Amber Building (NW)Ltd
      8 years ago

      Open plan mordern way of living


    • PRO
      Avalon Antique Fireplaces
      8 years ago

      open plan trust me !

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