If you are planning to build a custom home, one of the first decisions you'll need to make is what type of floor plan you prefer. Some of our clients still prefer classic, closed floor plans where defined walls and doors separate the various rooms. However, many of our clients are beginning to lean towards more open floor plans.
An open floor plan is a layout in which there are no walls between the common spaces in a home. In other words, your kitchen, living room, and dining room are all located within one big space. Decor, like carefully positioned carpets and furniture, are used to "define" each space within the open area.
There are several reasons why open floor plans are becoming so common and why you should consider this type of layout for your custom home.
1. Open floor plans encourage interaction and socialization.
When your living room, dining room, and kitchen are all separated by full walls, those in one space are isolated from those in another. This reduces communication between family members, and it makes it hard to keep everyone unified when you have parties.
Open floor plans, on the other hand, encourage better socialization. You and your family members can interact with one another even when you're engaged in different activities. For instance, you can talk with the kids who are doing homework in the living room area while you're preparing dinner in the kitchen. When you have a party, you can easily make announcements to the whole group at once, and you don't have to worry about sun-groups isolating themselves in individual rooms.
2. Open floor plans maximize natural light exposure.
Houston has so many bright, sunshiny days. Why not take advantage of them to the fullest? With an open floor plan, the sunshine that comes in permeates the entire space. You get sunshine in the east windows in the morning as the sun is rising, and sunshine through the west windows at night when it's setting. Increased exposure to natural sunlight elevates your mood and also reduces your electricity bills. Plus, you get to enjoy a 360-degree view of the great outdoors through your many windows.
3. Open floor plans allow for beautiful ceiling designs.
When luxury home builders create a home with an open floor plan, they use large beams to support the weight of the second floor -- since there are no downstairs walls for support. This creates an opportunity for a highly decorative ceiling, which is another big trend in custom homes right now. Your luxury home builders can use natural wood beams to give your ceiling a rustic look, or they can paint the beams for a more colorful, modern vibe. When you have such a big, open space, adding such elements to the ceiling helps make it feel a bit cozier and more unified. Ceiling designs can also be used to delineate different "rooms" within the floor plan.
4. Open floor plans promote even, energy-efficient heating and cooling.
When you have numerous walls dividing a space, air can get trapped along the walls and in corners. This makes it hard to maintain an even temperature throughout the home. But when your luxury home builders create a more open floor plan, there are fewer spaces for air to get trapped. You won't get those pockets of hot air, and your air conditioning bills will likely be lower as a result. During the winter, you can open the shades on sunny days and let the heat of the sun floor into your space, providing some free heat.
Including ceiling fans in an open floor plan design is essential, especially in a warm climate like Houston. Running the fans keeps air circulating through the space, which helps maintain an even temperature.
Some clients fear that an open floor plan won't feel cozy or intimate enough, but with proper furniture placement, it can actually feel more welcoming than a traditional closed floor plan. Instead of placing furniture on the walls, you can create separate cozy spaces within the open area. Use a rug surrounded by sofas to designate a sitting space, or a large chandelier over a table to accentuate your dining room area.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to open floor plans. Your luxury home builders can work with you to create a plan that offers the benefits above and also satisfies your own personal needs and desires.