Open concepts home designs are becoming the most preferred home layout for homeowners today. When you turn on your TV to watch home remodeling shows or take out your phone to watch YouTube videos of home tours, you’re most likely going to be seeing homes with open concepts. Going open is a design trend that’s showing no sign of abating! While it’s becoming super popular, is it possible to adapt an existing property to suit the growing desire for large, light, and airy spaces? This blog will go over how to create an open concept floor plan in an existing home.
You must be wondering, what are the benefits of open floor plans? Why is it such a popular choice with homeowners today? The answer is simple. It’s a great way to open up your home for improved flow, enhanced communication within house members, and enhanced entry of natural light. As today’s lifestyle has shifted to a more communicative, informal way of life with an increased desire for entertainment, the idea of formal living sections designated for specific tasks no longer fits with the way we use our spaces. For example, benefits that open concept floor plans offer include:
Buying a new home isn’t the only route for getting the dream open concept home you’ve always wanted. You can create an open concept floor plan in your existing home! The very first step is to plan out your project. Take some time to think carefully about your needs and wants. Take into consideration the size of your furniture and the number of people living in the house. For example, the distance between the kitchen bar and the dining room should be at least four feet apart to allow for traffic to flow and for people to have space to pull out the chairs with ease. These little details need to be addressed before making any major plans that may result in an efficient layout.
After determining the size of each space, consider the order in which the spaces will be laid out. Rooms next to each other are called “adjacencies.” A common adjacency is placing the dining room next to the kitchen. You’ll have to ask yourself things like: do you prefer a workspace or a seating area nearby? You’ll have to make these decisions according to your lifestyle, needs, and wants.
It’s also important to take into account the little details such as outlets, doors, windows, columns, and partitions. You also need to be aware of existing:
You’ll want to figure out how to make the open concept work with the placement of these essential things, as they can be really expensive to move.
Which format are you going for? A linear organization or an axial arrangement. What’s the difference?
While learning the basics of open concept home remodels is productive, it is vital that you work with an interior designer. They can help do the preliminary research and give you an educated assessment of what’s possible. For example, they can provide you with information on any potential issues like rerouting electrical and plumbing lines or identifying load-bearing walls that will require structural adjustments and more. A designer can help you explore more options that you may not have considered, like raising the ceiling or ideas for increased storage options.
You don’t have to buy a brand-new house to get the open-concept home you’ve always dreamed of. You can make it happen in your existing home with a home remodel! With the help of a professional interior designer, you can obtain the best format that will fit well with your house’s structure needs. We hope this blog helped you see how to create an open concept floor plan in an existing home. If you’re looking to transform your home, Concepts by Design can help! We have years of experience helping homeowners restyle their homes. To get started, give us a call at (858) 414-7816 or click here.
