Time to remodel? We’re finally updating our kitchen and main living space, and for us and our home, there was no question that we are going “open concept”. Our home was built in 1957 and would be considered a Ranch style with a finished basement (ya basic!), it has a vaulted ceiling in the LR and the kitchen/dining is along the back of the house that looks out over the pool. We’re a pretty casual family (I’m bougie but I keep it caszh) so we like to eat and chill in many areas of our home. We open up our french doors as early in the Spring as we can, pull out all of our teak furniture and cushions, set-up living and dining space, and staycation on our deck and poolside for as many months as we can. It just makes sense to open-it-all-up.
Open concept
The pros outweigh the cons for our home, but I am not looking forward to the loud noises that come from the kitchen when someone is in the kitchen cookin’ something up. Pots and pans banging, chopping, the refrigerator opening and closing, etc. Long gone will be the old cupboard door and drawer slams… thank you cabinet makers for soft-close!
Some house styles do not easily lend themselves to open concept without compromising the integrity of the architecture. Victorian and Colonial could be tough to pull off, but you could do it.
Pros vs Cons
Party house!
Natural light
Traffic flow
Casual living
Cohesive design
Real estate value
Sound carries throughout all the open spaces
Lack of privacy
Areas can appear cluttered (my pet peeve)
Costly to heat or cool
Construction cost
Closed concept
A cozy eat-in kitchen is quite appealing to me, as well as a large dining room with a gorgeous long wood table that seats 16. I could be perfectly happy with any of these closed-in rooms in my next house… although lately, I’m obsessed with Tiny Luxury, the newest tiny house show on Discovery+, it is fascinating! I love the idea of downsizing and living a simpler, less-is-more lifestyle, and lately, with remodels, and let’s face, a lot more time in da house, I have been purging… A LOT, and it feeeeels sooooo good!
One of my main goals in remodeling this house is to get all the $$$ we can out of it when we are ready to retire and move on. I seriously think the Seattle home market will just keep getting higher and higher no matter how many rooms and bathrooms you have, so I’m not worried. Real estate agents have told me, “open concept brings the buyers”, “master suites bring the buyers”, “hardwood floors bring the buyers”, ok, so let’s go! xo-Katie
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