The argument over open floor plans vs separate rooms after my cousin’s loud house party

I was at my cousin’s place in Phoenix last Saturday for a get together. The open floor plan meant the kitchen noise drowned out the TV in the living room maybe 15 feet away. His wife loved it for hosting, but I couldn’t hear a word anyone said past the blender. Now I’m stuck wondering if having walls is better for actual conversation or if open layouts are easier for keeping an eye on kids. What’s your take on sacrificing privacy for that spacious feel?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.morgan14d agoMost Upvoted

My cousin's place in Austin has one of those giant open layouts and we tried to watch the Super Bowl while someone was using the Vitamix for margaritas. What nobody talks about is how open floor plans make your house smell like whatever you cooked for DAYS. Last time I roasted a chicken there, the whole living room smelled like poultry for a week straight. Walls actually trap smells in the kitchen where they belong.

davidkim16d ago

Open floor plans are overrated for actual living. I was at a party last month where three conversations happening in the same room made it impossible to follow any of them. You can't watch a movie or read a book with kitchen clatter 15 feet away. Separate rooms let you actually focus on what you're doing without noise bleeding through everything. Plus having a door to close when the blender comes out is worth way more than an extra 200 square feet of open space.

jadej5016d ago

David's got a point, I couldn't even hear myself think at that party... maybe walls aren't so bad after all.