Homebuilding trends have come a long way since the early 20th century. It used to be that each room in a home had one distinct function. Kitchens were for cooking and were often tucked in the back of the house with a door. Dining rooms were for dining. Formal living rooms were for entertaining, etc. But as modern times ushered in modern lifestyles, the functionality of homes changed too.

Many trends in home design have come and gone but there is one that has skyrocketed in popularity since the 1990s: the open-concept floor plan. Though traditional home layouts are still common, there are many reasons why open-concept plans are high on the wish lists of today’s homebuyers.

MULTI-PURPOSE SPACE FOR MULTI-TASKING PEOPLE

Maybe you’re a busy parent who needs to keep an eye on your little ones while doing household chores. Or maybe you’d like to watch TV or chat with your guests while cooking dinner. A traditional home with closed rooms can make it difficult or impossible to do these things. An open concept floor plan provides connection between the kitchen, dining and main living spaces so you can do what you need to do and not miss a thing.

LIVIN’ LARGE (EVEN IN SMALL SPACES)

In small to mid-size homes, open concept floor plans are ideal because they make the space feel larger. Closed floor plans offer little flexibility with interior decorating. The more walls you have, the smaller each room gets, which can make furniture size and arrangement challenging. In open concept rooms, you have more freedom to try different furniture placements whether you want to keep a completely open flow or add a little separation to create intimate spaces.

FOR THE HOSTS WITH THE MOST

Having a holiday dinner with extended family this year? A birthday party for the kids? Or maybe a soiree with your neighbors? No matter the occasion, an open concept floor plan is ideal for entertaining. The larger the group, the more space they have to spread out and find a place to be comfortable, whether it’s snacking at the kitchen island, enjoying a rousing board game at the table, watching a sporting event on TV or enjoying cocktails outside on the lanai. If your guests are confined to one room, things can quickly get cramped and uncomfortable, putting an end to the party sooner than you’d like.

LET IT SHINE

There’s nothing like the beauty of natural sunlight. In a traditional home with many walls, you may get morning sunlight streaming in on one side of the house and afternoon sunlight on the other. An open concept space maximizes your windows, letting in sunlight throughout the main floor no matter what time of day it is. Plus, if you have a beautiful view, you can enjoy it from more than one room!

QUALITY TIME, ALL THE TIME

These days, quality family time often takes a backseat to social media, video games and texting with friends since everything is at our fingertips on phones, tablets and laptops. In an open concept home, the main living spaces are connected, allowing for more interaction between family members. Device-free dinners, family movie nights and board games can easily become the norm in an open concept home.