Those who have decided to build a custom home understand that there are endless decisions when it comes to creating your perfect living space. From selecting paint colors to light fixtures, kitchen appliances, flooring styles, and more, designing a custom home certainly takes a significant amount of thought and consideration. But before you get into all the smaller details, one of the most fundamental choices to make when designing a home is the overall floor plan layout of your living space. Here are some questions that may help you decide on which floorplan style is the right choice for your household.
Open Concept vs. Traditional Floorplan: What’s the Difference?
An open floorplan – also called an open concept – eliminates walls and barriers throughout the home, providing seamless navigation and views that has become incredibly popular among homeowners today. On the other hand, some clients still prefer a more traditional layout with clearly defined rooms. Interestingly enough, the rapid transition to work-from-home situations has brought back a growing desire for homes with distinct areas for a home office or other private work environment.
How do i know which home design is right for me?
There are certainly pros and cons to both open concepts and traditional floorplans. To get a better understanding of which layout best fits your needs, begin by asking yourself the following questions:
1. Do you desire design variety?
Since open concepts have rooms that essentially mend together, your home’s interior will need to have a more cohesive look rather than each room having its own unique personality. For some homeowners, this may be exactly the kind of aesthetic that they are envisioning for their custom home. Not to mention, sticking with a cohesive look throughout a large portion of your home will also make the task of decorating that much easier.
However, if you are looking for greater design variety throughout your home’s interior, a traditional floorplan may be the more suitable choice. Clearly defined individual rooms will offer more freedom to get creative with different aesthetics in those distinct zones, without having to worry about anything visually clashing.
2. Do you value privacy and quiet time?
Open floorplans and traditional floorplans are complete opposites when it comes to how well they accommodate privacy and silence. When you are sharing large open spaces in the main living areas of your home, there will inevitably be less opportunity to find solitude without resorting to your private bedroom or office. However, this may be a non-issue for empty-nesters or those who are planning for a guest suite or casita to provide that private space in their new custom home.
3. Do you love to entertain?
Are you always the host for family get-togethers? This is another important factor to consider when it comes to designing a home layout that’s right for you. Open concepts are fantastic for accommodating many guests because there are minimal physical barriers that get in the way of mingling. An open floorplan between the kitchen, dining area and living room is often the most requested layout because it will allow you to entertain and communicate with guests while preparing a meal. 3D modeling is an excellent tool that homebuilders can use to visualize the flow between indoor/outdoor spaces and other main rooms throughout a new home.