I think it depends. if the house is large enough for an open plan sitting/dining/cooking area as well as having a utility room and a couple of other reception rooms, then yes.
Not a fan personally, prefer separate not least of all because of the cooking smells and smoke that can linger. I think it’s a ruse by developers in brainwashing people that is what everyone wants , when in fact it is just cheaper for them to do .
A bit of a combo is nice. The rooms at the front of ours (inc lounge) are segregated but the back is quite open plan (kitchen + diner + patio doors out to the back)
We've got kitchen and family living room and separate utility on the lower ground which leads out to garden then a grown up living room and dining on the ground floor.
That way if we can't be arsed to tidy up we can ignore all kids stuff and go upstairs to our sanctuary
The key (if you have kids) is having two separate living areas, one for kids to keep all the plastic shit and toy kitchens etc, and one for the adults to sit.
We live in a new build barret box type house which in many respects is very roomy, but fails this basic point, having a separate kitchen downstairs. It's pretty shit until the weather turns and you can kick Jnr G out into the garden.
I do not love it but I don't have a great deal of other options right now.
Ideally I'd have a separate lounge and a large kitchen diner space with room for a sofa and TV nook. And a separate dining room. And a family room. And a utility room.
I guess it works if you are living in a house with 2500 square foot plus ground floor foot print, or 1700 square foot flat, but not I imagine in a 600 square foot flat.
I just about scrap through in open plan office (first time in my career). No thank you to open plan living - unless it is with family and that too each one having a room for their own privacy
I could handle a squat in a decent abandoned factory or warehouse type place but those seem to be few and far between these days. New York, Berlin, London - all gone. Redeveloped into soulless shoe boxes for moneyed professional bores and hipster twots. Maybe Brum has a few places. Dunno about a critical mass of creatives though? Whither the next edgy run down place with ample free space and accommodating owners? I don't think the impending flood of abandoned retail parks will cut it.
What whoever it was said about having two living zones. We have kitchen dining lounge and playroom on ground floor w garden and then grown up reception room plus library on first floor. Would hate to have everything open plan on one floor.
Ps obv if i was young and trendy and having adventurous flings with hot randoms then could do the whole living in a loft thing but with kids and a steady stream of visitors/cleaners/builders/in laws having space to get away from it all is essential. Mr tc and I have always prioritised having a study each for this reason.
We have a “library” (big room of books with some nice sofas to read on) but our studies are our own. I literally never set foot in mr tcs and vice versa. Feels psychologically important to have my own space.
I'm going to have a big open plan living room and dining room but that's fine as if we're using one of those areas we're likely to be using the other at the same time.
I think a kitchen/diner is ace. I dont see the point of a formal dining room tbh and never have. i'd tend tward a seperate lounge and study. and a utility room that can be hidden from god's wrath.
What everyone else said. An open plan kitchen diner that also has a couple of sofas in it is great for entertaining/practical for the kids.
Would drive me nuts if I didn't also have some grown up space somewhere to escape the kids though and that space needs a door protecting it from the kids and their mess, preferably one with a lock!
My house is not that spacious so no bragging. I like having a kitchen/diner rather than a separate dining room, complete waste of space to me. I wish I had a proper family room kitchen downstairs that was big enough for a sofa and tv for the kids. I like having a living room on the 1st floor.
Woukdbt want an entirely open plan living space unless there was room to have the washing machine etc elsewhere
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I'm 'opening up' my house. so I 'll be able to answer in 4 years time. But obvs I think it will be good
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Love it. It's so much more sociable when you have people round.
The downsides are having to pause the tv to boil the kettle and having nowhere to hide if you f**k something up when cooking.
Have a separate laundry room if at all possible.
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I think it depends. if the house is large enough for an open plan sitting/dining/cooking area as well as having a utility room and a couple of other reception rooms, then yes.
if it's all the crap in one big room, then no.
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Not a fan personally, prefer separate not least of all because of the cooking smells and smoke that can linger. I think it’s a ruse by developers in brainwashing people that is what everyone wants , when in fact it is just cheaper for them to do .
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what clubbers said
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Wouldn’t you tire at having to put the washing and plates away all the time though?
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A bit of a combo is nice. The rooms at the front of ours (inc lounge) are segregated but the back is quite open plan (kitchen + diner + patio doors out to the back)
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R8 it.
We've got kitchen and family living room and separate utility on the lower ground which leads out to garden then a grown up living room and dining on the ground floor.
That way if we can't be arsed to tidy up we can ignore all kids stuff and go upstairs to our sanctuary
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great except when mini-dpw wanders into living room bit with peanut butter all over his mitts and starts climbing on the new sofa armchair
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The key (if you have kids) is having two separate living areas, one for kids to keep all the plastic shit and toy kitchens etc, and one for the adults to sit.
We live in a new build barret box type house which in many respects is very roomy, but fails this basic point, having a separate kitchen downstairs. It's pretty shit until the weather turns and you can kick Jnr G out into the garden.
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I do not love it but I don't have a great deal of other options right now.
Ideally I'd have a separate lounge and a large kitchen diner space with room for a sofa and TV nook. And a separate dining room. And a family room. And a utility room.
Not too much to ask, right?
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Hate it,
why do you want to spend all your time with other people, separate rooms for the win
the only reason I have a flat with an open plan kitchen living room is because I live by myself
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I guess it works if you are living in a house with 2500 square foot plus ground floor foot print, or 1700 square foot flat, but not I imagine in a 600 square foot flat.
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My only gripe is not being able to get away from the noise of my washing machine but these days I put in on a timer to run when I’m asleep.
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I just about scrap through in open plan office (first time in my career). No thank you to open plan living - unless it is with family and that too each one having a room for their own privacy
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I could handle a squat in a decent abandoned factory or warehouse type place but those seem to be few and far between these days. New York, Berlin, London - all gone. Redeveloped into soulless shoe boxes for moneyed professional bores and hipster twots. Maybe Brum has a few places. Dunno about a critical mass of creatives though? Whither the next edgy run down place with ample free space and accommodating owners? I don't think the impending flood of abandoned retail parks will cut it.
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What whoever it was said about having two living zones. We have kitchen dining lounge and playroom on ground floor w garden and then grown up reception room plus library on first floor. Would hate to have everything open plan on one floor.
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Ps obv if i was young and trendy and having adventurous flings with hot randoms then could do the whole living in a loft thing but with kids and a steady stream of visitors/cleaners/builders/in laws having space to get away from it all is essential. Mr tc and I have always prioritised having a study each for this reason.
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TC - not even a common library?
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We have a “library” (big room of books with some nice sofas to read on) but our studies are our own. I literally never set foot in mr tcs and vice versa. Feels psychologically important to have my own space.
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I'm going to have a big open plan living room and dining room but that's fine as if we're using one of those areas we're likely to be using the other at the same time.
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I think a kitchen/diner is ace. I dont see the point of a formal dining room tbh and never have. i'd tend tward a seperate lounge and study. and a utility room that can be hidden from god's wrath.
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What everyone else said. An open plan kitchen diner that also has a couple of sofas in it is great for entertaining/practical for the kids.
Would drive me nuts if I didn't also have some grown up space somewhere to escape the kids though and that space needs a door protecting it from the kids and their mess, preferably one with a lock!
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Good thread for folks to humble-brag about their spacious houses...….
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All I ask is somewhere I can watch TV without the washing machine doing the spin cycle at the other end of the room.
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I have to say, I'm much less a fan of open plan now there is someone else other than me in this flat...
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My house is not that spacious so no bragging. I like having a kitchen/diner rather than a separate dining room, complete waste of space to me. I wish I had a proper family room kitchen downstairs that was big enough for a sofa and tv for the kids. I like having a living room on the 1st floor.
Woukdbt want an entirely open plan living space unless there was room to have the washing machine etc elsewhere
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Loved it pre kids, not a fan now
jitchen diner essential with kids - we converted the recently done kitchen to make it a KD
Obeessed with having a laundry room - next house
would comp on small tv room rather than lounge diner to get a mega inside space that kids can play in
still mostly plastic free on the toy front so quite like seeing them about the place
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OMG! OB, have you been renovating a flat?!
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