Knocking archway between kitchen and lounge...is open-plan a good thing?

[Dragonball]

We live in a typical Victorian terrace...kitchen has been extended at the back and the two rooms at the front also made into one lounge. We've booked builders to create an archway/ double doorway between the kitchen and lounge, so in effect being able to see from the front of the house all the way to the back. It has driven me mad to have two separate rooms and a narrow corridor to walk between - I like being able to see what the kids (8 and 5) are doing in the lounge while I'm in the kitchen. This has been an idea/ dream of mine for a couple of years and finally got round to doing it. We are also have a small separate room for their own stuff - tv, beanbags. We're not in that great a place financially but could do it with a remortgage already organised - but I'm getting cold feet and worried that I'm doing the wrong thing. has anyone done anything similar? am I going to just waste lots of money doing something that doesn't bring much benefit to the house? would love some advice! thanks.

Not sure about adding value but we are just about to do the same, we have what was originally a 2 bed semi, we did a loft conversion 5 years ago to add a master bedroom and ensuite, added a side extension 2 years ago for a playroom, and are just about to knock through the wall from the original kitchen and living room to make a large open plan kitchen with island and room for a bookshelf or two plus the piano. DH suggested it 5 years ago but I had too much going on in my head with the loft conversion so I've just come around to it! If you're looking to add value it might not add too much but if it is a long term home that you will enjoy for years to come that doesn't matter as much? Having a room from front to back may make it feel lighter and airier as well as being able to keep as eye on the children more.

I think it would depend if you would still have a separate reception room too. If the open plan kitchen/lounge/diner is the only room it may put some buyers off at a later date. However if you are planning on being there a long time do what works for you.

The snag is that if your washing machine is in the kitchen you won't be able to escape from the noise of the spin cycle.....

I think your children are getting a bit old for you to need this, it's more use when they are younger. You will have to listen to what they listen to/watch on tv if you knock through.

I hate open plan. Noise and smells. We cook a lot of curry and fish and it gets into the soft furnishings. Bleugh.

Washing machine noise is a good point and one I'm going to have to think about more as it will not help piano practice. Might just have to be more organised about when I set the machine going.

Can you compromise a bit and get those folding doors or pocket door things that go into the wall so that you still retain the ability to have separate rooms?

This kind of thing.

I prefer separate rooms. Can't bear hearing someone crashing about in the kitchen when I am trying to watch Bargain Hunt or read a book. If there was only a small playroom in addition to the open plan space then that would put me off as a buyer.

Piano practice? You'd want to be able to get away from that surely?

I have recently replaced a couple of walls in my house - as our open plan living space, lovely when the kids were small, no longer did the job once they became teenagers and needed some privacy from family at times. I was sick at the sight of gangly teenage boys - mine and other people's - sprawled out all over the downstairs - wanted somewhere to shut them (or myself) off that wasn't a bedroom.
As you say you also have a small den, you might be ok, but trust me, in general open plan does not make for a happy home with older children. There is just no escape from each other.
Think too of noise from kitchen appliances, one person wanting to listen to music while another watches TV, teenagers needing space to set out revision during exam season (bedrooms have way too many distractions in my experience), kids practicing musical instruments.... there are so many times that a separate space is useful.
Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't buy a fully open-planned house as you describe, unless I lived on my own.

Sorry OP for hijacking....

Playroom is as big as the kitchen and living room combined, its a huge room luckily. Could possibly add a second floor to it for more living space but would be pricey and not sure we would get planning permission.

She does Suzuki piano so we practice together every day. She might want to get away from me as she gets older but I guess we could move the piano into the play room at some point.

Oh also, we don't have a TV, so noise with that wouldn't be an issue

Noooooooo! Unless you have a separate utility room. And your kitchen is meticulously tidy. You can't watch TV and have the washer on at the same time. You can see dirty dishes and piles of crap on tables whilst you're trying to relax. It's awful. I put the wall back in to our open plan house.

Apologies, busymummy. I thought it was the OP who had the child with the piano practice.

We reinstated the wall between the living room and the dining room about 5 years ago. Best thing ever.

Looks like I'm out voted OP!

Open plan here with young children. We love it! However, it comes with the following provisos:

• A really good extractor fan
• A separate area for the tumble dryer and washing machine (they live in our downstairs toilet annexe)
• A dishwasher which will save your sanity in the evenings.

We keep our home clutter free by using a lot of boxes/shelving. As the kids get older, we plan to give them space through an extension with folding doors. We are also planning to dispatch grumpy teenagers to a insulated games shed at the bottom of the garden (with electricity, of course).

The other thing that needs considering is are you happy to have random guests /MIL / anyone etc watch you cook !? If you are a confident cook it's all fine being open plan - but if your kitchen is your place to hide away or escape the mad house etc you will loose that ! Not everyone likes open plan for this reason. So please consider it too !

We broke through a door between kitchen & living room. It works brilliantly- I can leave it open during day so I can see (and hear) DC easily, then close it in the evening. It's great for light too, when it's open you can see straight through from front to back. I am planning to change the door to half glass- currently a full panel door.

A pocket door is preferable if space is tight, we've just got a normal opening.

We made lots of small changes last summer, but this was honestly the best thing we did. Our house is an old '70's bungalow, I felt I was spending my days traipsing up and down our hallway from kitchen to living room.

I must say the mess was considerable. They used an angle grinder to cut through block wall, then plasterer & carpenter tidied the opening. It's a lot of dust! They have to run water over the saw blade, so there were grey splashes everywhere!!

I would knock through kitchen and back reception room, but separate back out the two receptions rooms.

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like it's horses for courses!
We've been given a rather large quote for doing it though (£8k) and would love to know a ballpark of what others have paid...I think I need to look around. Thanks

I don't like open plan either- kitchen cooking smells, noise from the washing machine, steamed up windows etc

We've got open plan and I absolutely love it but we did have a separate dining room too which we never used as our kitchen sits at least 12 so have made that into a den. I concur with a previous poster that teenagers and open plan is a pain, hence losing the dining room. I've also got a separate utility room which helps keep noise down