To open plan or to not open plan?

[ChrissyxJingle]

We're currently renovating and cannot decide how to set up our living area - do we keep separate rooms, knock into a big open plan living/dining/kitchen area or a mish mash of the two e.g. opening a hatch/window type thing in the wall between the kitchen and lounge so that you can see through but the rooms are still separate. There are too many options. We simply can't agree or stick to a decision so I'd like to canvas opinions on what others would do in our situation.

We are a young couple with a baby and quite frankly have no idea what we are doing or what would be most practical for living with a baby!

Some of my thoughts are:

Separate rooms...

• how do I cook in the kitchen whilst watching the baby? It's a small kitchen and dining area is in the living room so sitting him in a high chair in the kitchen with me wouldn't be ideal as I would have to carry it back and forth all the time.

Open plan...

• control of smells from the kitchen would be tricky
• control of noise whilst baby is in bed (the stairs would lead into the open plan area)
• hallway would be knocked out so the front door would open straight into the kitchen. Not sure I'm keen.

Can anyone give any opinions to a clueless couple please?!

I’d knock the kitchen through to the hall and make a kitchen diner, but move the wall a bit.

Depending on measurements.

Kitchen / dining in one, preferably with a couch

Cosy living room separate

Now we have a teenager I’m really pleased we’re not open plan. DS can have his mates around in the living room and we sit at a safe distance on the sofa in the kitchen/diner. We can’t really hear him.

Could you take some of the hallway so you just have access to the toilet and a small entrance area.
Then I'd make the front room (current kitchen) a snug living room and then a kitchen diner with the patio doors. You'd need doors for the access anyway but means you can have full open plan when you want and close it off.
As your baby grows into an eight year old watching dull you tube videos you will not want to be in the same room!

Having lived in open plan, it is NOT relaxing trying to watch tv, entertain, speak on the phone with the dishwasher, extractor fan, washing machine on. Also sometimes you just want your privacy.

i never open plan because its too cold, nice in summer but no good for the other 11 months of winter.