Opinions on open plan living / dining / kitchen

[ThisBlueGoose]

We are considering putting in an offer on a house with a living dining kitchen area.

We have two young children. The area is a pretty good size, and has bifold doors opening up to a small garden. There would be a spare bedroom to use as a second reception room as a living room/play room.

I've never really spent anytime in a house with an open plan living dining kitchen. What are people's experiences? Pros and cons?

I'm probably not typical as I live alone, however I had the downstairs remodelled last year from a poky separate kitchen and a through dining/sitting room with double doors between (older house) to an all open plan set up.

I was quite hesitant at first but I bit the bullet and I absolutely love it now. Took about three months to get used to it, but I wouldn't go back now! As I said I don't have kids and live on my own so it's ideal for my lifestyle. I do however have one end of the room that's TV/reading/chill space and I have a folding screen that can separate it from the rest of the area if I need to, but I haven't had to use it yet! I have separate utility which does help. And a "Chef's Candle!" which in conjunction with a huge kitchen window/extractor fan rarely leaves any cooking smells.

But it depends on lifestyle and how many people are in the house, and the wants and needs of everyone.

Our house is like this - the original lounge diner (with connecting doors) has been knocked into the tiny kitchen. I'd rather have one spacious room than tiny little ones. We moved in when our kids were at secondary school though, so they tend to stay in their bedrooms.
If you have a second reception room and decent size bedrooms you should be fine. Is there a possibility of adding doors back to give flexibility to the space?

I don't like open plan, I think it works best for small houses with few inhabitants. A family house needs multiple generously sized rooms not a single living space then a small snug. And with every wall that comes down you lose storage space. With 2 DC who will be teenagers in the blink of an eye I'd avoid.

I have an open plan kitchen lounge and dining area. I prefer it because I can be cooking and still be with my hubby watching tv. It’s a huge room and it’s been fun getting large art works for the wall and tall parlour palms. Only draw back is if a fly gets in, it’s difficult trying to spray insects in an open plan house

We had it in our old house, and like a pp, are renovating our new home to be the same. It's great to be all together and not separated by walls.

We also had a sung and separate utility, which makes it work so well.

We went completely open plan downstairs (kitchen/living/dining). It worked quite well whilst kids were pre-school age. Then the noise started bothering me. Two years later I could take it no more and and added utility, which was better. Then added wall to give us 'snug'. Now put a wall between kitchen and living.
It's fine if you have one open plan room as long as you have another living room and a utility I think.
Makn problem is the noise. TV/dishwasher/wadhing machine/dryer/kettle/microwave etcetc all competing with kids talking.
If you are going to go for it don't install hard floors (add noise problem), go for LVT