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Original poster

Open plan living - Thoughts please

12 replies

lostthewill · 27/02/2010 22:27

Hi we are currently living in a 3 storey town house. We have 2 sitting rooms one on the ground floor and one on the middle floor. The ground floor backs onto the kitchen and we are considering knocking down the stud wall separating the 2 creating and open plan effect. The 2 rooms would be separated by the current base level kitchen units but the top would be open. If that makes sense. The idea is that it would change the way we live ie I could cook and still see the children, better for entertaining etc. I have absolutely no idea what it would cost, that could quite easier scupper my plans but just wanted to know what else do I have to think about with open kitchen/sitting room living?

Thanks

OP posts:

shopalot · 27/02/2010 22:35

We are about to do the same thing. I love open plan living.

2old4thislark · 27/02/2010 22:54

As you have a second sitting room go for it. I presume the wall be a supporting wall. If so, you'll need to put in a steel support which can cost a couple of grand. Not simply a case of taking a sledge hammer to it and getting a plasterer in!

MrsL123 · 27/02/2010 23:11

I think it depends on the way you live at the moment. I couldn't do it because I'm a messy beggar and I couldn't stand looking at piles of washing up when I'm trying to relax - I like to be able to shut the door to the kitchen and pretend it's not there! But if you usually keep your kitchen spotless, it won't be so much of a problem. I also think the noise of the washing machine and dishwasher might get a bit annoying if you can't close the door on them, but if you have an upstairs sitting room to escape to (or a utility room), that might not be so much of a problem.

Turniphead1 · 27/02/2010 23:23

two main things to consider - (part from view of dirty dishes)

do you have proper extraction - ie not a charcoal filter hood, but a proper vented hood with an outdoor wall mounted motor (this is the only way to extract without unbearable noise as the noise is outside). If you don't have it, could you retrofit it (ie is your cooker on a flank wall that you could vent out to)

a quiet dishwasher.

Other than that - go for it. It works really well for us.

Portofino · 27/02/2010 23:30

We live in a new house and it is all open plan. Basically one huge room with a U-shaped kitchen area on one corner. I love it. We do have a good extractor and a quiet dishwasher though.

LittlePushka · 27/02/2010 23:39

I have lived in an open plan living area and I personally would not go back to it. The place (and the curtains/our clothes/the sofa)always smelled of cooking smells and I did have an extractor. I also got sick of the constant clattering about that inevitably goes with the kitchen. The act of even making a cuppa ten times a day is unimaginably annoying!

exexpat · 27/02/2010 23:43

There was another thread on this issue the other week - find it here - I think the general consensus was that it's better to have separate rooms if possible - but if you still have a separate room to retreat to on another floor, then that might work.

chipmonkey · 28/02/2010 00:25

Don't have a see-through toilet.

taffetacat · 28/02/2010 14:16

We've just had a redesign/extension and have big living/dining/kitchen, but its in an L so the bit of the living room that you sit in you can't see the kitchen sink from.

I hate extractors so we just have a weeny one on the wall to keep building regs happy. We do have folding/sliding doors that came in very handy for ventilation on Friday night when I burnt the burgers and there were flames licking out of the oven ( I never cook them..........never again......). I opened the doors and we were smoke and smell free in 5 mins. I personally like cooking smells and think they make a house a home though in general.

We also have a separate playroom off the hall which is a bit of a joke really as the DC just want to be near me at the moment so bring their toys into the dining/living area thats visible from the kitchen. Gah! But it is great for toy storage at the end of the day and if I go in the playroom with them they do play in there. ( DS has to play the piano in there - he can't move that. yet ). I think it will come into its own in a few years tho.

On that point, if you are having work done, do consider if you are likely to stay a few years and if so what your needs will be then. Our architect kept coming back to this again and again, when we were thinking of having lower sinks etc.

The other really brilliant thing about open plan living is the light and the feeling of space. Can't beat it IMO.

Strawberrycornetto · 28/02/2010 17:18

I have an open plan family room / kitchen. It is lovely but my only comment is that I cannot shut DS, who is 2, away from the oven and he is around my feet as soon as I am in the kitchen begging for biscuits! However, I would imagine that is much less of an issue once the children are older and I do really love it otherwise.

Phoenix4725 · 28/02/2010 19:54

ug no i hate it i used like idea of it but after living at mums which is open plan for 2 months..

No way if you have more than 1 child you can not seperate them they cant away from each other.more so you can not escape from them

Original poster

lostthewill · 28/02/2010 20:54

Thanks for all of your replies its given us lots to think about. We've changed our minds about 4 times today. Its the idea of space and light that I was after. Its only a stud wall thankfully so not major work involved. I'll have a think about the fighting children, smells, noise oh and the biscuit issue.

Thanks again

OP posts:

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