Once upon a time, open-concept homes were created to encourage families to communicate more. With walls and doors taken out of the equation, houses could be less about separating occupants and more about bringing them together—-at least in theory. However, the eventual reality for many people has been quite the opposite, they hate open-concept homes for a variety of seething reasons.
Turns out, people really enjoy having doors
While open-concept homes may photograph well, living in them can be a different story. Twitter user Kima Jones seemed to be preaching to the open-concept home hating Twitter choir when it comes to despising awkward open-concept kitchens. She writes, “I like doors,” and commenters make it very clear that they also have an appreciation for doors in their houses.
Open-concept homes wave goodbye to privacy
As much as a lot of people wish they never tired of their family’s company, sometimes they just need an escape. Maybe it’s to read a book, take a quiet bubble bath or just get a break from sharing the same air as everyone–open-concept homes take that away. They go against their intended function which is literally to “open up” spaces and make them more breathable.
Everyone can hear everything
In an open-concept home, if one person is planning a quiet yoga session and another is planning to binge-watch their favorite action series, there may be a problem. Without walls, each connecting room is basically like one big room for plenty of noise to travel through. Don’t even get us started on when someone needs to use the bathroom.
It can be a pain to invite people over
For those without open-concept homes, prepping for dinner guests mostly requires the tidying of a few rooms. Yet, for open-concept home owners, it often means cleaning the entire house, because each room is visible. Having doors to hide the filthy bedroom that nobody needs to see can be a life-saver, but for people without them, readying the home for visitors is an all-or-nothing endeavor.
They can feel like hotels, but not in a good way
For some, there’s something sterile and impersonal about open-concept homes that prevents them from feeling cozy. They may look perfect for Instagram pictures, but when it comes to personality — they can be dull.
Many people prefer tradition closed-floor concepts
Perhaps if people didn’t know just how many other home design concepts already exist, open-concept would have a better run for its money, but they do. As smart homes and other developments continue to increase, some people just aren’t buying it. This proves that just because open-concept is newer, doesn’t mean it beats the traditional homes that people grew up with.
The media has over-glorified open-concepts
Whether it’s HGTV or another popular lifestyle show, there’s just something about having the walls of a closed concept home being knocked down to “make more space.” Housing shows are obsessed with open-concept homes. They make them look nice and shiny for audiences, and usually works—people want their own open-concept home. However, actually living in one brings to light some of the drawbacks that the housing shows fail to mention.
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They’re a disaster for bigger families
Maybe an open-concept home set-up can be comfy for someone single or a small family, but with lots of little ones- — it’s chaos! Open-concept means small children can scatter everywhere, toys can scatter everywhere, and everything can scatter everywhere. Some people have play rooms to keep messes contained, but without doors and walls, the whole house might as well be the play room.
They’re not great for large pets either
While our furry friends can get into a bit of shenanigans in just about any house, open-concept homes make it harder to monitor their behavior. Closed doors create barricades to keep pets out of the rooms they’re not supposed to be in. They’re great for training and setting clear physical boundaries.
They really don’t work during the pandemic
While they pop up on home decor shows, in reality, the pandemic has made them less coveted. With homes becoming the central hubs for work, school, video events, childcare and more during isolation, people need their space. Plus, if someone in the family tests positive for COVID-19, having distance remains key.
What are your thoughts on open-concept homes?
