Summary: An open floor concept can make a big difference in both the visual appeal and usefulness of your Portland, OR home. In this article, we’ll discuss key advantages to this type of floor plan that you may want to consider.
If you are looking for a new home in Portland, OR, or if you are looking to renovate your existing home, you might have heard about something called an open floor plan. In today’s era of housing, this layout has become more popular among both homebuyers and homeowners alike. Modern homes are no longer compartmentalized with several small rooms. Instead, a wide-open layout is much more favorable, for many reasons.
In an open floor plan, there is a single, large space that can act as multiple rooms all in one. Often, hallways, walls, and doors are left out. This makes the entire space feel more inviting. There are numerous advantages to this plan that everyone should keep in mind, including the following.
1. Adds Natural Light to Your Portland, OR Home
One of the biggest benefits of this plan is that there is plenty of added natural light with an open floor plan. Without the interior walls blocking out light, light has an easier time passing through space. This connects the indoor world to the outdoor area.
In order to maximize this benefit, it is a good idea to add a few extra windows in the kitchen or living area. This will bring a little bit of brightness to the indoors, making it glow. Also, because fewer light fixtures are needed, this may reduce your utility costs.
2. Makes Space Feel Bigger
Next, if your Portland home has an open floor concept, the whole area is going to feel larger. You can really make space seem a lot larger thanks to the unhindered flow of natural light of an open layout. This is especially helpful if the home is short on square footage. Instead, an open concept layout can add the illusion of more space, making it seem and feel larger than it really is.
Without the added walls, there is room to open the space upwards. When there are too many walls blocking off an interior space, it can feel like you’re boxed in. This creates a dark and tight space that’s not comfortable to be in. But without all those unnecessary walls, this can make the entire area feel larger than it actually is. With the added, spacious feel, family and friends will be able to relax and enjoy each other’s company that much more!
3. Creates An Easy Space To Entertain
If you’re the type who likes to have people over to entertain, then an open floor plan can work much better for you. With a traditional floor plan, the spaces often feel a little bit cramped. People will be separated in different rooms if there is no space to keep them all in one room. This becomes even more of an issue when you want to gather around the kitchen. Without an open floor plan, it’s often impossible to fit everyone in your kitchen where you can both prepare meals and feed guests. This can make it hard to entertain a large group of people.
With an open concept, on the other hand, you won’t have to worry about any of this. Instead, you can be in the kitchen and still interact with people who are in the living or dining area. Everyone is within reach, and you can maintain a conversation with everyone no matter where they happen to be on the floor. If you like throwing parties, an open floor plan is definitely the ideal layout for you.
4. Makes the Kitchen the Focal Point of Your Portland Home
Kitchens are crucial spaces in a house and are often the hub of a home. These particular rooms are often the most expensive to build and finish, and considering how important this space is, you may want to make it the focal point of your home.
With an open floor plan, you can easily do this. You can benefit from your kitchen being the center of your home and customizing it so that its full potential can be realized. Every upgrade you make to this space will instantly improve the entire level. From decorative backsplashes, stainless steel appliances, upgraded lighting, to new granite countertops, every new and improved finish you add to the kitchen will have a ripple effect on the entire space.
5. Safer With Children
If you have small kids at home, then an open floor plan may be much more convenient for you when it comes to keeping your eye on them. When your home is cut up into several different rooms with walls up, it can be hard to see what your kids are up to. If they’re in another room where you’re unable to see them, they could be getting into something that may be unsafe, such as climbing a shelving unit or sticking something into an electrical socket.
But with an open concept layout, you can see the children at all times without any walls obstructing your view. That way you can catch them doing something hazardous right away before they have a chance to get hurt.
6. Connects Indoor and Outdoor Spaces More Easily
An open concept floor plan makes it easy to connect indoor and outdoor spaces of your home in much the same way that it can connect adjacent rooms within the interior. You can extend your indoor space to the outdoors more easily, such as expanding the kitchen to flow into a dining area on your deck. In this way, you can prepare a meal and easily move it to the outdoors on warmer evenings.
7. More Flexible Layout
The choices you have in terms of arranging furniture in your Portland, OR home are more vast when you’re outfitting an open floor plan home. When you have an open space to work with, you’re not restricted by the walls. Instead, you’re free to easily arrange a space into a living room, family room, home office, den, or anything else you see fit. This can be especially helpful if your needs change in the future. In that case, rearranging pieces is a cinch.
These are a few of the most important benefits of an open floor plan. It is easy to see why these plans have become more popular in recent years.
If you are in the market for a new home or interested in refinancing your current property, be sure to contact your trusted home mortgage professional to discuss financing options.
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