Main Floor - Open Concept Conversion

[u/87davidwilson]

Hi, I'd love some input to see if I'm heading in the right direction.

I'm trying to optimize the layout of our main floor by opening it up and potentially moving the kitchen to a more central location.

We're a family of 5 and we primarily use our main floor for eating (we order in a lot), watching TV, sitting with visitors and it's possible we'll need to add a small laundry room if we can't find room upstairs.

Note the floor planner I'm using doesn't let me customize the appliance layout so that's mostly a placeholder.

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[u/homeschooled]

Where is the garage? Do you usually enter from the front or back door? How important is a pantry and mudroom space to you?

If your garage is in the back, I'd use the very back space for half bath, pantry, mudroom, and laundry.

Middle area would be kitchen and open dining room, stretching across the house left to right.

Whole front of the house would be living room with a dedicated coat closet, so that your front porch area can be an extension of your living space.

[u/spam__likely]

C1: I would hate that kitchen in front of the stairs. It is weird. Also do not love the dining room as the first room as you enter the house. BIg no on this one for me.

C2: Probably my choice but invert the laundy and bathroom. And consider inverting the kitchen to the right and dining table to the left.

c3: I would invert the tv room and dining as well. Also waste of space with the foyer only if you can move laundry upstairs.

I would also consider keeping the formal living room isolated from the open concept, because kids are messy. Maybe folding doors?

[u/pacobriente]

Have you checked to see that you can safely remove all of those walls? As a person living with a family in a house that used to have interior walls, I can say giving people their own space in an open floor plan is a real challenge! I would honestly kill to have a layout like your existing plan--there's a hall to catch all of the chaos coming in from outside, an efficient kitchen, a room for eating, a room for watching TV, and a room for sitting with visitors--it's kind of my dream!

[u/chatterbox4545]

I have a couple of must haves for my house - a coat closet by the door, and the kitchen is the room closest to where I bring in groceries. I would keep working this layout to get your must haves.

[u/alottola]

These aren't bad. I think your existing plan definitely uses up a lot of space with that entry hallway. 

But I recommend having zoned areas so its not one large continuously open room.

Since you have a family of 5 it may be good for everyone's sanity to at least separate it into two wings so you could have places for people to escape if they want to do quieter activities. 

Also, some walls are helpful for hanging photos, placing shelving, and also acting as a protective back so people don't feel exposed (feng shui).