11 hours ago
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Open floor plans are often touted as a highly sought-after design feature — but it appears that the love affair with them could be coming to an end, at least if one furious online debate is anything to go by.
The interior design discussion was sparked not by a decorator, but by a reality TV star. Former “Vanderpump Rules” star Stassi Schroeder raised the subject of the home layout option in an episode of her eponymous podcast, explaining that she had seen a TikTok video posted in which a woman discussed her plans for her future home.
The TikTok user was weighing her options on whether to renovate her property or buy a new one that is better suited to their needs, Schroeder, 36, explained.
But after the woman, Claire Edwards, revealed that she had an open floor plan in mind for whichever option they chose, her followers were quick to caution her against it.
“So she posted about how, whether [she and her] husband, were going to buy a new home or were going to renovate theirs,” she said. “And [she’d] always wanted an open floor plan like that is just in [her] brain, a nice system, that’s the bougie thing. You can do whatever. Like, that’s what’s cool to have an open floor plan.”
In response, Schroeder said the TikToker received a comment from a follower who told her that open floor plans are “on their way out” for a number of reasons—including the fact that people “are craving solace” and want private, cozy rooms to hide in, and because they don’t want to multitask so much in one area of their property.
They want to “be able to go into another room and not have somebody else be there,” many of the responders said.
So, the TikTok user posed the question to her wider audience: “If you live in an open floor plan, do you agree with this?”
Speaking on her podcast, Schroeder said the response to the inquiry was overwhelming. The majority of people said that open floor plans are a thing of the past. She then rattled off a list of her followers’ very convincing reasons to reject an open floor plan.
“People who lived in an open floor plan complained” about the setup, Schroeder said. “First, they started by saying it’s impossible to clean because you can’t just clean one room, you have to clean your whole house.
“That it always smells like food because the kitchen is part of the open floor plan,” she went on.
As for the decor, though some might think an open floor plan gives you an incredible blank canvas with which to work, many others say it is more of a curse than a blessing.
“You have to make sure your kitchen appliances match your area by your TV console that then matches like, you know, your sitting area or whatever,” she said. “It’s like really hard to style. And then they said, it’s also so freaking loud and it’s overstimulating and I never feel like I can relax.”
Her discussion about the TikTok user’s video prompted several fans of the open floor plan to come to its defense.
“I live in an open floor plan and I agree with some of this but I still love it so much more. It’s perfect for people that host often and for people with smaller kids,” one person wrote.
“Our first floor is an open floor plan and we love it,” another responded. “I have a 14ft kitchen island and it’s the heart of our home. I love being able to chat with guests or watch kids play while they’re in the living room.
“The cleaning isn’t a big deal and my house never smells like food. We put in a heavy duty kitchen vent and if I fry something I clean the stove and I’ll boil a small pot of water with a cinnamon stick and a lemon. Makes the house smell yummy.”
Another person noted that if you are someone who loves to host, then an open floor plan is ideal.
“If you are someone who likes hosting or cooking an open floor plan is THE BEST!” the commenter wrote. “I hate being separated from everybody preparing stuff in the kitchen but with an open floor plan you can still hang out and talk and be in the kitchen, it also encourages more people to lend a helping hand.
“Additionally when we are having big gatherings it’s nice to be able to clean and cook and have the tv in view to watch a show. Open floor plan all the way, at least kitchen, living room, and dining room open together.”
Schroeder explained that the once ubiquitous open floor plan became so popular because HGTV was showing it all the time, and it was easier for them and cheaper to knock down walls than to build separate rooms.
“And so that’s how it became what it is today,” she said. “And I’m mind-blown.”
English (US)