Whether you're trailing along behind an Etobicoke real estate agent looking at Greater Toronto homes or perusing the real estate listings here in Little Rock, there are certain terms you're bound to come across. "Open Concept" is one of them. It's an extremely popular modern method of designing and/or decorating rooms, and you'll probably see a lot of homes in that style. This article will familiarize you with the characteristics of the design and the pros and cons of its application.
On its most basic level, "open concept" means exactly what it sounds like - an area designed so that it seems more open. The key here is the word "seems." In cities where living space is at a premium, the use of open concept design in a Toronto condominium can make a too-small unit into a functional living space. In an open concept, one or more rooms are usually combined into one large space with partial or moveable barriers delineating one space from another.
Another prominent characteristic of open concept designs is the incorporation of large windows for increased natural light. The entire goal of an open concept is to make the space feel large, so architectural features like high ceilings and design features like white walls and mirrors are used to enhance the illusion of a large space. If you were to utilize open concept design in a house for sale in Mississauga that was already large, it would feel positively cavernous. The term "open concept" can be applied to a single room that has multiple functions (usually a kitchen/dining room/living room) or to an entire structure.
The biggest advantage to an open concept design, of course, is that it increases the perceived size of the room, which makes small spaces more appealing to buyers. Another advantage is that by eliminating as many staircases, walls, and extraneous doorways as possible, the space is much easier for a disabled person to navigate in a wheelchair or on a cane. If you were to visit Scrivener Square in Toronto you would notice that open concept design is used in public spaces and bathrooms specifically for its barrier-free qualities.
A major disadvantage of the open concept design, of course, is a lack of privacy. If your living room, dining room, and kitchen are all one room, your kids can't have a bunch of friends over to watch a movie while you and your spouse host a dinner party for your friends. In a house that's entirely open concept, many complain that sounds from one end of the house are audible at the other end (especially if the floors are wood or tile), which can become annoying enough for you to call up your commercial mortgage broker to see about reselling the property.
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