This week we respond to an article that argues open floor plans may be a design trend worth reconsidering. Over the years we’ve opened up walls and widened doorways in each of our three homes to create better flow and a more expansive feeling, but we’ve learned that open concept living isn’t always the right choice. In this post we walk through the advantages and disadvantages of open layouts, explain when you might want to resist the urge to remove a wall, and offer practical fixes if you’re struggling with the open plan you already have. We also share a quick curb appeal project we completed in an afternoon, reveal Sherry’s favorite sources for extra-long curtains and why she prefers them, and grumble about the proliferation of storage units in neighborhoods everywhere.
Below you’ll find show notes, project photos, and resources we mentioned. If you’ve landed on this page from a feed reader, you may need to visit the post directly to see some media. This summary collects the most useful information so you can reference it later.
What’s New
- We recently installed a metal mailbox post in a neighborhood-friendly finish and painted a coordinating mailbox for a neighbor. The post provides a clean, modern look and is available in multiple finishes to match your home’s exterior.
- For house numbers we used dark bronze adhesive metal numbers that are just the right scale for the front of a post. They adhere cleanly and read well from the street, which makes a small but meaningful improvement to curb appeal.
What’s Not
- We continue to experiment with paint choices and finishes. One paint collection we referenced has a broad palette suited to transitional and farmhouse-inspired homes, which made it easy to choose tones that feel timeless yet fresh.
- We also revisited a reader-submitted kitchen redesign from years ago to illustrate how dramatic changes can happen long before certain renovation shows and trends became mainstream.
Open Floor Plans
- Open floor plans offer obvious benefits: improved sightlines, better flow for entertaining, and a brighter, airier feel. That said, there are valid drawbacks to consider before committing to removing walls.
- Some concerns to weigh:
- Acoustics and noise: With fewer barriers, sound carries more easily between spaces, which can make it hard to have private conversations or quieter rooms.
- Lack of visual separation: An entirely open plan can feel overwhelming if there isn’t intentional zoning. Without clear boundaries, living, dining, and kitchen areas can compete visually.
- Heating and cooling efficiency: Larger, open volumes can be more costly or difficult to condition consistently, especially in older homes with less efficient HVAC systems.
- Storage loss: Removing a wall often eliminates opportunities for built-in storage, shelving, or closets that add function to a home.
- On the flip side, there are many ways to get the best of both worlds:
- Widen doorways or add large openings rather than removing walls entirely. This preserves some definition while improving flow.
- Use built-ins, bookshelves, or low partitions to create visual separation without sacrificing light or connection.
- Define zones with furniture placement, rugs, lighting, and window treatments to help each area feel purposeful.
- We share several examples from our own projects where we experimented with openings and partial walls:
- Widened doorways in our first house to improve circulation while retaining room definition.
- Created a large opening in a closed wall at our second home to connect rooms but keep distinct spaces.
- Opened the living room and kitchen in our current house, then added built-in bookcases and a wide doorway to balance openness and storage.
- Here’s a photo of how open our current house could have been if we had removed the wall entirely. Instead, we opted for a wide opening and custom built-ins that provide storage and a sense of separation while preserving the open feel.
- Leaving room for built-in bookcases on the other side of that retained wall gave us valuable storage and a purposeful design feature that anchors the space.
- We also highlighted a friend’s recent living room makeover where a wall was debated but ultimately kept. The TV sits on the opposite side of the wall, so maintaining that barrier preserved function while the room received a fresh aesthetic update.
We’re Digging
- Sherry continues to champion long curtains—96 inches or longer—even in homes with standard 8-foot ceilings. Longer curtains visually raise a room’s proportions, create a tailored look, and frame windows more elegantly. Her favorite sources for long curtains include well-known retailers and design-focused brands that offer a range of lengths and fabrics. When choosing cotton curtains, remember to launder them first to avoid unexpected shrinkage.
- John has been reading the book So, You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, which he recommends for its thoughtful perspective on public behavior and accountability. He first encountered the book through a podcast episode that discussed a notable viral incident; listening to the episode provided useful context for the book’s themes.
We also tested a small exterior update that made a noticeable difference to our curb appeal in just an afternoon—simple, focused improvements can have a big impact.
*Note: Some items discussed in this post are products we used in our own projects.