Smaller homes need rooms that are planned for multiple purposes, and the elimination of walls to combine spaces allows for a feeling of openness. A house with an open plan can be built smaller and still have the same amount of effective space. Years ago, kitchens were the realm of the servant and were totally walled off from the dining area. Today, we see the kitchen as the center of social interaction and welcome the preparation of food into our daily activities.
Timber homes tend to enhance open floorplans because the structure supporting the roof is attractive enough to be left exposed and support the loads at post locations instead of across an entire wall. Open floorplans also reduce or eliminate hallways that create wasted space. With fewer walls, rooms feel bigger and so the size of individual spaces can be smaller. And you can’t overlook how much our lives change during the life of a home—an open plan allows us to adapt rooms to reflect those changes.
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