Wide Open Spaces

There is one good thing about 'going back to school' at 39-43... a lot of what you have to prove, you've already learned. So, I used my personal life and home, 90 Forest Cove, to prove interior design skills. 2005

Essay from FF1 Q.2

    I really like the open plan interiors and chose such a plan both times we had a home built for us. It's possible for plans to be even more open than our present home but I need a balance of open spaces and privacy quarters.

    My personality needs wide open spaces as I can easily become claustrophobic. The first home we had built for us was 750 square feet. We sold it after 3 years and didn't experiment with many changes. The home we currently live in is 956 square feet of perfectly utilized, well planned out space. The home is a basic rectangle with half the home being semi- open space and the other half enclosed, private rooms. My brother was the builder of the home and I was allowed free reign in the designing process. 

    The wall behind the rocker and the Louis XIV chair is nearly a complete wall visually closing off the kitchen area from the living room. (See Q.1 Illustration). I need this bit of enclosure for my peace of mind. The original plan, for this home, called for a U- shaped kitchen. I spend two to four hours a day cooking or baking and I felt there wasn't a counter space large enough to accommodate tasks such as "rolling out dough" in this type of plan. I changed the kitchen to a peninsular design. I also love to entertain but prefer keeping well meaning helpers out of the kitchen work triangle. This design allows me to assign small tasks to someone standing on the opposite side of the counter. I also prefer to clean up immediately after cooking. When I entertain, I need to hide away the unwashed dishes and untidy work area so I can relax with my guests. For me, that requires things to be "out of sight" so they can be "out of mind." The dining area behind the stub wall (See Q.1 Illustration) is completely visible to anyone sitting on the sofa so I ensure that the table is cleaned off leaving only the ambient elements such as candlelight, table cloth and centerpiece. The empty wine bottle and wine glasses also remain on the table to imprint the memory of a good meal shared with good friends.

    One drawback to open plan interiors is the noise factor. When we first moved into this home I insisted on removing the door at the bottom of the lower level stairs. "Open things up!" That was my motto!

    The basement was unfinished and I thought it would be a great play space for my 3 year old and his baby brother. We didn't have a landscaped yard yet so playing outside was out of the question. I purchased a toy riding tractor, with trailer attached and lovingly presented it to my 3 year old boy. He adored it! After the first hour of listening to the plastic wheels tearing around on the concrete floor at Mario Andretti 'racing car' (real name withheld) speeds I thought I would lose my mind or my hearing. It wasn't long before the play are received an area carpet. This diminished the noise considerably. As we put up walls and sound absorbing ceiling tiles, the noise became "livable."

    Ten years later we removed the carpet and linoleum in the living/ dining/ kitchen "great room" upstairs. We laid hardwood flooring throughout the upper floor excluding the three enclosed rooms. Once again, we had to make a noise factor adjustment. The opening between the stub wall and the wicker rocker (See Q.1 Illustration) leads to a space that separates the kitchen counter and dining table and also serves as the pseudo hallway. The enclosed part of the hallway begins where the kitchen counter ends. This five and a half foot enclosed section leads straight to the master bedroom doorway.

    My (then) husband is a night shift worker- ergo- he sleeps during the daytime. When I have afternoon guest over for tea, he awakens because the noise travels from the living room sofa directly to the bedroom door. I now try seating everyone behind the wall, if possible. This seems easier to control than the raucous laughter.

    Even after encountering and managing these different problems I would still choose an open plan concept.

    One idea I would consider incorporating has been developed by a builder in our city. _______ Homes has enclosed the media room enabling sound proofing to be maximized. I really like the idea of a quiet setting coexisting with a loud, boisterous one because this meets the needs of 'husband, wife, children,' especially my teenaged boys, at this time.

    During the Christmas season, we entertained a family of five. They had three teenaged daughters and they added another friend to the mix. After dinner, the parents retired to the living room to enjoy the fireplace and conversation. The teenagers (seven of them), played games in our lower level media room. As the evening progressed some of the teens came upstairs to sit in front of the fire for a break from the activity downstairs. I suppose we were too noisy!

    In conclusion, I would choose the foibles that come with open plan living over a strictly enclosed- room plan any day. As a family of five living in a (partially) open concept home, we have learned much about respecting one another in this environment.

       I have included two newspaper articles showing different ways to divide a room without permanent walls. Note, in particular, the doors in the "Graced with space" article. I think this is a great solution to dividing space.

    "From prayer to Luxurious Lair" shows some preliminary drawings that are very nice indeed. The freestanding arches on the main floor are very commanding for all their openness. They definitely create a 'wall' bringing definition to each different space.

    Also note the denim blue armoire 'pop over' that I designed for my living room. Although, for demonstration sake, I didn't paint both sides in the illustration, the armoire is meant to have both sides identical. If I didn't have a stub wall there I would incorporate this armoire to hold a plasma television that could be pulled out on a swivel so it could be viewed in the living room or the dining room/ kitchen.

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