Walls are back: The case against open-plan living

Open-plan living is on the way out and I, for one, am here for it.

For years, many have embraced the concept of airy and open spaces. No walls to obscure a view, as well as no doors to interrupt the flow of a space. But in reality, open-plan living is just a big mash-up of noise, people, pets, furniture and life – the good, the bad and the ugly.

The idea is lovely – people padding around a kind of “communal” house, extended long-range conversations from the kitchen to the living room, household members softly going about their day-to-day lives. But let’s get real. This is not how open-plan living works in reality.

It has long been a sore point for me that modern houses are designed to be so, well, open.

I’m all for camaraderie, conversation and connection in the house, but I’m also tired of the acoustic challenges of an airport-hanger style space. Mealtimes drowned out by the backdrop of a TV or a hyper-competitive game of Uno. I don’t want to be a non-consenting bystander to other people’s telephone calls. I’m over hearing my raucous children in the evening when I’m trying to wind down (what is it about teenagers, mugs of milo and siblings only getting along at 9:08pm?) It’s hectic and it’s loud.

On top of this, when entertaining, clusters of guests in the one space requires a high-degree of discipline to not be distracted by all the commotion. Add a barking dog or two into the mix and I am spent.

And so, I am breathing a sigh of relief that the architectural gods are whispering that people are demanding walls be put up, proper rooms reinstated and that we bid adieu to open-plan living (let’s be frank, it never stood much of a chance in the face of a pandemic and lockdowns).

So, give me walls, a door and a traditional floor plan. I will heartily embrace the fact that the whole house is not on show. Walls and rooms create privacy, they allow your house to be a sanctuary when you need it, a respite from the world. So, save yourself some money, forget about “opening up the house”, shut the door on clutter and noise and enjoy the fact that walls are back.