Changed my mind about open floor plans after living in one for 2 years

Moved into a loft in Denver back in 2021 and thought the open layout was the coolest thing ever. Now I realize you can hear EVERYTHING from every corner of the place. My roommate cooks at 11pm and the whole unit smells like garlic for days. No privacy for phone calls either. That's what convinced me, plus the heating bill was $340 one month because the whole space has to stay warm. Anyone else regret buying into that trend?

2 comments

2 Comments

thomas.tyler1mo ago

Alice Kim called it right with that gymnasium echo thing. I stayed with a friend in one of those Denver lofts for a week and dropping a phone charger made me jump out of my skin. Never thought about how bad the sound carries until you hear someone brushing their teeth from three rooms away. $340 for heating is wild but I totally believe it, all that open space just sucks the heat right out of the money you worked for.

alice_kim1mo ago

Open plans look great in photos but they punish you daily. That echo problem alone makes every noise carry like you're in a gymnasium. If someone drops a fork it sounds like a car crash. And yeah the heating thing is brutal, that $340 bill is your open layout tax. You never think about how much square footage you're paying to heat until the bill comes. People love the idea until they actually have to live with it. Give me a closed kitchen and a door I can shut any day.