An open floor plan is one of the most common hopes we hear when talking to homeowners about why they want to renovate. One of the big motivators for this is the desire to have a house plan for better entertaining. But what is structurally and aesthetically involved in creating that open-concept floor plan for entertaining in your home?
Good planning ahead of time will save you many future headaches. Knowing the key considerations when renovating your home into a more open-concept space is important.
When thinking through how to design an open floor plan for entertaining, answering the question, “How do we entertain?” is an important first step.
There are intimate gatherings, and there are game-day blowouts. There are winter holiday parties with guests cozy and warm indoors, and there are summer barbecues where guests are outdoors by the pool enjoying the warmer weather.
Are you hosting many family gatherings and kid’s birthday parties? Do you like to focus on an activity? A movie, cards, or board games? Or is it more about setting a mood for conversation with the right playlist or even playing guitar with some friends?
Here are a few important questions to ask so the food aspect of entertaining is always on point. Is this a sit-down dinner with a cocktail hour before the first course? Or a more casual buffet where everyone is serving themselves?
Who is doing the cooking and baking? Are you the chef, or does everyone bring “a little something?” Maybe you get together and make your grandma’s iconic homemade ravioli or gather to make a mountain of tamales. Or maybe you leave the heavy lifting to a caterer and focus on interactions that happen in the living space outside of the kitchen.
Maybe you’re someone who would like to have the ultimate entertaining space and include all of these things.
Knowing how you love to entertain will help you renovate to maximize the experience for you and your guests.
One way to think about designing your open concept space for entertaining is to think in terms of “zones.” When planning these zones, consider the scale you need to make everything flow well within the home design.
Dedicate enough space for each ‘zone’ you have decided on for the design. For instance, if the focus is on the experience of cooking, you might make the kitchen zone larger than the conversation zone.
Here are several common zones we help clients work into their open floor plan designs:
If you have the space, consider adding a double kitchen island to maximize space for entertaining and food preparation.
As with any renovation project, it is critical to work with the right design-build contractor who will help you look at the space holistically. You want to work with someone who will ask questions and get a thorough understanding of your answers to the many considerations listed above. Working with an experienced design-build contractor will get you the desired results for your ideal home entertaining space.
Download the eBook "The Ultimate Step-by-Step Home Renovation Transformation Guide" to learn how you can plan for a successful remodel and transform your house into the ultimate entertaining space.