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Open Floor Plan

An open floor plan is a layout that joins two or more living spaces, commonly the kitchen, dining area and living room, into one large space with few or no walls between them.

Open plans became popular in American houses in the second half of the twentieth century. Supporters point to better light, easier movement and the ability to see and talk across rooms.

The trade-offs include less privacy, more noise and less wall space for furniture and storage.

An open plan is measured as one area rather than room by room, and it counts toward square footage the same way as walled rooms. How the space is split for labels is covered in open floor plan square footage.