marvholly
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 21, 2010 11:45:21 GMT -5
Posts: 6,540
|
Post by marvholly on Jul 10, 2011 4:25:55 GMT -5
I, too, have an open floor plan split level house. We bought it when DD1 was 16 months and there was no DD2.
The kids were always restricted to the 1/2 grade family room. The adjacent room was their 'play' room where all the toys were stored. In the beginning this was the ONLY room w/furniture. For both reasons, it is where the tv is (plus the kitchen aand MBR).
Now that they are grown & gone we could have the tv on the main level but it is now FULLY furnished in a more formal manner AND it is adjacent to the kitchen where we already have a tv.
|
|
parker1b2
Established Member
Joined: Jan 4, 2011 21:51:28 GMT -5
Posts: 256
|
Post by parker1b2 on Jul 10, 2011 8:33:32 GMT -5
Currently we have a formal living room and a family room. The living room we do not use except at christmas time or if we are entertaining. The family room has the TV and where we spend most of our time. The house I grew up is was this way also, had a formal living room that we rarely used that housed the piano that no one played, and we had a den where we spent most of our time.
|
|
|
Post by illinicheme on Jul 10, 2011 9:03:48 GMT -5
Ok, I have to ask. For those with the open to the world kitchens, do you spend all of your time cleaning it to make it presentable? What do you do for big holiday dinners? My kitchen is clean, but there are often dishes in the sink or coffee cups on the counter that haven't made it in to the dishwasher, but I don't want to see that when I'm watching tv, or doing other things. For a normal Tuesday night dinner, I have no issue with sitting at the kitchen table while pans are soaking in the sink in full view, but not for a holiday dinner. I want to be able to shut the door to the kitchen and not have all that stuff staring at me. I couldn't enjoy the meal. So, how does it work with the open concept, do you ignore or clean before you eat? We haven't hosted a holiday dinner at our current house yet, but I guess I'd ignore the mess. That's what I do most days anyway!
|
|
zibazinski
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 16:12:50 GMT -5
Posts: 47,869
|
Post by zibazinski on Jul 10, 2011 9:07:52 GMT -5
Usually the open concept has much nicer cabinetry than usual. I know mine does, it alsmost looks like furniture. I wish I had a seperate dining area but I think once I get this place done, what I have will work. I HATE the tv in the great room but we are looking into ways to hide it in a the woodwork/cabinetry that is already there.
|
|
dancinmama
Senior Associate
LIVIN' THE DREAM!!
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 20:49:45 GMT -5
Posts: 10,659
|
Post by dancinmama on Jul 10, 2011 9:37:18 GMT -5
The house we have now doesn't really have "rooms" in the living areas. You open the front door and see the entire living/dining/kitchen area, because the back wall is all windows facing the mountains so we have a great view from anywhere. hockeygrl: Wow, that sounds A LOT like our home although our rooms are defined by perimeter walls/alcoves and ceiling fans rather than by furniture placement alone. We also have a mountain view. In addition, we do not really have hallways either except a short one (6 ft. long) from the garage into the great room defined by laundry room on one side and upper/lower storage cabinets on the other. I like the open floor plan because those homes are usually lighter (no walls blocking sunlight coming in). Some people, however, like the coziness of homes that are broken up into smaller living spaces. My BIL came to visit us recently and a couple of mornings he wore sunglasses inside when he first got up; he is used to a darker home and couldn't quite handle all the sunshine streaming in so early in the morning. ;D DH and I have owned both types of homes and luckily we both like light and and open.
|
|
dancinmama
Senior Associate
LIVIN' THE DREAM!!
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 20:49:45 GMT -5
Posts: 10,659
|
Post by dancinmama on Jul 10, 2011 10:08:50 GMT -5
Ok, I have to ask. For those with the open to the world kitchens, do you spend all of your time cleaning it to make it presentable? What do you do for big holiday dinners? My kitchen is clean, but there are often dishes in the sink or coffee cups on the counter that haven't made it in to the dishwasher, but I don't want to see that when I'm watching tv, or doing other things. For a normal Tuesday night dinner, I have no issue with sitting at the kitchen table while pans are soaking in the sink in full view, but not for a holiday dinner. I want to be able to shut the door to the kitchen and not have all that stuff staring at me. I couldn't enjoy the meal. So, how does it work with the open concept, do you ignore or clean before you eat? It really depends on HOW you cook. I use the "clean as you go" method of cooking. It does not take that much time to put things away and clean up as you go. For daily cooking, I might have a fry pan or pot on the stove when we sit down to eat, but the kitchen sink is definitely not full of dishes. I've always used this method ever since I watched my late MIL do it regardless of what type of home we have lived in. In addition, for big holidays, I do everything that I possibly can in advance. All my sides have already been made (usually the day before) and are sitting in the refrigerator waiting to be baked, so the prep mess has long been cleaned up. Usually, all I have left after my guests arrive is to chop a few veggies for the salad or put out more appetizers (all the little stuff). This has a double benefit. I get to socialize with everyone or watch the big game instead of spending my holiday time working while everyone else is drinking and having fun. The main dish (ham or turkey) still needs to be baked and carved, but if I line the baking pan with foil, I can clean that one up while DH is carving. When we sit down to eat, the kitchen usually looks spic and span. ;D
|
|
Deleted
Joined: May 16, 2024 11:09:55 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2011 10:46:40 GMT -5
Our new house does not have separate living/family rooms, but we do have a formal dining room that will be used as a game room instead.
|
|
Knee Deep in Water Chloe
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 27, 2010 21:04:44 GMT -5
Posts: 13,853
Mini-Profile Name Color: 1980e6
|
Post by Knee Deep in Water Chloe on Jul 10, 2011 10:57:44 GMT -5
So, how does it work with the open concept, do you ignore or clean before you eat? I've had the open concept in this and the last two houses. We are absolutley clean-as-you-go people. The kitchen is barely any messier than it was when we start cooking. A problem with this house is the dishwasher is wickedly loud. In our last house--which I still own and miss my dishwasher and refridgerator terribly--we could run our dishwasher while we ate and then be able to do the table dishes immediately after dinner.
|
|
sheilaincali
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 17:55:24 GMT -5
Posts: 4,131
|
Post by sheilaincali on Jul 10, 2011 11:07:33 GMT -5
we have a seperate living room and family room in our current house and had a similar set up in your last 3 houses. We don't have a tv in our living room. We have our big family tv in our family room with the wii, blu-ray, surround sound set up. DS has a tv in his room with the ps3 and xbox 360 hooked up to it. We have never had a tv in our bedroom or the living room. We have an open floor plan for our living, dining, kitchen area so we use the living room every single day. DH and I sit and visit in there every day after work and it's were company hangs out when they come over. Our family room is in the finished basement and is pretty big. It's shaped like a large "L". One part is the board game/craft area, one party is the family room and the last end of the L is DH's office and the library area.
Growing up we always had seperate living and family rooms. We only went in the living room on "special" occassions and we have always referred to it as the museum.
|
|
dancinmama
Senior Associate
LIVIN' THE DREAM!!
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 20:49:45 GMT -5
Posts: 10,659
|
Post by dancinmama on Jul 10, 2011 12:04:10 GMT -5
So, how does it work with the open concept, do you ignore or clean before you eat? I've had the open concept in this and the last two houses. We are absolutley clean-as-you-go people. The kitchen is barely any messier than it was when we start cooking. A problem with this house is the dishwasher is wickedly loud. In our last house--which I still own and miss my dishwasher and refridgerator terribly--we could run our dishwasher while we ate and then be able to do the table dishes immediately after dinner. Ah yes, that is a BIG issue in great room setups. All appliances have to be extremely quiet. The original dishwasher in this house was quiet. I had to replace it last year and waited until I found an extremely quiet Bausch on sale at a price that I was willing to pay before I replaced it. The dishwasher is configured so that it will hold 24 plates so I only have to run it about once every week and a half (unless we have guests). ;D
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Jul 10, 2011 13:03:31 GMT -5
I grew up in a home with a formal, tv-free, living room that was used for guests, Christmas, and reading. My mother fought hard to keep it neat and unharmed. I can still hear her say "NOT in my living room!".
I now have a full-Cape with an addition. There is a front door with a small foyer with the living room on one side and the dining room on the other. I have a formal, tv-free, living room just like my parents. Except, we have an organ in there too, LOL. We pretty much use it in the same way as my parents did, but I also use it to dry clothes on folding racks because the room is off on the far-front side of the house away from most of the "traffic".
We also have a den with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves (mostly full), an old computer, and a small TV.
Our kitchen is similar to a small great room (is that an oxymoron?). We have a full kitchen with a large island, an eat-in area (that is currently used as a mud-room area) and a family room area where the main tv is. But, the room is probably only 20 by 20. We eat most of our meals at the kitchen island because our schedules often prevent us from all eating at once.
The driveway is on the side of our lot off of the small side street that runs along our property, so the vast majority of people who come to our house come in the back door into the kitchen/great room. (That's why I hang our laundry to dry in "privacy" of our living room! ;D) We spend most of our family time together in the kitchen/great room, although there is an ugly old mantown in the basement for when the kids' friends come over.
Finally, we also have a formal dining room and we use it about once or twice per week, usually when we are all home for a meal at the same time. We also use the dining room table to pay bills, fold laundry, and the kids use it for homework (lots of space, good light, close to the dictionaries, thesaurus, etc. in the den and Mom nearby to offer help).
We bought this place last year -- moving from a cramped townhouse where we did EVERYTHING in a small living/dining room combination -- not great for family harmony. We now have more space -- but not too much space, IYKWIM.
|
|
steff
Senior Associate
I'll sleep when I'm dead
Joined: Dec 30, 2010 17:34:24 GMT -5
Posts: 10,772
|
Post by steff on Jul 10, 2011 13:37:54 GMT -5
I do the cooking for the holidays in our family, with an open kitchen and I'm definately a clean as you go person too. I have 2 kitchens (small one in the basement, but still a full kitchen) and will do 90% of everything beforehand. Pre-cooking what I can, having the dining room set up, making sure the dirty dishes are cleaned up. It's just a matter of being organized and staying on top of it all.
for the 4th of July, we had friends & family here. Made a big meal, homemade ice cream & played games between rounds of fireworks. We made the ice cream in the basement kitchen to keep it out of the way. While everyone was setting up the trivia game in the dining room, my brother & I were doing the dinner dishes. When everyone left that night, I cleaned up the ice cream messes, which weren't all that bad and didn't take very long at all.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: May 16, 2024 11:09:55 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2011 13:43:14 GMT -5
I'm a "hide the mess in the sink and oven as you go person" But everything being open keeps me motivated to not procrastinate on wiping counters and doing dishes. It doesn't take any more time really. I mean, I'm going to do it anyway so we are only talking about exactly when I do it. I don't find it difficult and I am not a natural housekeeper.
|
|
swamp
Community Leader
Don't be a fool. Call me!
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 16:03:22 GMT -5
Posts: 45,345
|
Post by swamp on Jul 10, 2011 13:47:34 GMT -5
Ok, I have to ask. For those with the open to the world kitchens, do you spend all of your time cleaning it to make it presentable? What do you do for big holiday dinners? My kitchen is clean, but there are often dishes in the sink or coffee cups on the counter that haven't made it in to the dishwasher, but I don't want to see that when I'm watching tv, or doing other things. For a normal Tuesday night dinner, I have no issue with sitting at the kitchen table while pans are soaking in the sink in full view, but not for a holiday dinner. I want to be able to shut the door to the kitchen and not have all that stuff staring at me. I couldn't enjoy the meal. So, how does it work with the open concept, do you ignore or clean before you eat? I'm anal and keep my kitchen clean. For big holiday dinners, I usually prepare the night before so dinner requires reheating. Any dishes not gotten to before dinner just get stacked in the sink. DInner is usually a buffet set out on the island in that divides the kitchen from the dining room.
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 27,268
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Post by TheOtherMe on Jul 10, 2011 13:54:00 GMT -5
My current house is open concept and I love it. You enter in to the living room from the front door. It has a gas fireplace. The houses in this development have living rooms that look in to our backyards. You can see the kitchen/dining room from the living room. There is no wall or anything to divide it except that the hardwood ends and the ceramic tile starts.
I really only cook in a microwave and I do clean up after every meal.
|
|
GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
Senior Associate
"How you win matters." Ender, Ender's Game
Joined: Jan 2, 2011 13:33:09 GMT -5
Posts: 11,291
|
Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Jul 11, 2011 8:31:04 GMT -5
I'm a mix of clean-as-I-go and clean-when-I'm-in-the-mood. As someone said, it's not a time issue but a timing issue. I do tend to clean-as-I-go more now because the kitchen is so visible which isn't a bad thing, LOL. My kitchen in my old townhouse was dark and small and isolated. I avoided cleaning it because I hated being in it.
|
|
midjd
Administrator
Your Money Admin
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 14:09:23 GMT -5
Posts: 17,719
|
Post by midjd on Jul 11, 2011 8:40:58 GMT -5
I am also a clean-as-you-go person... learned it from my waitressing days, nobody wanted to stay (unpaid) an hour past close to clean ;D
We don't have an extremely open concept, but the doorway from the living room to the kitchen/dining area is probably 10' wide. The kitchen is set up in an upside-down U shape - fridge and oven on the very right, sink in the middle, counter/bar on the left. The left half of the room is the dining room table and a small desk/billpay nook. From the couch, you can see the dining table, bar and part of the sink, but nothing else. And it does force me to clean (or at least wipe down the counter and table) more than I would otherwise... our old kitchen was set up closet-style off the LR and it would get BAD in there. A closed door is a dangerous thing!
|
|
alabamagal
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 23, 2010 11:30:29 GMT -5
Posts: 8,121
|
Post by alabamagal on Jul 11, 2011 9:01:33 GMT -5
We have a great room with main TV, no separate living room. We do have a "formal" dining room. Our house originally had a small "breakfast area" off the kitchen, and we expanded that when we added on to our house. Our "breakfast" area has a high table with stools and windows on 2 sides, sun in the morning. Our family (3-5 depending on who's away at college) eats there. It is crowded with 5, but nice for 3, which is what we have most of the year.
In the formal dining room, we have a nice cherry dining room set that we inherited from my grandparents. We use the room a few times a year, at holidays or when we have guests (rarely). We also have informal get togethers and it is great for snacks for all, rather than sit down dinner. I hate to admit it, but the biggest use of my dining room table is for FOLDING LAUNDRY!! Most Sundays (and even sometimes into Monday and Tuesday) are piles of folded laundry. Our laundry room is just off the kitchen next to the dining room and the dining room is super convenient. At least it gets use year round.
|
|
Anne_in_VA
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:09:35 GMT -5
Posts: 5,510
|
Post by Anne_in_VA on Jul 11, 2011 9:23:26 GMT -5
We have a LR in which we have our biggest TV as well as a formal DR and a kitchen with a small eating area. We seldom us the dining room unless we have guests since the kitchen table is small and will only fit 2-3 people.
Each of the three BR's have a TV in them too although the one in the MBR is rarely used since DH goes to bed before I do. I will often watch TV/play games/movies, etc. in the LR and will sometimes watch TV up in the back BR since that's also got my computer there.
I'f like to get a laptop so that I can use the LR for that, but we'll see.
My last house had a great room open to the kitchen and I loved that but we're renting now and don't have that option in our price range.
|
|
thyme4change
Community Leader
Joined: Dec 26, 2010 13:54:08 GMT -5
Posts: 40,434
|
Post by thyme4change on Jul 11, 2011 11:47:37 GMT -5
We called the "formal" living room, the living room. We called the room with the TV in it the family room. When we lived in a different house, we called the room with the TV in it the den. I was always under the impression that the den was a separate, more closed off room - rather than the family room, which is the center of my parent's house and is open on all sides to every other room or hallway.
My parent's living room was formal, but we we used it all the time. My parents are just formal people - so all of their rooms have a sense of formality. My Dad sat in there every night and read and listened to music (he probably still does.) We always played board games in there, instead of the family room - probably because the table was always clear. There are enough of us now that when we all go over, half sit in the family room and half in the living room before dinner (and sometimes after dinner.) Plus, my parent's living room has a small chair that spins around - which has been a playground for every kid that has ever entered the house (starting with me!) Our piano was also in there, and we have several family members who play, so it was used quite often for that. I use to practice my music in there too. So, I think it worked for my parents. It wasn't totally necessary, but it was utilized.
My house only has one "common" room - which we call the TV room, but it is open to the dining "room" and the kitchen. I haven't given the kids piano lessons because I'm not sure where to put a piano. I suspect if we did have a house with a second living room, someone would put the laptop in there and use it to watch streamed television. Right now, we are all restricted to the one room.
|
|