Are Open Floor Plans Out? What PNW Homeowners Are Asking For Instead

For more than a decade, open-concept living has been one of the defining ideas in residential design. Kitchens opened to great rooms. Dining rooms disappeared. Walls came down to create expansive spaces designed for cooking, entertaining, and everyday family life. But lately, we are hearing a different question: Do we still want everything open?

The answer isn't quite as simple as “open floor plans are out.” Instead, homeowners are looking for something more nuanced: homes that feel connected when they want to, and private when they need to.

Recent design conversations point toward a renewed interest in defined rooms, privacy, cozy spaces, and layouts that support different activities. At the same time, open kitchens and gathering spaces aren't disappearing. The emerging preference is often a hybrid approach that combines openness with intentional separation.

The Problem With “Everything Open”

Open floor plans solved a lot of problems.

They made homes feel larger, brought more natural light into living spaces, and allowed families to interact while cooking, entertaining, or relaxing. For many homeowners, that flexibility is still incredibly valuable.

But an entirely open home can also create challenges.

Where do you go when someone is working from home?

Where can you read quietly while the rest of the house is active?

Where do you hide the dishes when guests arrive?

And what happens when one person wants to watch television while another wants to have a conversation?

The home has become increasingly multifunctional, and homeowners are recognizing that flexibility doesn't always mean removing every wall.

The Rise of the Hybrid Floor Plan

Rather than choosing between completely open and completely closed, we're seeing a move toward intentional separation.

Think:

• A great room connected to the kitchen

• A den just off the main living space

• A scullery tucked behind the kitchen

• A library separated by glass or pocket doors

• A home office with a dedicated door

• A dining room that can close off for entertaining

• A cozy sitting room or reading nook

• A mudroom that creates a transition between the outdoors and the main living spaces

These spaces still work together, but they don't all have to perform the same function.

Designers are increasingly describing this as a hybrid approach—using partial walls, openings, pocket doors, arches, changes in ceiling height, and other architectural cues to create distinction without completely disconnecting rooms.

The Return of the Den

One space we're particularly excited to see return is the den.

The den gives a home somewhere to retreat without requiring a completely separate wing.

It might be a quiet place to read, a space for watching a movie, a homework zone, or simply a room where the lights can be turned down at the end of the day.

Instead of designing every square foot for maximum openness, homeowners are beginning to ask: Where can we create a little more intimacy?

That question can completely change how a home feels.

Libraries & Spaces for Slowing Down

There is also a growing desire for rooms that encourage activities beyond screens and everyday household tasks.

For a PNW home, imagine a library lined with books, a comfortable leather chair, warm wood cabinetry, and a window looking toward the trees.

It doesn't need to be enormous. It simply needs to give the home a sense of pause.

The Scullery: Keeping the Kitchen Beautiful

The kitchen remains one of the most social spaces in the home—but that doesn't mean homeowners want every part of the kitchen on display. Enter the scullery or butler's pantry.

These hardworking spaces provide room for prep, small appliances, additional storage, and the less glamorous parts of entertaining.

The result is the best of both worlds: A kitchen designed for living—and a place to hide the evidence.

Mudrooms Are More Important Than Ever

In the Pacific Northwest, the transition between outdoors and indoors deserves special attention. Rain. Mud. Hiking boots. Dogs. Jackets. Bags.

A thoughtfully designed mudroom creates a buffer between the outside world and the rest of the home.

Rather than simply being a utility space, today's mudrooms can include:

• Individual drop zones

• Closed storage

• Bench seating

• Shoe storage

• Laundry access

• Pet stations

• Durable flooring

• Hooks and charging areas

It's a perfect example of how a specialized room can make the entire house function better.

Regional designers are also seeing increased interest in storage designed around real routines, including mudrooms and habit-based storage.

Home Offices That Actually Feel Like Rooms

Working from home changed what homeowners expect from their floor plans.

A desk tucked into a corner of the kitchen may work temporarily, but it isn't always a long-term solution. A dedicated office provides something an open floor plan can't: a door.

It creates separation between work and home life and allows the room to have its own identity.

For a custom home, even a modest office can be incredibly valuable when it is planned intentionally—with built-in storage, appropriate lighting, acoustic consideration, and a view.

Connection Still Matters

None of this means the open floor plan is disappearing.

The kitchen and great room will continue to be important gathering spaces, particularly for families and homeowners who love to entertain.

The difference is that we are beginning to think beyond the idea that every room needs to connect to every other room.

A home can have an open kitchen and a cozy den.

A great room can connect to the dining area while the library remains tucked away.

A kitchen can feel expansive while the scullery provides separation.

The goal isn't openness.

The goal is choice.