Uninterrupted space. This is what real estate agents, interior designers, and almost every host on HGTV have promoted for the past decade. However, design experts are saying that people are beginning to miss walls. Homeowners realize they don't want to live in this "fantasy of uninterrupted views." Perhaps having walls throughout a house can allow for the return of, dare I say, privacy. Like most design trends, open concept design grew rampant and quickly adopted by designers, architects, and anyone looking to make an impression on spatial design. 

In 2018, architecture and design critic Kate Wagner shared an insightful stance on open-concept interior designs. Her article in CityLab expressed reflection and opposition to this design trend that seemed to "seduce" the globe. Wagner shared, "overall, the open concept was a reaction against years of small, low-ceilinged living, which felt restricting and stuffy to a new generation of home buyers.” The wall-free concept according to Wagner "evolved from contemporary cedar homes known for their tall ceilings and windows, and from styled ranches whose steeper rooflines allowed for newly in-vogue cathedral ceilings" With this brief introductory lesson into the open concept design's origins discussions of whether the open floor plan is good or bad. 

The current understanding of the trend consists of an amalgamation of a walk-thru kitchen-living room-dining space. By eliminating any structural separation, the idea of "no boundaries" was thought to invoke a sense of "togetherness" and fun. However, the question comes to mind, what is so bad about interior walls? When did these  structural elements become building traits the general public aimed to avoid? 

Real estate agents and designers expressed the quick adoption to the trend was due to the idea of homeowners wanting to host and entertain guests. When owning any living space, the dream of becoming the ultimate party host was synonymous with having a large open space. However, let's be frank; the average person is not hosting lively soirees every night. According to Wagner, "designing homes around entertaining that only happens a handful of times a year is a wasteful, yet still a mindbogglingly popular practice. When people come to visit, they are there to see you, not your open concept." From a sensory standpoint, having walls helps manage an interior's acoustic feedback and olfactory disperse. 

Let's face it houses can be noisy, especially a busy household. As ideal as the open concept fantasy may be, perhaps it is time to rethink this design trend. The open floor concept has even made a considerable influence in office spaces, which several people have comments on. Perhaps having a bit of separation in a space is needed. Most open space layouts waste space and underutilize the available area. At the end of her article Wagner said it best, "humans have always needed the sense of comfort and refuge that defined rooms provide [...] If you want to escape something unpleasant, you can do so without feeling banished or isolating yourself from everyone else. Sometimes, true freedom means putting up a few barriers."