Why The Open-Concept Floor Plan Isn't Going Away Despite COVID-19

After a year of sudden change and constant uncertainty due to the pandemic, we are slowly transitioning back to normal. Because of this we have encountered a couple challenges that have changed the way we might live from now on. 

Some people believe that the modern way of building houses, open floor plans, will be something from the past. Here’s why that’s not the case.

Even though it is true that the situation demanded us to be more distant, separate and private, I believe that what got most affected through all of this was our mental capacity to deal with the situation. 

Having small spaces and compartmentalizing our homes could actually take a toll on our capacity to relax. It has been proven that open floor plans help with anxiety and stress creating a better flow of how the house is being used. There are different creative ways of dividing spaces that might still be COVID friendly but at the same time gives us the feeling of openness. 

Separated But Keep It Open

The open floor plan may have caused some challenges when everyone shifted from going to work to working from home. But instead of designing completely separate spaces, designers are looking to use partial walls, room dividers or optional doors.

This idea helps provide visual definition of spaces with the added benefit of an enclosed room for quiet and privacy, but still giving people the option of an open floor plan when the world day is over. 

Open floor plans have shown to have many advantages, and now that life is starting to return to normal people are looking to utilize those advantages like before.

Some of the benefits include:

• Better traffic flow
• Improved sociability and communication
• Shared lights
• Easier to watch kids
• Layout flexibility
• Spaces can be multifunctional

Post-Pandemic Wants

An open floor plan isn’t the only thing on renters' minds post-pandemic.  COVID-19 showed that there are other elements of a home that people now find to be extremely important.

Flexibility between indoor and outdoor spaces has become significant. Fresh-air provided some much-needed relief from sheltering inside, and residents will continue to demand access to well-spaced outdoor areas. Whether that be rooftop decks, courtyards or walking trails, properties should be looking to capitalize on their outdoor space for prospective tenants. 

Altering Amenities

Future residents have changed their outlook on the type of amenities they want. It used to be all about the perks of living there including cafes, co-working spaces or Instagram-worthy gathering areas. Post-pandemic, the desires have shifted.

People want to continue to see workspaces that adhere to physical distancing, including secluded rooms that enhance privacy and limit social interaction. Working from home and doing school from home isn’t going to just go away, so property managers should look to have these spaces focus on technology such as high speed internet, additional connection points, charging stations, more outlets and cell phone boosters.

Another amenity that has become increasingly popular is mail and package rooms. The pandemic increased online shopping and delivery services and residents would like that to stick around. 

Overall, there are some things that will change about how we want to live post-pandemic, but there are others that just make us feel like we are getting back to normal. The open concept floor plan is not a thing of the past. It is here to stay and for most, they can’t wait to get back to that. 

LCP360 is a National Digital Marketing company located in Chicago specializing in photography, virtual tours, 3D renderings, video animations, virtual staging, and floor plans. LCP360 offers multifamily, senior living, and many other real estate industries a creative and innovative way to showcase space. By combining the best technologies from web marketing and panoramic photography, LCP360 has developed a best-in-class virtual tour web application that lets renters virtually tour a property from any location.