TITLE: BUILDING BASE STRUCTURES—WHAT IF YOU HAD TO START OVER?
That sunken living room story hits close to home. Years ago, I worked with a family who wanted this dramatic double-height foyer—looked stunning on paper, but it ate up so much usable space that they ended up with cramped bedrooms upstairs. They loved it at first, but by year two, they were trying to figure out how to convert part of the foyer into a closet. It’s wild how easy it is to get swept up in “wow factor” stuff and forget about day-to-day living.
I’ve always found ceiling heights tricky too. Higher ceilings are great until you realize you’re heating (or cooling) all that extra air. And don’t get me started on moving walls... I once saw someone try to rework a kitchen layout only to find out their “simple” wall shift involved rerouting half the house’s plumbing. Sometimes I wonder if we overthink finishes and underthink the bones.
TITLE: BUILDING BASE STRUCTURES—WHAT IF YOU HAD TO START OVER?
That’s a classic! I’ve seen so many people fall for the “grand entrance” trap, only to regret it when they realize how much square footage it eats. There’s something to be said for prioritizing function over flash, especially when you’re the one living with it every day.
Totally agree on ceiling height—those extra feet look impressive, but they can be brutal on the utility bills. I learned that the hard way in my last build. Ended up adding ceiling fans and still felt like I was just heating empty space half the year.
Funny thing is, I used to obsess over finishes too, but after tearing out drywall to fix a misplaced drain line (that “simple” wall move you mentioned...), I’m all about solid layouts now. If you had to start from scratch, would you focus more on flexible spaces or stick with traditional room divisions? It seems like open concepts are everywhere, but sometimes I miss having actual walls...
If you had to start from scratch, would you focus more on flexible spaces or stick with traditional room divisions?
Honestly, I’d lean toward flexible spaces, but with some boundaries. Open concept is great for light and flow, but I’ve found that having at least one “retreat” room with a door is a sanity-saver. Last time, I tried to make everything open and ended up missing a quiet spot to work or just close off the mess. Curious if anyone’s found a good balance between the two—like sliding walls or pocket doors?
Title: Building base structures—what if you had to start over?
- Pocket doors are a solid compromise—I've used them in a couple of projects where clients wanted both openness and privacy. They’re not perfect for sound, but they do let you close off a space fast.
- Sliding panels can work, but they need good hardware or they’ll drive you nuts over time.
- I’d skip full open concept unless you really love seeing everything at once... even a partial wall or glass divider can help.
- One client actually did a “flex room” with built-in shelving that doubled as a divider. Looked cool and gave them a spot to hide clutter.
Honestly, I think it’s about layers—open when you want, but options to close things off when you need a break.
I totally get the hesitation on full open concept. We did that in our last place—looked great at first, but once we had kids, the noise and clutter drove us nuts. Ended up putting in a half wall with some glass above it, and it made a world of difference. Pocket doors are handy, but yeah, not the best for sound. If I had to start over, I’d definitely build in more ways to close things off—flexibility’s key.
