Having specified many of these items for my own home and clients, I can make a case for them all! lol 😀 Do you currently feature anything from today's list in your own home? Why or why not? Thanks for watching!
Our house is a high end custom build from the mid 80's. It was extremely well designed. The base cabinets have pull out shelves, the kitchen has a large island and lots of upper and lower cabinets on the sides. The kitchen is very open, but there is a door right off of it to the dining room (easy access, but you don't have to look at the mess in the kitchen, not open concept but a good compromise). We are constantly amazed at how well it was thought out.
I love that! Modern day “high end” builds from luxury developers don’t always get it right either. Seems like the trend is skimping on materials so they make a profit on the upgrade
As a senior, I prefer lower cabinets with pull out shelves. I often cook and have having to get a step stool out to reach the top shelf in the upper cabinets.
Absolutely. My mom would kick us out so she could get her housework done, and we were glad to play outside or go ride our bikes. You could not possibly pay me enough money to be young now. It seems like a psychological hellscape.
@@Serai3once out don’t come back! Lol we learned who cleaned whenever knew parents schedules to grab snacks or whatever and back outside! We drank water from garden hose! We all had same rules in general, so the one we ALL did do-streetlights come on-time to go in. Summers after dinner every now n then stayed up till 10! Woohoo 😂😂😂
My mom moved into this senior housing community a few years ago, brand new buildings, specifically designed with seniors in mind, one of the features they had - which I feel, if it could be replicated for base cabinets would work really well for seniors especially - was that when you pulled out the lower drawer of the dishwasher, it would rise up, so you didn't have to stand bent over in order to get stuff in or out of it
My wife and I are married 40 years and we both prefer separate spaces. We recently looked at open concept condo and it didn't seem to offer any privacy. We have different activities and we both thought it would be too noisy. Julie, you are my favorite designer on UA-cam...thanks for all your help.
That’s so important to assess how you aspire to live and design/ specify your space around those key features 🙌🏻 Thank you for watching and supporting the channel! 🙏🏻🩷
We did a full kitchen remodel a couple of years ago and I replaced all the base cabinets with drawers. I just LOVE them. On the flip side, I hate pot fillers. I don't understand the purpose. Some of my friends regret installing them because after a while they begin to leak. Right onto your cook top. Drip, drip.
I have a 50s ranch where the living room and dining room are open to each other but the kitchen is enclosed. This is our downsize home so this is perfect for me. Dont want to look at the sink from my spot in front of the TV! I have the microwave/fan combo on top of the stove. Not ideal but don't want to give up counter space. I haven't sat in a bathtub in 30 years so when we moved here we got the tub removed and had just a shower installed and in our 5X8 bathroom, its enough. This was a great video!
Pot fillers will get really grungy right above the cooktop, as they're right in the path of the venting above. Also, it's not just poorly installed kitchens that get the drip. A properly installed faucet will also eventually drip, although it may take 15 years until the cartridge wears out.
We had our house built almost two years and I had them install all pull out drawers instead of base cabinets in the kitchen. It was the BEST (and I mean BEST) decision I ever made. I LOVE, LOVE my pull out drawers. I can see and access everything. Nothing tips over or gets lost. The space is used efficiently since I can see everything. The only base cabinet I have is under the sink. It is worth every penny. I will never again have cabinets in the kitchen
Our new kitchen also has (almost) only drawers as kitchen cupboards, even the waste bins under the sink can be pulled out. No upper cabinets and due to the unchanged position of a heating pipe, the last two cabinets (one slanted) only have doors, but only as deep as upper cabinets. If we had had more money for the renovation, we might have completely changed the plumbing and electrical system and not only put the oven at a comfortable height, but also the dishwasher.
I think open concept only works for large homes that also have many rooms like libraries, formal living room, dens, offices, where one can move throughout. Reducing a small home to less individual spaces makes no sense to me. My spouse and I bought a home and initially thought we were going to tear down wall between kitchen, dining, and living room for open concept, but after living in it for 1 months we found we actually loved the extra wall space it provided our small kitchen and our cozy living room for storage and design. Each space has unique design with its own art, and we love the cozy feel of being in individual spaces for specific purposes. Instead we focused on opening up windows to let in more natural light including building a French patio door. We love showing our home to guests and having them discover each room individually rather than walking in and seeing half the house upfront. I grew up in a large family of 6 people sharing rooms in a small home; having separate spaces and walls was paramount. I think we would have killed each other if we didn’t have separate spaces to eat, study, watch tv, read, etc. During pandemic my spouse and I shared an open concept apartment and not only was it super noisy to work in, it felt depressing being in the same space most of the day rather than have different spaces you could move in throughout the day.
The house definitely needs to have enough space for it. I like how our kitchen is open to the breakfast dining area and the family room with tv and play space, and we spend most of our time in there. But there is still a separate formal dining room that doesn’t get used much that might become homework central when kids are older, and the formal living room which is currently just more toys but could have quiet away-from-tv seating. I get the best of both worlds, enough private corners but also open space for family hanging out.
Understanding how you move through and use your home is paramount to the success of its layout. I knew right from the start that I wanted open concept. Knocked down a few walls to achieve that with enough private areas to retreat to 🩷
Loved our open concept during lockdown. Our older kids had desks in their bedroom. My husband had an office in the basement and added space for me to have an office. We've since moved and renting while we build a house. We've since had twins and older 2 have started college (big age gap). Looking forward to open concept again but building two offices this time around that can double as guest rooms. I don't want to give up our open concept, it works so well.
Having specified them all (either for myself or clients), I understand both sides! The hardest part of design is figuring out how you live, and committing to design a space that supports those functions 🩷
After the first 4 years of having kids dealing with flooding bathrooms from kids splashing or pouring water on the floor to the point of it coming through the kitchen ceiling below…..I was so happy to be able to move to our home and redo a bathroom and put a big tub in the shower with a drain on the floor for all splashing. I am so much more relaxed and so are my children as the four of them now LOVE taking baths and playing and splashing to their hearts delight.
We got a triple sliding glass door for the tub/shower combo. I used a squeegee and didn’t have to deal with spots. No water on the floor and when folded back there was plenty of room to access it since it only covered a third. I can’t imagine having to clean a separate freestanding tub as the outside will need to be cleaned when inside a shower enclosure. We currently have a separate shower and tub and even though it’s jetted, we rarely use it as we have an outdoor spa that is always ready to use and more comfortable. I just dust the tub.
Yes, how far is the sink even? Just fill up a smaller pot or pitcher and transport the water in 3 trips if the pot is too heavy to carry from the sink. I cannot imagine needing a pot filler outside of a commercial kitchen making huge vats of soup or something.
Open concept layout (after downsizing to a newly constructed apartment above our son's workshop): I mostly love it, airy and well lit, but the lack of complete privacy anywhere but the bathroom sometimes grates on me, even though it's just me and my husband. Another thing to consider with an open floor plan is how furnishings, decor, and functional items integrate visually. I had to consider how paintings and wall hangings in the living area would work adjacent to the dining and kitchen decor. Kitchen: Made sure our new kitchen, though small (tucked into a dormer), has sufficient storage and lower level drawers or pull out trays instead of cabinets. No unnecessary pot filler. No microwave oven because we don't eat microwaved food. Absolutely no way with a peel&stick backsplash.😆 Bathroom: Just a shower. We don't take baths, but enjoyed luxuriating in a hot tub in our old home. Currently have an infrared sauna, which we love. No Edison light bulbs. I don't hate them. They just weren't my first choice for lighting fixtures.
Open Concept means if one area is messy - the whole house looks messy. I hate people have access to my kitchen while I'm trying to cook a meal for them. Or when we sit down to eat - they may see that pile of pots on the stove I haven't cleaned yet. And if it was a smelly dinner - well it's everywhere. (roasted cauliflower/Brussels/cabbage) Base cabinets are for storing things you only use once in awhile like holiday platters. I love the pot fillers. As our laundry room is on the other side of that wall, the water source was already there. As a big soup & pasta eater, the pot filler is great as I don't have the strength to carry the full pot from the sink to the stove. It also allows the used water to cool which can then be ladled into a garden watering can for plants. Tap water isn't a big deal - you are boiling it anyway.
I clicked this video out of curiosity, and I couldn't stop laughing! This brilliantly pointed out the design trends that have overstayed their welcome, and I couldn't agree more with their critiques. It's refreshing to see someone call out the trends that just need to go.
Thank you for watching Faith! I vacillate between these “trends” seeing as how I’ve experienced both ranges. I’m loving the comments though! Keep them coming 🙌🏻💛
I’m 4’11 so I’m not into pot filler , microwave over stove. Don’t mind deep lower cabinets. Hard enough keeping bathroom clean but adding the tub in the shower, not a fan,even if I was very wealthy. Oh! Open concept I like , it enables you to get more use out of the space. Really awesome video!!
I like a nice, dogtrot house that's either a porch breezeway or an open concept for the living & cooking areas with the private areas sandwiching that so that the parents get the master bedroom on one end & the kids get the bedrooms on the other end, or it's sleeping areas on one end & an office on the other. It's also a good design for a guest/in-law suite that functions as an efficiency apartment.
I love open concept homes as long as they are designed properly and theiris a private room for work, be that a bedroom or an office, if you have others living with you. Bifold or pocket doors are wonderful for dividing certain quiet nooks for privacy. The home I used to have had a 6.5 foot enclosed patio room with windows down the length of it. It was the length of the house until it backed up to our master bedroom. While half of it was open to the front room, the walls naturally created a quiet reading nook at the back. It was an interesting feature. We removed the sliding glass door from the front room and curved the carpet over the step down to it. We put in a floor that looked like tile and used bookcases to line the interior walls, which helped tone down the noise from the front room. I loved it!
I agree 100% about base cabinets. We’re aging and needed to remodel our kitchen. We know in the future it’s going to get harder to get down in the floor to get things out of the cabinets. There are stainless steel 2-level pull out shelves that you can easily install. The shelves pull out independently allowing access to the back of the cabinets. We found ours on Amazon.
Hi Julie, thanks for the vid. Your hair & outfit look great here. Re: design trends, I dislike: open concept, free standing tubs, pot fillers, Edison bulbs, microwave over the stove (I'm also short). Base drawers are OK - I'd like a combo of drawers & cabinets. I liked the alternatives that you showed. Re: peel & stick backsplashes/ tiles - I think they're OK since they're renter-friendly. Cheers!
Thanks, Julie. I don't mind that my microwave is above the stove - maybe because I'm tall - but I hate that it doesn't vent to outside. It just blows the air/fumes right back into the kitchen, so basically worse than pointless. I like the idea of a wet room. Who doesn't love to splash around? My home is quite small so no space for one, but if I did I would place the tub far enough away from the wall that I could easily clean behind it - often on home reno shows they shove a freestanding tub right up close against a tile wall, and I find myself yelling at the TV "How are you going to clean behind there???" :-) It's a no for me to open concept, no to open shelving, no to peel and stick anything, no to pot fillers. I def need to get those drawers for base cabinets tho. Ingenious.
I have a built in microwave above my built in oven. I have a downdraft cooktop and wouldn’t want a microwave above it. I had that setup in my previous home and when you have food cooking on the stovetop and someone is having to reach over hot pots and pans, it’s a burn risk as well as 2 people trying to use the same floorspace. Splattering food or a dish that needs constant stirring while someone else is reaching over hot stove I witnessed at my BIL’s new home that was a gas stove. I was holding my breath as dangling sleeves or loose sweaters as they reached were close to the flames and hot open pots.
The only way a freestanding soaker tub makes sense is if you have a hand held shower wand, floor drain & wall tile so you can just hose down behind the tub to clean it. Sometimes the easiest way to achieve that is with a wet room tub shower combo. Definitely a luxury item. @@JulieKhuu
My elderly mother can’t even use panel controlled microwave. I bought a small microwave with turn knob control (2; one for temp, one for time). It is on a side table for easy access. My large and small Hamilton Beach counter ovens are also turn knob control.
We love having separated rooms b/c we have lots of beautiful paintings and wall hangings, but admittedly an open concept would be better for watching young kids. An open concept is especially great when you're visiting someone else's home and you have a kid that likes exploring.
Yes, my husband and I are artists with loads of artist friends who give us works as well and we have a big house all open space and the walls we do have are often needed to put storage cabinets and counters and wood burning stoves and TVs on / against. It’s terrible !! I love the open space and light but really miss having all the walls many separate rooms provide. We are even building a free-standing cube in the space just to hang art inside and outside of it. 😂😂😂
That’s an excellent point! My open concept home lacks walls (tons of windows though), so the artwork is relegated to the single hallway and private areas
I’m with you on all of them! I do like base cabinets but only because I installed pullouts in every one of them when I remodeled! Edison bulbs are the worst! Except maybe on a patio.
The insights into overused trends like farmhouse decor and excessive minimalism, which I found relatable. I appreciated the honesty and humor in addressing these trends, helping me reconsider my own design choices.
Our guest house has edison bulbs everywhere but it is a shophouse in the middle of nowhere in Arkansas so the industrial style just made sense for that building when we bought it. Love my builbs!!!!!
I definitely could have used a more open concept floor plan when my daughter was little. When I moved into my current home, however, one thing I wanted was a closed kitchen so my kitchen isn't in view when people enter my home. Sure, privacy is a plus now that my daughter is 20, but really the main reason I don't want an open concept layout has to do with minimizing the amount of work required to keep all visible spaces presentable.
I love my microwave hood combo! We have a fairly small kitchen with just two of us living there. It’s also a convection oven, which helps when we have a lot of company, such as Thanksgiving. The height is no issue for me and I would not want to loose counter or cabinet space for a microwave. No way on the mega shower room with tub! Too hard to clean and a waste of space. You would always be cold in the shower, too.
I love our microwave hood combo as well. A separate hood seems like such a waste of space since you now have to find a place to put the microwave. Plus, tbh I use the microwave more as a clock and timer than for cooking, and I love having that right by the stove where I need it.
I have always thought the microwave above the range should definitely also be a convection oven. So much more utility to gave an extra oven especially when you are entertaining or for holidays. Even for everyday it makes so much sense. Freestanding tall tubs are going to be a huge problem for aging and to clean behind. I like separate enclosed shower to stay warm and keep water inside. I prefer a partially open design with spaces that can be private. Kitchen,/dining/family room plus a more formal separate living or dining room. Office with doors. Base cabinets need pull outs. Deep big drawers get really heavy, don,'t like putting dishes in drawers as it is exhausting to bend down and pull out a big heavy drawer. I like my dishes and glassware in closed upper cabinets were they stay clean from dust and pet hair.
We just purchased cheap pull out containers for the base cabinets, we also kept a chir in the breakfast nook, which we were using open space for placing small cooking appliances and completed entrees so that we could sit down when trying to pull out things from the back, so those of us who had trouble squatting and kneeling had better access. I still keep a light stool from Ikea around for accessing lower cabinets. It's easily provides more seating for those who want to converse with the cooks in the kitchen. We have drawers for flatware and upper cabinets for dishes and glasses.
I live in Japan in a very traditional Japanese house, but even modern houses all have the bath in shower room. Bathing tradition here is family style and dictates that you clean yourself with the shower first and then warm up and relax in the tub. The bath generally isn't freestanding though, and there is never a toilet in the same room. Like, the whole shower bath thing is its own room.
Interesting! That tub shower connecetion you mention makes so much sense!! We just remodeled and have double vanity, shower and tub in one space the a smaller adjacent room with toilet and additiinal small sink.
I love you for sharing Erika! I never would have thought of this before either? Cultural differences make such a huge impact on interior design. Love how every single water closet in Japan (public or private) featured bidets! So fresh and so clean 👏🏻💗
We rented a house with one of those gigantic showers and hated it because it was so cold! Literally, the shower couldn’t store up enough steam to heat up that huge cabinet. When we built our own home we did keep the huge tub idea. I love that thing! I had a special corner teak table designed to sit behind it so that no the lack of soap dishes, etc is no problem.
For me open concept doesn't have much to do with privacy - that's what your bedroom is for. The noise, the cluttery look, the lack of defined spaces, lack of storage space. So many more important things than not wanting someone to be able to see you from anywhere in the house. Open concept is harder to decorate and furnish. You're often using consoles and backs of couches or other seating as "walls". With more walls you get more places to do cabinetry or shelving - more storage space. I have 2 toddlers and the house plans we're working on are definitely closed concept. So much more functional.
We are building a new home with an open concept. It is our age in place home, and our kids are grown so no extra noise. Our tub and shower will be near each other, but not enclosed. However, I want them both on the anti slip heated flooring, which will help with drying.
I would like to suggest having one 'enclosed' room, i.e. den. If you have grandkids or other people over with kids, it may be nice to have a room with a door you can close to separate the kids from the adults. You wouldn't hear all of the talking, laughing, television, and arguing that way. 😊 Or, the kids wouldn't hear all of that coming from the adults. LOL!
@ShelleybutyoucancallmeShell Agreed We have doors to bedrooms etc. And a guest wing with doors. But the living dining and kitchen are open to each other and the entry.
On the topic of microwave/range vent combos, I'm doing a kitchen remodel. I am purposely placing my microwave by my fridge. It gives me a cold food reheat area and/or leftover food storage (plastic ware) to go into the fridge.
My living room is open concept. The rest is small, divided rooms. I hate my base cabinets! I’m definitely going to check out the link for the slide out from Amazon! My kitchen is so dysfunctional. I need all the help a can get. I painted those lower cabinets black. I just need to make them work better! I don’t need a pot filler. I don’t have a microwave. Period. I don’t do peel and stick. I do real tiles, or stencils. Or tin art. That’s what I currently have in my kitchen backsplash, tin posters of my town. But I understand the ap-peel! 😝 I think open showers are too cold! 🥶 Small showers get nice and warm. I have a few LED Edison bulbs. But it fits the look of the house.
That’s cool! I love the idea of the tin tiles. I specified them in the loft/tattoo shop I shared in this video in the Edison bulbs section. I used them in the front of the bar and spray painted them red. Also used a ton on the ceiling of the lounge as well. Textured and very appealing 😉🙌🏻
My home was built in 1985 and has the typical base cabinets but the shelves were the full depth. It was simple to add pull out shelves that were affordable. I have heavy pots and ceramic bakeware so made sure that I got shelves that could hold heavy weights as well as extend completely. The builder added under cabinet lights well before the trend and they have been so useful and we often just leave one section on 24 hours a day so it’s never dark. I had loads of built in floor to ceiling cabinets in all the bathrooms and added pull out shelves for convenience as well as under sinks. I wouldn’t want to work around different size drawers and try to fit items into them. I was able to keep everything together so even my husband no longer wondered where items went before the pull out shelves as everything is easily visible.
My home is not open concept and it has pros and cons. There’s not as much natural light as there could be because there’s a dividing wall down the middle. Our kitchen is open to our family room, so I can still watch my kids if I’m cooking as long as they’re playing or watching tv in there. I do love the coziness of it. I have plenty of wall space for art and rooms to decorate, which I love. We gather as a family quite a bit, but we’re also able to have privacy if we need it. We recently did a kitchen update. I kept all of my cabinet boxes and built new drawers and doors with my dad who is a woodworker. We painted the cabinets and replaced the countertop. I added pull out drawers in all of my base cabinets and it feels like I have a luxury kitchen now. It makes a huge difference in the functionality of your kitchen.
What a fun collab for you and Dad!! I’m sure he loves the bonding time and creating something truly functional for your family, that’s awesome 👏🏻 thanks for watching and sharing Nadia! 💛
I opted not to get a drawer microwave recently when we remodeled our kitchen. As we age, I think it would be difficult to try and get on my knees to clean the microwave spills. I love the function of a speed oven or combination convection mircowave oven. So useful! Pot can't be functional as you have to lift the pot of water and take it to the sink after you are done cooking.
Love your videos! I live in a 1960s Rancher style home . Its no privacy even with divided rooms. I do like open concept but don't really want go through the reconstruction. No pot filler here but it does look interesting. Don't care for that huge bathroom design but don't mind having it at a hotel on vacation. Peel and stick.. I have used it for backsplash. It looks cheap in some ways if you get close to it but it is 3D and some are somewhat nice. It makes it convenient to change it up whenever you want to.
When we stayed at that Lake Arrowhead rental, I got a taste of the mega shower room. Lots of ideas on how I would redesign the space to make it more functional and easier to clean. Definitely would do a drop in or undermount tub in a wet room. Less nooks and crannies 👍
Great vlog Julie. Here in the UK pot fillers and microwave hoods are not common place. I’m not a fan of these. Aesthetically the hood doesn’t look great. We have a Bora down draft extractor built into our induction hob. It’s amazing at removing smells whilst cooking and there’s no hood to clean. I love open plan living personally but have pocket doors so the spaces can be closed off if needed. It’s perfect for entertaining and allows for great flow around the areas. So interesting to hear your views.
Induction is what I want next. Have a down draft exhaust now and I'm not a fan. Gas flame gets pulled away from the pot and crumbs fall into the not easy to clean filter. Had a pop up down draft w/ electric stove and that worked better, but was still difficult to clean.
I lived in an open-concept room. I feel relaxed, the room looks wider and I can see everyone aside from the fact that I can move things around and change my view anytime I want to. I hate divisions as if I am being choked, I can't breathe, and changing or moving furniture limits me.
My hubs (a carpenter) build wood slide outs for the base cabs that aren’t drawers. Most of the base cabs are huge drawers which are so nice. Definitely the way to go.
Open Concept- we've had this for 28 years, well before it was so popular and I never regret it. However as we age and in our 60s- in New England, it's cold and drafty due to how far away the baseboards are. Plus we have a super peaked almost 3 story living room ceiling making it even colder since heat rises. Also a fireplace will whip up some serious drafts in open areas like a wind tunnel so we switched to an enclosed gas fireplace. Sound- yes it's loud esp with real wood floors. My husband doesn't hear well so thankfully he has a tv room off to the side. I wear headphones for my tv to avoid hearing his loud tv.
Great Video Julie, In my house the Kitchen is central to the living room on one side, and the dining room on the other, Kitchen/dining are open concept, Kitchen/living are partial, can be closed off with big double glass doors, keeping food smells, and noise in the kitchen.
Great video. What’s important to me in open concept is that the kitchen is the center of the home. I’ve lived in older apartments with small closed off kitchens, not functional & a bit depressing - perhaps originally it was just for “the help.” I only ever use the microwave to warm dishes - if it weren’t above the range I’d sooner do without than waste counter space.
When we remodeled our kitchen we made sure to put in all drawers. We have 22 drawers in total 6 are 35 inches wide 9 are 30 inches wide and the rest are 24” wide only 2 uppers and it’s absolutely game changing. Anyone out there that plans on remodeling should really consider drawers if you have the room. The convenience of being able to reach every thing is amazing. We have a pretty open space now and I won’t ever go back to closed off spaces. We remolded 6 years ago.
We had all base cabinets in my parent’s home and I knew the first thing that I was going to budget for was all base drawers. Agreed, best decision ever! 🙌🏻
Prefer a home with designed rooms, as opposed to "open concept". Open concept just seems like a 1980s-90s builder cop-out or cost saver, so they don't have to build interior walls and pull electrical & lighting (and now internet) to designated rooms.
They may have started out that way, but now that we are exposed to all different floor plans- I love how we can designate the spaces to suit our family’s needs
@@JulieKhuu I live in an "open concept"... but prefer having designated rooms. Also... a big "NO" to barn doors. IF you have to have interior sliding doors, having pocket doors is much classier than barn doors.
I lived without them until I redid my kitchen a few years ago. Now I have pull out shelves or drawers on all of my base cabinets and it is so worth the extra cost. Unfortunately, I am stuck with the microwave/hood combo and I really hate it. Don't use myself, but love the Edison bulbs.
Large, roll-in showers with a bench are super handy if you're old, crippled, weak or very sick. I love them. I love a shower-tub combo as well. Having a roll in shower with easy access from the side/front door, straight to the bathroom is ideal as well as having a secondary shower-tub combo with a sink & a toilet for the guest/kids' bath.
Thank you for the interesting list. I'm a "whatever floats your boat" kinda gal. But I have to say, I love having my microwave over my range. It is convenient and a great space saver in my small kitchen.
I have a closed concept living room and kitchen. I really like that I can put up one kid gate to keep my son in one area. I thought I wanted an open concept until he started getting more mobile.
My lower cabinets have a lot of wide, deep drawers, which hold all my pots and pans and other things. Agree with you about the microwave. I had my microwave drawer put in my island, and I love it.
First of all I love when fish sauce is in the air! Keep on cooking. We are starting bathroom renovation and opted out of the tub shower room and will do a smaller shower with additional storage.
I have a few thoughts. 1. 👍👎For open concept I don't think it's the best idea to decide if it's right for your family based on the few years your kids are young and you want to keep an eye on them. I have open concept and I like it while I live alone because I like the look of it. If I lived with someone I wouldn't opt for open concept because it's loud and disruptive. Especially if you have 2 TVs going or one person needs quiet time while the other wants to watch TV, etc. 2. 👍Pot fillers are a luxury I wouldn't mind having. I don't think it matters whether the water is filtered. I thought once you boil water you remove a majority of all the unwanted stuff from water anyways. 3. 👍 I think the peel and stick stuff seems good for those on a budget or renters looking to temporarily update their space. I see some people using extra glue to keep peel and stick items in place. I have also seen people grout peel and stick floor tile. Seems like a good idea if you take extra steps. I have some peel and stick wall decals from Etsy in my powder room and it looks great. 4. 👎I agree with the hygiene aspect of mega showers. They'd be a pain to clean behind the tub and in general. Wet rooms are just far too messy feeling in my opinion.
Interesting! Grouting peel and stick tile? That’s kinda brilliant actually- you get the ease of maintenance without all the sticky residue that collects on the surface 👏🏻
Agree with everything you said! We are empty nesters who cook and entertain a lot so we love our open concept floor plan. It's not for everyone, though. Agree on base cabinets with drawers. It's the best thing ever to have drawers in the base cabinets. Pot fillers: I dream of having a pot filler because I do a lot of canning. It saves a step. But they are expensive. It's a luxury for sure. TOTALLY AGREE about microwave hoods. Like you said, the worst part is they do not work well. Peel and stick backsplashes are crap. They are inexpensive and look it. Better to learn how to install tile yourself and do that. It's not that hard, honestly, to do your own tile backsplash. I don't like free-standing tubs. If you have the space, install a tub in a tiled deck, but not a shower room. Edison bulbs work in the right space, like you said.
I just found your channel, and I subbed 5 minutes into your video. I expected to be a richy-richy video who can't relate to "real" people. You surprised me. You are fair, you give both sides of the issue in a fair manner and then invite your viewers to make up their own mind and vote. Wow, thank you.
As a retired couple who spend a lot of time at home with each other, we can tell you that rooms with DOORS are essential to our lives. We have different hobbies and interests. Divided floor plans are really great for adults who want some privacy and sound reduction in the home.
I love open concept layouts. Bedrooms are for privacy, with their own desks and sofas. I have teenagers and the open concept is family time. Meals, family conversations and sometimes kids use it for parties or large gatherings and i go to my bedroom. So yes Open concept. Thanks ❤
I use stain glass light bulb for laundry room, hallway, and dining room accent lights. They add so much to the ambiance, better than led strip lights. I have 4 edison bulbs in my craft room; 2 pine cone shaped and 2 geometric shaped. To be honest I don’t turn them on because painting and crafting i need abundance of daylight temperature lighting.
Open concept kitchen/ family room works great, IF you have separate living rooms, dens, offices etc… people need gathering spaces as well as personal spaces.
Our new condo has the typical cabinets. None are the wide type you see in today's modern kitchens. I would love to have those type of cabinets that pull out. However, our new space is limited, and lower cabinets are narrower.
I solved the microwave range issues. I replaced it with the Samsung smart slim over the range microwave. It has the most powerful 550 CFM and my contractor vented it outside. This unit is super slim and sleek and so powerful! No smell at all. I love to save counter space!
As always great topic Julie..I have a few things in my house like the bulbs and I love open concept And if I could id have the bath separated from the rest lol... I love a good bubble bath 😂
I agree with most of these opinions although Im sure many with the luxury bathrooms arnt the ones cleaning them. The need for low kitchen draws highlights many architectural features that are too clever for their own good. A space should be able to be used by any client regardless of age. A trendy example is an under counter fridge😖
Those under counter fridges cost more than all my appliances put together! 🤑 lol a definite luxury, but I want them for organizational purposes! Imagine opening a fridge drawer with just fruit, just veggies, separated meats, snacks, beverages 🤩 omg I’m manifesting it now! Next house! Lol 🤣
Edison bulbs are my jam and shower tub room I love, total waterproofing and a drain in case of tub overflows it’s awesome to me. Here peel and stick tiles are more expensive than tile.
Some of mine: I dislike the shower room which would be hard to clean, waterfall countertops (just stupid), barn doors (unless separating an area of the house. (They're not private and look cheap as an excuse for builders not to do the costlier pocket doors), Vessel sinks (hard to clean and wasted counter space).
Open concept:👍🏾 kitchen base cabinets👍🏾 when I did a little remodeling I installed some drawers.pot fillers👎🏾 microwave hoods👎🏾 open showers👎🏾 Edison bulbs have a proper place👍🏾
I live alone and love open concept. I would prefer drawers rather than lower cabinets. If I were building a new house, I would add a pot filler with filter. I am renting, so I'm stuck with the microwave over the stove, but better that, than no microwave at all.
Just found your channel! Great video! Pot filler waste of $$$. Free standing bathtubs.. no thank you! Base cabinets are great if they all have rollout shelves. Mine do…& lastly I live alone and love the open space concept.
We live in an amazing contemporary high end build that has been remodeled several times since the 60’s. I’d love some help in making the spaces cohesive because the concept is extremely open. It is so bright and amazing but yes, can be quite loud!
Love Open concept. Base cabinet? How is this a trend? There are plenty of design solutions to utilize access to the cabinets. Pot Fillers… don’t care either way Microwave/hood… yea, there are better design concepts. We have the wall unit of microwave above the oven. Both at reasonable height access. Peel/stick backsplash’s… if it looks fake, you’ve diminished your kitchen design. But if it looks good and authentic, than that’s a win (think about engineered floors) Free standing tubs look cool, but beyond that is just stupid in every respect. Edison bulbs… love them in the right application.
I hate microwaves above a stove - I like the microwave in the drawer. I can see the controls (I'm only 4'11") and it's more attractive there. I don't like open shelves - dust catchers and most people overcrowd them. I like cabinets to the ceiling. Best use of space and you can get a ladder and store items you don't use as often. Thanks for all your great videos!
Thank you for watching and sharing Eleanor! My parents have the microwave underneath the island. They love it because they’re not the ones cleaning it 😂
I prefer a kids play room where I can close the door quickly if I happen to get unexpected company. I raised 4 boys and would highly recommend a play room dedicated to their shenanigans, it helps to keep the adult rooms clean and organized and ready for entertaining. I don't think a pot filler is worth the money because the extra cost, doesn't produce equal value, due to its limited function. Just grab a measuring cup, fill it with water at the sink and put it in your soup pot. A pot filler is definitely a waste of money. Lowe's and Home Depot have a good variety of drawer inserts for base cabinet, don't spend extra money at the cabinetry shop for something you can easily buy for much less money at a big box store. That tub shower- bath room combo... I had one at my cottage, because our bathroom was to small for all the fixtures to be separated, we called it a wet bath. It was inconvenient and very difficult to keep the towels dry while the entire room got wet, we used a big plastic tub for the towels and a smaller one for the toilet paper. The last house I built for myself (2 years ago) I put the microwave in the pantry room, along with a small toaster oven and the frig. I think it's one of the best decisions I ever made. I love my kitchen without those 3 appliances clogging my work area. Edison bulbs look great in an industrial style setting.
Next house, I envision a skullery/ butler’s pantry for all the appliances! I hate sacrificing countertop space, especially since we entertain a lot- everyone congregates in the kitchen! It’s always a full house 😆
Never have followed trends in ANYTHING. Clothing food decor my home designs. I am the one they invented the line ‘curiosity killed the cat!’. I’d live in a glass house if I could-hold up all you ‘privacy’ people-CURTAINS!!! Or even technology where you push a button and the glass goes opaque! Why? I have this ‘I wanna know everything going on around my home! It’s also the Gemini in me! Lol I am a grounded Taurus but my rising sign is tough often to deal with. I walked into a lamp store with one goal and left empty handed coz I wanted TOO MANY lol! Kid in a candy store syndrome 😂🤨. I did kinda like a few of the Edison bulbs but quickly got over them. Thank you for your information and knowledge, it helps so much!🙏🏻🤔😁
This was such a fun video to watch! You made me laughing as you passionately shared your thoughts on overused design trends. It's nice to know I'm not alone in cringing at some of these decor choices-I definitely got some good laughs and inspiration from this video.
A full-on open concept living and kitchen space is pretty to look at when all staged and clean, but I know myself well enough to realize that it is not for me. I guess our home is semi-open. Our front living room and dining room are not open visibly to the kitchen, but there is a wide entry to the kitchen that is totally open with the family room. I guess the back of our house is "open concept" and the front is more traditionally laid out. We have a den off the entry that has a regular door, then the living room is open from the foyer and the dining room open to the living room. Walk down the central hall from the foyer and it enters the kitchen/family room space. We are actually mid-renovation this month. We have had what was previously a sunken front room, and a sunken family room separated by pony walls from the kitchen, leveled out with the rest of the first floor. All new hardwood floors in the living spaces and kitchen are awaiting the final finishing and 2 new windows and a new modern fireplace in the family room are gorgeous. WE bought this home 35 years ago, brand new and raised our 3 kids here. We really want to age in place and if we had to, we could live safely on the first floor. leveling the floors and widening the kitchen entry make it a more functional space for us now in our social security years. Next up the kitchen! if we do nothing else, I want drawers or pull out shelves in the base cabinets. Our microwave is OTR, and I want to change that too. First, we need a breather from the other remodeling we have had going though.
I love the microwave/hood combo because I'm tall & it's also easier to see any crud that splattered on the top to clean up. What I am tired of are shaker cabinets. They're a pain in the ass to dust or clean. I just want slab cabinets. Next reno is a European kitchen with slab cupboards that go all the way to the ceiling/bulkhead so I don't have to climb up & clean the dust off of those anymore. I was never a fan of modern until I got older & it's so much easier to keep clean & nice-looking.
The issue I've always had with pot fillers is that you still have to carry a stockpot full of liquid (soup, etc.) to another part of your kitchen to serve so what are you actually saving...one trip from the sink to the cooktop? Ditch the pot filler.
I can't afford open concept but if I could, I'd knock the wall that separates the dining room from the kitchen. I live alone and love to cook. So an open concept kitchen would mean being able to entertain my guests and cook at the same time. I hate abandoning my guests in the dining/living room because I have to see to the food cooking.
Open concept is a pain if you cook a lot. Grease floats to settle around the whole house instead of remaining in just the kitchen, if you can't close the doors. Open concept works better if you can close off the kitchen. I am in the middle of a remodel, I am putting in a pot filler as I do lot of cooking that involves make my own stocks. As I went to the studs and moved the stove, sink and so it makes sense for me. For my microwave, it's in an upper cabinet, above where I have a beverage cooler set between base cabinets. Free standing tubs look pretty, but remind me of vessel sinks - problems cleaning around the base. I would have problems getting out of a tub like that. I will be putting in a walk-in tub when my master bath is remodeled in the future.
Open Concept: Depends on the space. Smaller homes benefit from open designs because fewer rooms in the same space are bigger and tend to look and function more efficiently. The thickness of the walls adds up in small spaces. Base Cabinets: Agree. My 1973-built townhouse in Sun City, AZ, a retirement community, has drawers for lower cabinets, except under the sink. They work much better than the door front cabinets I've had in other homes I've lived in. My kitchen is only 72 square feet - and it functions very well. Pot fillers: Eh - not useful for me, but it depends on what one likes to cook. Over the range microwave: I love mine. I like the idea of concentrating the cooking functions in one area. A couple of your pictures show my microwave, the slim-line Whirlpool model designed to replace old vent hoods without replacing the old cabinets. I'm 6 feet tall, so height isn't an issue. And, again, my kitchen is only 72 square feet, so I want to keep as much counter space free as I can. The vent in this microwave has twice the air-moving power of my old one - 400 cubic feet per minute - and it's vented outside. That's plenty for my limited needs. And I stir-fry a lot. I just don't do it for a lot of people. Peel-and-stick backsplash: They're fine - if used temporarily. I'm using a porcelain tile for mine. It's less expensive than other options, looks nice, is non-porous, and the size of the individual pieces (2' x 6") means less grout. Tub inside a shower: Eh! One thing you didn't mention is that floor tile in a bathroom (or shower) should have a somewhat rough texture to reduce slipping on the wet floor. Highly polished tile on a bathroom or shower floor is a no-no to me. Edison bulbs: Depends on the space. As you mentioned, too much of anything usually isn't good. More often than not, less is more.
I have an open concept home in just under 2000sf. Open from LR-kitchen-DR. When I bought the home, I felt like the walls closed it all in. You’re absolutely right- open concept in a smaller(ish) space just makes it feel larger 🙌🏻
I'm an older person having a new home built. It's really nice but not extravagant. Firstly, the family room/kitchen is open but the rest of the house is not. Separate office & den. Secondly, I am getting an OTR microwave because it is more practical & space saving for me. Lower cabinets? Getting lots of drawers. I don't really like a bunch of those space saving pullout business. I was even to cheap to get a pull out trash can. No pot filler. If I did get one I I'd put it on the island. No tub in my "primary" bath. Got a larger shower and closet instead. Don't luv the Edison bulb fixtures and not a fan of statement lighting but I am getting a few!😅 I wouldn't even look at anything called peel and stick.
If i live alone, I’d love open concept. I care for my 86-yr old mother. I use frosted wardrobe doors to section off family room annex (it’s my craft room) and formal living room. She has family room. I can hide in formal living room or craft room. I put pullout trays in my kitchen under-counter cabinets and pantries (half way up because upper space can’t have pullout trays). My mom loves them, making her kitchen time easier.
Having specified many of these items for my own home and clients, I can make a case for them all! lol 😀 Do you currently feature anything from today's list in your own home? Why or why not? Thanks for watching!
Kitchen bases with drawers are the best.
Our house is a high end custom build from the mid 80's. It was extremely well designed. The base cabinets have pull out shelves, the kitchen has a large island and lots of upper and lower cabinets on the sides. The kitchen is very open, but there is a door right off of it to the dining room (easy access, but you don't have to look at the mess in the kitchen, not open concept but a good compromise). We are constantly amazed at how well it was thought out.
I love that! Modern day “high end” builds from luxury developers don’t always get it right either. Seems like the trend is skimping on materials so they make a profit on the upgrade
As a senior, I prefer lower cabinets with pull out shelves. I often cook and have having to get a step stool out to reach the top shelf in the upper cabinets.
Keeping an eye on kids at all times is a modern construct. I cannot imagine having a childhood where my parents had to see me every moment of the day.
Absolutely. My mom would kick us out so she could get her housework done, and we were glad to play outside or go ride our bikes. You could not possibly pay me enough money to be young now. It seems like a psychological hellscape.
@@Serai3once out don’t come back! Lol we learned who cleaned whenever knew parents schedules to grab snacks or whatever and back outside! We drank water from garden hose! We all had same rules in general, so the one we ALL did do-streetlights come on-time to go in. Summers after dinner every now n then stayed up till 10! Woohoo 😂😂😂
Same same .Nowadays people even wanna homeschool kids .Like literary be with their kids 24/7 .All day everyday@@Serai3
My mom moved into this senior housing community a few years ago, brand new buildings, specifically designed with seniors in mind, one of the features they had - which I feel, if it could be replicated for base cabinets would work really well for seniors especially - was that when you pulled out the lower drawer of the dishwasher, it would rise up, so you didn't have to stand bent over in order to get stuff in or out of it
My wife and I are married 40 years and we both prefer separate spaces. We recently looked at open concept condo and it didn't seem to offer any privacy. We have different activities and we both thought it would be too noisy.
Julie, you are my favorite designer on UA-cam...thanks for all your help.
That’s so important to assess how you aspire to live and design/ specify your space around those key features 🙌🏻 Thank you for watching and supporting the channel! 🙏🏻🩷
We did a full kitchen remodel a couple of years ago and I replaced all the base cabinets with drawers. I just LOVE them. On the flip side, I hate pot fillers. I don't understand the purpose. Some of my friends regret installing them because after a while they begin to leak. Right onto your cook top. Drip, drip.
The leakage is an issue. I’ve seen it in poorly installed kitchens. Such a nightmare to rectify when you have to demo the entire backsplash 🙈
I have a 50s ranch where the living room and dining room are open to each other but the kitchen is enclosed.
This is our downsize home so this is perfect for me. Dont want to look at the sink from my spot in front of the TV!
I have the microwave/fan combo on top of the stove. Not ideal but don't want to give up counter space.
I haven't sat in a bathtub in 30 years so when we moved here we got the tub removed and had just a shower installed and in our 5X8 bathroom, its enough.
This was a great video!
Pot fillers will get really grungy right above the cooktop, as they're right in the path of the venting above. Also, it's not just poorly installed kitchens that get the drip. A properly installed faucet will also eventually drip, although it may take 15 years until the cartridge wears out.
I did same - hate lower cabinets
We had our house built almost two years and I had them install all pull out drawers instead of base cabinets in the kitchen. It was the BEST (and I mean BEST) decision I ever made. I LOVE, LOVE my pull out drawers. I can see and access everything. Nothing tips over or gets lost. The space is used efficiently since I can see everything. The only base cabinet I have is under the sink. It is worth every penny. I will never again have cabinets in the kitchen
Agreed!! Unless you’re adding drawer inserts, those base cabinets are a nuisance for smaller items 🙈
Our new kitchen also has (almost) only drawers as kitchen cupboards, even the waste bins under the sink can be pulled out. No upper cabinets and due to the unchanged position of a heating pipe, the last two cabinets (one slanted) only have doors, but only as deep as upper cabinets.
If we had had more money for the renovation, we might have completely changed the plumbing and electrical system and not only put the oven at a comfortable height, but also the dishwasher.
I think open concept only works for large homes that also have many rooms like libraries, formal living room, dens, offices, where one can move throughout. Reducing a small home to less individual spaces makes no sense to me. My spouse and I bought a home and initially thought we were going to tear down wall between kitchen, dining, and living room for open concept, but after living in it for 1 months we found we actually loved the extra wall space it provided our small kitchen and our cozy living room for storage and design. Each space has unique design with its own art, and we love the cozy feel of being in individual spaces for specific purposes. Instead we focused on opening up windows to let in more natural light including building a French patio door. We love showing our home to guests and having them discover each room individually rather than walking in and seeing half the house upfront.
I grew up in a large family of 6 people sharing rooms in a small home; having separate spaces and walls was paramount. I think we would have killed each other if we didn’t have separate spaces to eat, study, watch tv, read, etc. During pandemic my spouse and I shared an open concept apartment and not only was it super noisy to work in, it felt depressing being in the same space most of the day rather than have different spaces you could move in throughout the day.
The house definitely needs to have enough space for it. I like how our kitchen is open to the breakfast dining area and the family room with tv and play space, and we spend most of our time in there. But there is still a separate formal dining room that doesn’t get used much that might become homework central when kids are older, and the formal living room which is currently just more toys but could have quiet away-from-tv seating. I get the best of both worlds, enough private corners but also open space for family hanging out.
Understanding how you move through and use your home is paramount to the success of its layout. I knew right from the start that I wanted open concept. Knocked down a few walls to achieve that with enough private areas to retreat to 🩷
Loved our open concept during lockdown. Our older kids had desks in their bedroom. My husband had an office in the basement and added space for me to have an office. We've since moved and renting while we build a house. We've since had twins and older 2 have started college (big age gap). Looking forward to open concept again but building two offices this time around that can double as guest rooms.
I don't want to give up our open concept, it works so well.
I appreciate how you've Framed the options pro & con here for varied situations rather than simply declaring One Superior Choice. Refreshing!
Having specified them all (either for myself or clients), I understand both sides! The hardest part of design is figuring out how you live, and committing to design a space that supports those functions 🩷
After the first 4 years of having kids dealing with flooding bathrooms from kids splashing or pouring water on the floor to the point of it coming through the kitchen ceiling below…..I was so happy to be able to move to our home and redo a bathroom and put a big tub in the shower with a drain on the floor for all splashing. I am so much more relaxed and so are my children as the four of them now LOVE taking baths and playing and splashing to their hearts delight.
Do you clean the tub after a shower even if you don't use the tub?
That’s an excellent question Posh! 🤔
That’s a great solution Meaghan! My girls are in that phase right now, thank goodness we only have one floor 😅
@@Yaa2024 rarely happens in fact I don’t know when it has happened
We have a stand alone shower in the other bathroom
We got a triple sliding glass door for the tub/shower combo. I used a squeegee and didn’t have to deal with spots. No water on the floor and when folded back there was plenty of room to access it since it only covered a third. I can’t imagine having to clean a separate freestanding tub as the outside will need to be cleaned when inside a shower enclosure. We currently have a separate shower and tub and even though it’s jetted, we rarely use it as we have an outdoor spa that is always ready to use and more comfortable. I just dust the tub.
I can't stand pot-fillers. For all the reason you pointed out, plus you still have to carry the pot to the sink if you have to drain the water...
Unless you use pot fillers every day, the water sits there in the pipe until you empty it into the pot. Yum…
Exactly what I thought.@@LesaBear612
Yes, how far is the sink even? Just fill up a smaller pot or pitcher and transport the water in 3 trips if the pot is too heavy to carry from the sink. I cannot imagine needing a pot filler outside of a commercial kitchen making huge vats of soup or something.
I think it was an Italian thing during that trend.
Asians making a big ol’ pot of phõ love it! Lol A definite “luxury” if you’re making soups all the time for sure.
Open concept layout (after downsizing to a newly constructed apartment above our son's workshop): I mostly love it, airy and well lit, but the lack of complete privacy anywhere but the bathroom sometimes grates on me, even though it's just me and my husband.
Another thing to consider with an open floor plan is how furnishings, decor, and functional items integrate visually. I had to consider how paintings and wall hangings in the living area would work adjacent to the dining and kitchen decor.
Kitchen: Made sure our new kitchen, though small (tucked into a dormer), has sufficient storage and lower level drawers or pull out trays instead of cabinets. No unnecessary pot filler. No microwave oven because we don't eat microwaved food. Absolutely no way with a peel&stick backsplash.😆
Bathroom: Just a shower. We don't take baths, but enjoyed luxuriating in a hot tub in our old home. Currently have an infrared sauna, which we love.
No Edison light bulbs. I don't hate them. They just weren't my first choice for lighting fixtures.
Open Concept means if one area is messy - the whole house looks messy. I hate people have access to my kitchen while I'm trying to cook a meal for them. Or when we sit down to eat - they may see that pile of pots on the stove I haven't cleaned yet. And if it was a smelly dinner - well it's everywhere. (roasted cauliflower/Brussels/cabbage) Base cabinets are for storing things you only use once in awhile like holiday platters. I love the pot fillers. As our laundry room is on the other side of that wall, the water source was already there. As a big soup & pasta eater, the pot filler is great as I don't have the strength to carry the full pot from the sink to the stove. It also allows the used water to cool which can then be ladled into a garden watering can for plants. Tap water isn't a big deal - you are boiling it anyway.
I clicked this video out of curiosity, and I couldn't stop laughing! This brilliantly pointed out the design trends that have overstayed their welcome, and I couldn't agree more with their critiques. It's refreshing to see someone call out the trends that just need to go.
Thank you for watching Faith! I vacillate between these “trends” seeing as how I’ve experienced both ranges. I’m loving the comments though! Keep them coming 🙌🏻💛
I’m 4’11 so I’m not into pot filler , microwave over stove. Don’t mind deep lower cabinets. Hard enough keeping bathroom clean but adding the tub in the shower, not a fan,even if I was very wealthy.
Oh! Open concept I like , it enables you to get more use out of the space.
Really awesome video!!
Thank you for watching and weighing in 🙏🏻💗
I like a nice, dogtrot house that's either a porch breezeway or an open concept for the living & cooking areas with the private areas sandwiching that so that the parents get the master bedroom on one end & the kids get the bedrooms on the other end, or it's sleeping areas on one end & an office on the other.
It's also a good design for a guest/in-law suite that functions as an efficiency apartment.
What I like about this video is that you don't shy away from the real problems we have in the real world of cleaning etc. Thanks.
We have pull-out drawers in our base cabinets. Makes it easy to access.
Function FIRST! Even if you have to pay for the upgrade, I want to be able to use and SEE everything in my cupboards 🙌🏻
I love open concept homes as long as they are designed properly and theiris a private room for work, be that a bedroom or an office, if you have others living with you. Bifold or pocket doors are wonderful for dividing certain quiet nooks for privacy. The home I used to have had a 6.5 foot enclosed patio room with windows down the length of it. It was the length of the house until it backed up to our master bedroom. While half of it was open to the front room, the walls naturally created a quiet reading nook at the back. It was an interesting feature. We removed the sliding glass door from the front room and curved the carpet over the step down to it. We put in a floor that looked like tile and used bookcases to line the interior walls, which helped tone down the noise from the front room. I loved it!
I agree 100% about base cabinets. We’re aging and needed to remodel our kitchen. We know in the future it’s going to get harder to get down in the floor to get things out of the cabinets.
There are stainless steel 2-level pull out shelves that you can easily install. The shelves pull out independently allowing access to the back of the cabinets. We found ours on Amazon.
I linked a few of my favorite inserts on Amazon as well, great solution for post-functionality 👏🏻
Hi Julie, thanks for the vid. Your hair & outfit look great here. Re: design trends, I dislike: open concept, free standing tubs, pot fillers, Edison bulbs, microwave over the stove (I'm also short). Base drawers are OK - I'd like a combo of drawers & cabinets. I liked the alternatives that you showed. Re: peel & stick backsplashes/ tiles - I think they're OK since they're renter-friendly. Cheers!
I prefer painted tile over peel and stick backsplashes, but I get it. Perfect for DIY renters since you can just peel it right off before moving out 👍
Thanks, Julie. I don't mind that my microwave is above the stove - maybe because I'm tall - but I hate that it doesn't vent to outside. It just blows the air/fumes right back into the kitchen, so basically worse than pointless. I like the idea of a wet room. Who doesn't love to splash around? My home is quite small so no space for one, but if I did I would place the tub far enough away from the wall that I could easily clean behind it - often on home reno shows they shove a freestanding tub right up close against a tile wall, and I find myself yelling at the TV "How are you going to clean behind there???" :-) It's a no for me to open concept, no to open shelving, no to peel and stick anything, no to pot fillers. I def need to get those drawers for base cabinets tho. Ingenious.
No to anything I have to wedge myself into to clean! 🙅🏼♀️😂
I have a built in microwave above my built in oven. I have a downdraft cooktop and wouldn’t want a microwave above it. I had that setup in my previous home and when you have food cooking on the stovetop and someone is having to reach over hot pots and pans, it’s a burn risk as well as 2 people trying to use the same floorspace. Splattering food or a dish that needs constant stirring while someone else is reaching over hot stove I witnessed at my BIL’s new home that was a gas stove. I was holding my breath as dangling sleeves or loose sweaters as they reached were close to the flames and hot open pots.
The only way a freestanding soaker tub makes sense is if you have a hand held shower wand, floor drain & wall tile so you can just hose down behind the tub to clean it. Sometimes the easiest way to achieve that is with a wet room tub shower combo. Definitely a luxury item. @@JulieKhuu
My elderly mother can’t even use panel controlled microwave. I bought a small microwave with turn knob control (2; one for temp, one for time). It is on a side table for easy access. My large and small Hamilton Beach counter ovens are also turn knob control.
I do love those turn knob controls. I stayed at a luxury rental recently and it took us a minute to figure out their fancy microwave 😅
@@JulieKhuu ain’t that the fact?! I often can’t figure out some “smart” appliances that come with a fancy control panel 😭
We love having separated rooms b/c we have lots of beautiful paintings and wall hangings, but admittedly an open concept would be better for watching young kids. An open concept is especially great when you're visiting someone else's home and you have a kid that likes exploring.
Yes, my husband and I are artists with loads of artist friends who give us works as well and we have a big house all open space and the walls we do have are often needed to put storage cabinets and counters and wood burning stoves and TVs on / against. It’s terrible !! I love the open space and light but really miss having all the walls many separate rooms provide. We are even building a free-standing cube in the space just to hang art inside and outside of it. 😂😂😂
That’s an excellent point! My open concept home lacks walls (tons of windows though), so the artwork is relegated to the single hallway and private areas
I’m with you on all of them! I do like base cabinets but only because I installed pullouts in every one of them when I remodeled! Edison bulbs are the worst! Except maybe on a patio.
Once you see those Edison patio string lights at Costco, you know everyone’s going to have them 😆
I added heavy duty wire drawer inserts to my base cabinets. From Rev-a-shelf
- don’t like
Had microwave hood combo- now reverted to microwave on small cart at counter level. Much better
The insights into overused trends like farmhouse decor and excessive minimalism, which I found relatable. I appreciated the honesty and humor in addressing these trends, helping me reconsider my own design choices.
Our guest house has edison bulbs everywhere but it is a shophouse in the middle of nowhere in Arkansas so the industrial style just made sense for that building when we bought it. Love my builbs!!!!!
Sounds like the perfect fit Carol! 💡🙌🏻
I definitely could have used a more open concept floor plan when my daughter was little. When I moved into my current home, however, one thing I wanted was a closed kitchen so my kitchen isn't in view when people enter my home. Sure, privacy is a plus now that my daughter is 20, but really the main reason I don't want an open concept layout has to do with minimizing the amount of work required to keep all visible spaces presentable.
I love my microwave hood combo! We have a fairly small kitchen with just two of us living there. It’s also a convection oven, which helps when we have a lot of company, such as Thanksgiving. The height is no issue for me and I would not want to loose counter or cabinet space for a microwave. No way on the mega shower room with tub! Too hard to clean and a waste of space. You would always be cold in the shower, too.
I love our microwave hood combo as well. A separate hood seems like such a waste of space since you now have to find a place to put the microwave. Plus, tbh I use the microwave more as a clock and timer than for cooking, and I love having that right by the stove where I need it.
This is why I love reading the comments. Such open discussions that allow for viewers to see it both ways. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻💗
I have always thought the microwave above the range should definitely also be a convection oven. So much more utility to gave an extra oven especially when you are entertaining or for holidays. Even for everyday it makes so much sense. Freestanding tall tubs are going to be a huge problem for aging and to clean behind. I like separate enclosed shower to stay warm and keep water inside. I prefer a partially open design with spaces that can be private. Kitchen,/dining/family room plus a more formal separate living or dining room. Office with doors. Base cabinets need pull outs. Deep big drawers get really heavy, don,'t like putting dishes in drawers as it is exhausting to bend down and pull out a big heavy drawer. I like my dishes and glassware in closed upper cabinets were they stay clean from dust and pet hair.
We just purchased cheap pull out containers for the base cabinets, we also kept a chir in the breakfast nook, which we were using open space for placing small cooking appliances and completed entrees so that we could sit down when trying to pull out things from the back, so those of us who had trouble squatting and kneeling had better access. I still keep a light stool from Ikea around for accessing lower cabinets. It's easily provides more seating for those who want to converse with the cooks in the kitchen. We have drawers for flatware and upper cabinets for dishes and glasses.
I live in Japan in a very traditional Japanese house, but even modern houses all have the bath in shower room. Bathing tradition here is family style and dictates that you clean yourself with the shower first and then warm up and relax in the tub. The bath generally isn't freestanding though, and there is never a toilet in the same room. Like, the whole shower bath thing is its own room.
Btw the floor in my bathroom is beautiful slab granite tile so it never gets slippery😊
Interesting! That tub shower connecetion you mention makes so much sense!! We just remodeled and have double vanity, shower and tub in one space the a smaller adjacent room with toilet and additiinal small sink.
I love you for sharing Erika! I never would have thought of this before either? Cultural differences make such a huge impact on interior design. Love how every single water closet in Japan (public or private) featured bidets! So fresh and so clean 👏🏻💗
We rented a house with one of those gigantic showers and hated it because it was so cold! Literally, the shower couldn’t store up enough steam to heat up that huge cabinet. When we built our own home we did keep the huge tub idea. I love that thing! I had a special corner teak table designed to sit behind it so that no the lack of soap dishes, etc is no problem.
For me open concept doesn't have much to do with privacy - that's what your bedroom is for. The noise, the cluttery look, the lack of defined spaces, lack of storage space. So many more important things than not wanting someone to be able to see you from anywhere in the house.
Open concept is harder to decorate and furnish. You're often using consoles and backs of couches or other seating as "walls". With more walls you get more places to do cabinetry or shelving - more storage space. I have 2 toddlers and the house plans we're working on are definitely closed concept. So much more functional.
We are building a new home with an open concept. It is our age in place home, and our kids are grown so no extra noise. Our tub and shower will be near each other, but not enclosed. However, I want them both on the anti slip heated flooring, which will help with drying.
Radiant floors, another luxury I’m dying for in my next house! Even my tile floors feel cold and I’m always in socks (not slippers) 🥶
I would like to suggest having one 'enclosed' room, i.e. den.
If you have grandkids or other people over with kids, it may be nice to have a room with a door you can close to separate the kids from the adults. You wouldn't hear all of the talking, laughing, television, and arguing that way. 😊 Or, the kids wouldn't hear all of that coming from the adults. LOL!
@ShelleybutyoucancallmeShell Agreed We have doors to bedrooms etc. And a guest wing with doors. But the living dining and kitchen are open to each other and the entry.
On the topic of microwave/range vent combos, I'm doing a kitchen remodel. I am purposely placing my microwave by my fridge. It gives me a cold food reheat area and/or leftover food storage (plastic ware) to go into the fridge.
My living room is open concept. The rest is small, divided rooms.
I hate my base cabinets! I’m definitely going to check out the link for the slide out from Amazon! My kitchen is so dysfunctional. I need all the help a can get. I painted those lower cabinets black. I just need to make them work better!
I don’t need a pot filler.
I don’t have a microwave. Period.
I don’t do peel and stick. I do real tiles, or stencils. Or tin art. That’s what I currently have in my kitchen backsplash, tin posters of my town. But I understand the ap-peel! 😝
I think open showers are too cold! 🥶 Small showers get nice and warm.
I have a few LED Edison bulbs. But it fits the look of the house.
I should clarify, the “tin posters” as the kitchen backsplash, are just pictures printed on metal sheets.
That’s cool! I love the idea of the tin tiles. I specified them in the loft/tattoo shop I shared in this video in the Edison bulbs section. I used them in the front of the bar and spray painted them red. Also used a ton on the ceiling of the lounge as well. Textured and very appealing 😉🙌🏻
My home was built in 1985 and has the typical base cabinets but the shelves were the full depth. It was simple to add pull out shelves that were affordable. I have heavy pots and ceramic bakeware so made sure that I got shelves that could hold heavy weights as well as extend completely. The builder added under cabinet lights well before the trend and they have been so useful and we often just leave one section on 24 hours a day so it’s never dark. I had loads of built in floor to ceiling cabinets in all the bathrooms and added pull out shelves for convenience as well as under sinks. I wouldn’t want to work around different size drawers and try to fit items into them. I was able to keep everything together so even my husband no longer wondered where items went before the pull out shelves as everything is easily visible.
My home is not open concept and it has pros and cons. There’s not as much natural light as there could be because there’s a dividing wall down the middle. Our kitchen is open to our family room, so I can still watch my kids if I’m cooking as long as they’re playing or watching tv in there. I do love the coziness of it. I have plenty of wall space for art and rooms to decorate, which I love. We gather as a family quite a bit, but we’re also able to have privacy if we need it. We recently did a kitchen update. I kept all of my cabinet boxes and built new drawers and doors with my dad who is a woodworker. We painted the cabinets and replaced the countertop. I added pull out drawers in all of my base cabinets and it feels like I have a luxury kitchen now. It makes a huge difference in the functionality of your kitchen.
What a fun collab for you and Dad!! I’m sure he loves the bonding time and creating something truly functional for your family, that’s awesome 👏🏻 thanks for watching and sharing Nadia! 💛
I opted not to get a drawer microwave recently when we remodeled our kitchen. As we age, I think it would be difficult to try and get on my knees to clean the microwave spills. I love the function of a speed oven or combination convection mircowave oven. So useful! Pot can't be functional as you have to lift the pot of water and take it to the sink after you are done cooking.
That’s the consensus with the pot filler. I love how those who have it make a case for it! Learning every day 👏🏻
Love your videos! I live in a 1960s Rancher style home . Its no privacy even with divided rooms. I do like open concept but don't really want go through the reconstruction. No pot filler here but it does look interesting. Don't care for that huge bathroom design but don't mind having it at a hotel on vacation. Peel and stick.. I have used it for backsplash. It looks cheap in some ways if you get close to it but it is 3D and some are somewhat nice. It makes it convenient to change it up whenever you want to.
When we stayed at that Lake Arrowhead rental, I got a taste of the mega shower room. Lots of ideas on how I would redesign the space to make it more functional and easier to clean. Definitely would do a drop in or undermount tub in a wet room. Less nooks and crannies 👍
Great vlog Julie. Here in the UK pot fillers and microwave hoods are not common place. I’m not a fan of these. Aesthetically the hood doesn’t look great. We have a Bora down draft extractor built into our induction hob. It’s amazing at removing smells whilst cooking and there’s no hood to clean. I love open plan living personally but have pocket doors so the spaces can be closed off if needed. It’s perfect for entertaining and allows for great flow around the areas. So interesting to hear your views.
I’m definitely going induction next! So easy to maintain! Thanks for sharing Samta 🩷
Induction is what I want next. Have a down draft exhaust now and I'm not a fan. Gas flame gets pulled away from the pot and crumbs fall into the not easy to clean filter. Had a pop up down draft w/ electric stove and that worked better, but was still difficult to clean.
I lived in an open-concept room. I feel relaxed, the room looks wider and I can see everyone aside from the fact that I can move things around and change my view anytime I want to. I hate divisions as if I am being choked, I can't breathe, and changing or moving furniture limits me.
My hubs (a carpenter) build wood slide outs for the base cabs that aren’t drawers. Most of the base cabs are huge drawers which are so nice. Definitely the way to go.
Totally! NEED these upgrades of else those base cabinets can only hold large appliances with ease
Open Concept- we've had this for 28 years, well before it was so popular and I never regret it. However as we age and in our 60s- in New England, it's cold and drafty due to how far away the baseboards are. Plus we have a super peaked almost 3 story living room ceiling making it even colder since heat rises. Also a fireplace will whip up some serious drafts in open areas like a wind tunnel so we switched to an enclosed gas fireplace. Sound- yes it's loud esp with real wood floors. My husband doesn't hear well so thankfully he has a tv room off to the side. I wear headphones for my tv to avoid hearing his loud tv.
Interesting point! I never thought of those conditions (having grown up in sunny SoCal) 😂
Love open concept. Love seeing the lay of the land in one swoop. Lol
I feel the same way 🙌🏻☺️
@@JulieKhuu 💕
My last home had a pot filler and I adored it and miss it very much
Great Video Julie, In my house the Kitchen is central to the living room on one side, and the dining room on the other, Kitchen/dining are open concept, Kitchen/living are partial, can be closed off with big double glass doors, keeping food smells, and noise in the kitchen.
Oooh this sounds awesome!! I have it open on both sides (central kitchen), but love the idea of creating a collapsible moving partition. That’s cool!
I love open concept
We spend time together and I like the airy open look
I like having drawers in lower based cabinets
Yup, same here. I feel like open concept makes the most of family time.
Great video. What’s important to me in open concept is that the kitchen is the center of the home. I’ve lived in older apartments with small closed off kitchens, not functional & a bit depressing - perhaps originally it was just for “the help.” I only ever use the microwave to warm dishes - if it weren’t above the range I’d sooner do without than waste counter space.
I barely have counter space in my kitchen and the microwave is taking a small corner. I’ll give up the real estate so I can have a stronger vent 👏🏻
When we remodeled our kitchen we made sure to put in all drawers. We have 22 drawers in total 6 are 35 inches wide 9 are 30 inches wide and the rest are 24” wide only 2 uppers and it’s absolutely game changing. Anyone out there that plans on remodeling should really consider drawers if you have the room. The convenience of being able to reach every thing is amazing. We have a pretty open space now and I won’t ever go back to closed off spaces. We remolded 6 years ago.
We had all base cabinets in my parent’s home and I knew the first thing that I was going to budget for was all base drawers. Agreed, best decision ever! 🙌🏻
Prefer a home with designed rooms, as opposed to "open concept". Open concept just seems like a 1980s-90s builder cop-out or cost saver, so they don't have to build interior walls and pull electrical & lighting (and now internet) to designated rooms.
They may have started out that way, but now that we are exposed to all different floor plans- I love how we can designate the spaces to suit our family’s needs
@@JulieKhuu I live in an "open concept"... but prefer having designated rooms. Also... a big "NO" to barn doors. IF you have to have interior sliding doors, having pocket doors is much classier than barn doors.
I lived without them until I redid my kitchen a few years ago. Now I have pull out shelves or drawers on all of my base cabinets and it is so worth the extra cost. Unfortunately, I am stuck with the microwave/hood combo and I really hate it. Don't use myself, but love the Edison bulbs.
Large, roll-in showers with a bench are super handy if you're old, crippled, weak or very sick. I love them.
I love a shower-tub combo as well. Having a roll in shower with easy access from the side/front door, straight to the bathroom is ideal as well as having a secondary shower-tub combo with a sink & a toilet for the guest/kids' bath.
Thank you for the interesting list. I'm a "whatever floats your boat" kinda gal. But I have to say, I love having my microwave over my range. It is convenient and a great space saver in my small kitchen.
Currently having all of my kitchen base cabinets revamped to slide outs/pull outs. 1 batch at a time. So much better utility of space.
I have a closed concept living room and kitchen. I really like that I can put up one kid gate to keep my son in one area. I thought I wanted an open concept until he started getting more mobile.
My lower cabinets have a lot of wide, deep drawers, which hold all my pots and pans and other things. Agree with you about the microwave. I had my microwave drawer put in my island, and I love it.
I made sure to put columns of base drawers in my kitchen when I designed it. Best decision ever 🙌🏻
First of all I love when fish sauce is in the air! Keep on cooking. We are starting bathroom renovation and opted out of the tub shower room and will do a smaller shower with additional storage.
Haha smells like home to me! 🎣
I have a few thoughts.
1. 👍👎For open concept I don't think it's the best idea to decide if it's right for your family based on the few years your kids are young and you want to keep an eye on them. I have open concept and I like it while I live alone because I like the look of it. If I lived with someone I wouldn't opt for open concept because it's loud and disruptive. Especially if you have 2 TVs going or one person needs quiet time while the other wants to watch TV, etc.
2. 👍Pot fillers are a luxury I wouldn't mind having. I don't think it matters whether the water is filtered. I thought once you boil water you remove a majority of all the unwanted stuff from water anyways.
3. 👍 I think the peel and stick stuff seems good for those on a budget or renters looking to temporarily update their space. I see some people using extra glue to keep peel and stick items in place. I have also seen people grout peel and stick floor tile. Seems like a good idea if you take extra steps. I have some peel and stick wall decals from Etsy in my powder room and it looks great.
4. 👎I agree with the hygiene aspect of mega showers. They'd be a pain to clean behind the tub and in general. Wet rooms are just far too messy feeling in my opinion.
Interesting! Grouting peel and stick tile? That’s kinda brilliant actually- you get the ease of maintenance without all the sticky residue that collects on the surface 👏🏻
Agree with everything you said! We are empty nesters who cook and entertain a lot so we love our open concept floor plan. It's not for everyone, though. Agree on base cabinets with drawers. It's the best thing ever to have drawers in the base cabinets. Pot fillers: I dream of having a pot filler because I do a lot of canning. It saves a step. But they are expensive. It's a luxury for sure. TOTALLY AGREE about microwave hoods. Like you said, the worst part is they do not work well. Peel and stick backsplashes are crap. They are inexpensive and look it. Better to learn how to install tile yourself and do that. It's not that hard, honestly, to do your own tile backsplash. I don't like free-standing tubs. If you have the space, install a tub in a tiled deck, but not a shower room. Edison bulbs work in the right space, like you said.
Pot fillers have always seemed a waste to me, but all of these are a no for me. You nailed it again Julie!
Thank you for watching Maryann! I knew we’d have both camps defending their choices! 🙌🏻😅
I just found your channel, and I subbed 5 minutes into your video. I expected to be a richy-richy video who can't relate to "real" people. You surprised me. You are fair, you give both sides of the issue in a fair manner and then invite your viewers to make up their own mind and vote. Wow, thank you.
Thank you for watching and supporting the channel Jodi! Your feedback means a ton! 🫶🏻💕
Togetherness is always the best, even with teenagers!!🙏👏😊
As a retired couple who spend a lot of time at home with each other, we can tell you that rooms with DOORS are essential to our lives. We have different hobbies and interests. Divided floor plans are really great for adults who want some privacy and sound reduction in the home.
I love open concept layouts. Bedrooms are for privacy, with their own desks and sofas. I have teenagers and the open concept is family time. Meals, family conversations and sometimes kids use it for parties or large gatherings and i go to my bedroom. So yes Open concept. Thanks ❤
Open concept for every point you mentioned as well 🩷 We entertain regularly, I love that guests all share these common areas. It’s really fun!
I use stain glass light bulb for laundry room, hallway, and dining room accent lights. They add so much to the ambiance, better than led strip lights. I have 4 edison bulbs in my craft room; 2 pine cone shaped and 2 geometric shaped. To be honest I don’t turn them on because painting and crafting i need abundance of daylight temperature lighting.
I never thought of stained glass bulbs to bring more color into a space! Way better solution than those strip lights 😆
Open concept kitchen/ family room works great, IF you have separate living rooms, dens, offices etc… people need gathering spaces as well as personal spaces.
Our new condo has the typical cabinets. None are the wide type you see in today's modern kitchens. I would love to have those type of cabinets that pull out. However, our new space is limited, and lower cabinets are narrower.
I solved the microwave range issues. I replaced it with the Samsung smart slim over the range microwave. It has the most powerful 550 CFM and my contractor vented it outside. This unit is super slim and sleek and so powerful! No smell at all. I love to save counter space!
That’s the kicker! You gotta vent it outside 👏🏻
As always great topic Julie..I have a few things in my house like the bulbs and I love open concept
And if I could id have the bath separated from the rest lol...
I love a good bubble bath 😂
I’m not a bath girl, but ask me once the kids grow up and outta the house lol 💆🏼♀️🛁😍
I agree with most of these opinions although Im sure many with the luxury bathrooms arnt the ones cleaning them. The need for low kitchen draws highlights many architectural features that are too clever for their own good. A space should be able to be used by any client regardless of age. A trendy example is an under counter fridge😖
Those under counter fridges cost more than all my appliances put together! 🤑 lol a definite luxury, but I want them for organizational purposes! Imagine opening a fridge drawer with just fruit, just veggies, separated meats, snacks, beverages 🤩 omg I’m manifesting it now! Next house! Lol 🤣
Edison bulbs are my jam and shower tub room I love, total waterproofing and a drain in case of tub overflows it’s awesome to me. Here peel and stick tiles are more expensive than tile.
Some of mine: I dislike the shower room which would be hard to clean, waterfall countertops (just stupid), barn doors (unless separating an area of the house. (They're not private and look cheap as an excuse for builders not to do the costlier pocket doors), Vessel sinks (hard to clean and wasted counter space).
Open concept:👍🏾 kitchen base cabinets👍🏾 when I did a little remodeling I installed some drawers.pot fillers👎🏾 microwave hoods👎🏾 open showers👎🏾 Edison bulbs have a proper place👍🏾
We’re in sync Stacey 🙌🏻💗
I live alone and love open concept. I would prefer drawers rather than lower cabinets. If I were building a new house, I would add a pot filler with filter. I am renting, so I'm stuck with the microwave over the stove, but better that, than no microwave at all.
I don't need a pot filler. I like the microwave hood over stove. I like open floor plans.
Just found your channel! Great video! Pot filler waste of $$$. Free standing bathtubs.. no thank you! Base cabinets are great if they all have rollout shelves. Mine do…& lastly I live alone and love the open space concept.
Base cabinets NEED slide-outs for optimal performance 🙌🏻 thank you for watching Ann! 🩷
We live in an amazing contemporary high end build that has been remodeled several times since the 60’s. I’d love some help in making the spaces cohesive because the concept is extremely open. It is so bright and amazing but yes, can be quite loud!
Love Open concept.
Base cabinet? How is this a trend? There are plenty of design solutions to utilize access to the cabinets.
Pot Fillers… don’t care either way
Microwave/hood… yea, there are better design concepts. We have the wall unit of microwave above the oven. Both at reasonable height access.
Peel/stick backsplash’s… if it looks fake, you’ve diminished your kitchen design. But if it looks good and authentic, than that’s a win (think about engineered floors)
Free standing tubs look cool, but beyond that is just stupid in every respect.
Edison bulbs… love them in the right application.
Another informative video J, keep them coming. Blessings
Thank you for watching Lola 🩷
I grew up with 10 siblings. Closed concept. We all congregated in the kitchen or living room. If you wanted alone time, you went to your bedroom.
Homegoods is my go to store! please do one on what you buy for outside decorating!
I am now anti pot filler because we had a water leak. So i am trying to avoid any unnecessary plumbing. no water in the fridge. Nothing extra.
I hate microwaves above a stove - I like the microwave in the drawer. I can see the controls (I'm only 4'11") and it's more attractive there.
I don't like open shelves - dust catchers and most people overcrowd them. I like cabinets to the ceiling. Best use of space and you can get a ladder and store items you don't use as often. Thanks for all your great videos!
Thank you for watching and sharing Eleanor! My parents have the microwave underneath the island. They love it because they’re not the ones cleaning it 😂
I prefer a kids play room where I can close the door quickly if I happen to get unexpected company. I raised 4 boys and would highly recommend a play room dedicated to their shenanigans, it helps to keep the adult rooms clean and organized and ready for entertaining.
I don't think a pot filler is worth the money because the extra cost, doesn't produce equal value, due to its limited function. Just grab a measuring cup, fill it with water at the sink and put it in your soup pot. A pot filler is definitely a waste of money.
Lowe's and Home Depot have a good variety of drawer inserts for base cabinet, don't spend extra money at the cabinetry shop for something you can easily buy for much less money at a big box store.
That tub shower- bath room combo... I had one at my cottage, because our bathroom was to small for all the fixtures to be separated, we called it a wet bath. It was inconvenient and very difficult to keep the towels dry while the entire room got wet, we used a big plastic tub for the towels and a smaller one for the toilet paper.
The last house I built for myself (2 years ago) I put the microwave in the pantry room, along with a small toaster oven and the frig. I think it's one of the best decisions I ever made. I love my kitchen without those 3 appliances clogging my work area.
Edison bulbs look great in an industrial style setting.
Next house, I envision a skullery/ butler’s pantry for all the appliances! I hate sacrificing countertop space, especially since we entertain a lot- everyone congregates in the kitchen! It’s always a full house 😆
Never have followed trends in ANYTHING. Clothing food decor my home designs. I am the one they invented the line ‘curiosity killed the cat!’. I’d live in a glass house if I could-hold up all you ‘privacy’ people-CURTAINS!!! Or even technology where you push a button and the glass goes opaque! Why? I have this ‘I wanna know everything going on around my home! It’s also the Gemini in me! Lol I am a grounded Taurus but my rising sign is tough often to deal with. I walked into a lamp store with one goal and left empty handed coz I wanted TOO MANY lol! Kid in a candy store syndrome 😂🤨. I did kinda like a few of the Edison bulbs but quickly got over them. Thank you for your information and knowledge, it helps so much!🙏🏻🤔😁
This was such a fun video to watch! You made me laughing as you passionately shared your thoughts on overused design trends. It's nice to know I'm not alone in cringing at some of these decor choices-I definitely got some good laughs and inspiration from this video.
Haha I’ve experienced them all! Now I know 🙌🏻😆
A full-on open concept living and kitchen space is pretty to look at when all staged and clean, but I know myself well enough to realize that it is not for me. I guess our home is semi-open. Our front living room and dining room are not open visibly to the kitchen, but there is a wide entry to the kitchen that is totally open with the family room. I guess the back of our house is "open concept" and the front is more traditionally laid out. We have a den off the entry that has a regular door, then the living room is open from the foyer and the dining room open to the living room. Walk down the central hall from the foyer and it enters the kitchen/family room space. We are actually mid-renovation this month. We have had what was previously a sunken front room, and a sunken family room separated by pony walls from the kitchen, leveled out with the rest of the first floor. All new hardwood floors in the living spaces and kitchen are awaiting the final finishing and 2 new windows and a new modern fireplace in the family room are gorgeous. WE bought this home 35 years ago, brand new and raised our 3 kids here. We really want to age in place and if we had to, we could live safely on the first floor. leveling the floors and widening the kitchen entry make it a more functional space for us now in our social security years. Next up the kitchen! if we do nothing else, I want drawers or pull out shelves in the base cabinets. Our microwave is OTR, and I want to change that too. First, we need a breather from the other remodeling we have had going though.
I love the microwave/hood combo because I'm tall & it's also easier to see any crud that splattered on the top to clean up.
What I am tired of are shaker cabinets. They're a pain in the ass to dust or clean. I just want slab cabinets.
Next reno is a European kitchen with slab cupboards that go all the way to the ceiling/bulkhead so I don't have to climb up & clean the dust off of those anymore.
I was never a fan of modern until I got older & it's so much easier to keep clean & nice-looking.
Still love open concept kitchen/family room but have a home with other separate rooms like office, tv room, formal living room
Perfect mix 👏🏻
“NO OPEN CONCEPT” was on the list that I gave my Realtor when I bought my house two years ago lol
Haha you know what you need! 🙌🏻🩷
The issue I've always had with pot fillers is that you still have to carry a stockpot full of liquid (soup, etc.) to another part of your kitchen to serve so what are you actually saving...one trip from the sink to the cooktop? Ditch the pot filler.
It’s buffet style Sharon 😆 People are gonna have to serve themselves with a huge ol’ pot of soup on the stove lol
I can't afford open concept but if I could, I'd knock the wall that separates the dining room from the kitchen. I live alone and love to cook. So an open concept kitchen would mean being able to entertain my guests and cook at the same time. I hate abandoning my guests in the dining/living room because I have to see to the food cooking.
We entertain a lot and guests are welcome to use anything they see in my home and kitchen. Which is also why I love open shelving- so convenient!
Open concept is a pain if you cook a lot. Grease floats to settle around the whole house instead of remaining in just the kitchen, if you can't close the doors. Open concept works better if you can close off the kitchen.
I am in the middle of a remodel, I am putting in a pot filler as I do lot of cooking that involves make my own stocks. As I went to the studs and moved the stove, sink and so it makes sense for me.
For my microwave, it's in an upper cabinet, above where I have a beverage cooler set between base cabinets.
Free standing tubs look pretty, but remind me of vessel sinks - problems cleaning around the base. I would have problems getting out of a tub like that. I will be putting in a walk-in tub when my master bath is remodeled in the future.
Open Concept: Depends on the space. Smaller homes benefit from open designs because fewer rooms in the same space are bigger and tend to look and function more efficiently. The thickness of the walls adds up in small spaces.
Base Cabinets: Agree. My 1973-built townhouse in Sun City, AZ, a retirement community, has drawers for lower cabinets, except under the sink. They work much better than the door front cabinets I've had in other homes I've lived in. My kitchen is only 72 square feet - and it functions very well.
Pot fillers: Eh - not useful for me, but it depends on what one likes to cook.
Over the range microwave: I love mine. I like the idea of concentrating the cooking functions in one area. A couple of your pictures show my microwave, the slim-line Whirlpool model designed to replace old vent hoods without replacing the old cabinets. I'm 6 feet tall, so height isn't an issue. And, again, my kitchen is only 72 square feet, so I want to keep as much counter space free as I can. The vent in this microwave has twice the air-moving power of my old one - 400 cubic feet per minute - and it's vented outside. That's plenty for my limited needs. And I stir-fry a lot. I just don't do it for a lot of people.
Peel-and-stick backsplash: They're fine - if used temporarily. I'm using a porcelain tile for mine. It's less expensive than other options, looks nice, is non-porous, and the size of the individual pieces (2' x 6") means less grout.
Tub inside a shower: Eh! One thing you didn't mention is that floor tile in a bathroom (or shower) should have a somewhat rough texture to reduce slipping on the wet floor. Highly polished tile on a bathroom or shower floor is a no-no to me.
Edison bulbs: Depends on the space. As you mentioned, too much of anything usually isn't good. More often than not, less is more.
I have an open concept home in just under 2000sf. Open from LR-kitchen-DR. When I bought the home, I felt like the walls closed it all in. You’re absolutely right- open concept in a smaller(ish) space just makes it feel larger 🙌🏻
Julie, I love your videos -- I always feel like I'm learning something from your videos. So much food for thought!
I'm so glad Sheebie, thanks for watching! 🙏🏻💗
I'm an older person having a new home built. It's really nice but not extravagant. Firstly, the family room/kitchen is open but the rest of the house is not. Separate office & den. Secondly, I am getting an OTR microwave because it is more practical & space saving for me. Lower cabinets? Getting lots of drawers. I don't really like a bunch of those space saving pullout business. I was even to cheap to get a pull out trash can. No pot filler. If I did get one I I'd put it on the island. No tub in my "primary" bath. Got a larger shower and closet instead. Don't luv the Edison bulb fixtures and not a fan of statement lighting but I am getting a few!😅
I wouldn't even look at anything called peel and stick.
Haha this is your investment home! Every finish that makes it in there will be because you’ve analyzed every detail, love that Rhonda! 🙌🏻💖
When gas prices got so high, I was especially thankful for rooms with doors in my apartment so I could heat just one room.
If i live alone, I’d love open concept. I care for my 86-yr old mother. I use frosted wardrobe doors to section off family room annex (it’s my craft room) and formal living room. She has family room. I can hide in formal living room or craft room. I put pullout trays in my kitchen under-counter cabinets and pantries (half way up because upper space can’t have pullout trays). My mom loves them, making her kitchen time easier.
Those base cabinet drawer inserts are brilliant! Saves so much money when you can’t custom build and now makes every base cabinet so functional 👏🏻