Jason Fitzpatrick
If you spent any amount of time watching the home and remodel shows on the HGTV network you’ll notice there are a ton of open floor plan designs. If you thought it was because people loved them or it made for good wide camera shots, you’d be, well, wrong.
Anyone watching who isn’t a fan of open floor plans might be baffled by the hyper prominence of them on HGTV. Maybe other people just love them? Maybe there’s a powerful architectural trend at play that is simply lost on people who prefer cozier and more intimate spaces? Maybe it’s all just for good TV because you can make a hell of a long shot across the fresh renovation if there’s, you know, no walls in the way.
In an interview with NPR, Ronda Kaysen, a New York Times contributor, explained a much more down to earth reason:
“I spoke with HGTV executives,” she said. “And the reason that they are so big on open concept is because it gets the male viewers. Like, guys like to watch sledgehammers and, like, taking out walls.”
She also added that, “It’s for TV. It’s not for, like, what’s the best interests of the house, necessarily.”
I would love to disagree but once upon a time I used to help my family flip and remodel houses, ala the Property Brothers dream, and, in fact, destroying things with a sledgehammer was the absolute highlight of the experience.
[Via Country Living]
