Good fences make good neighbours

Much has been said over the years about modern, open plan living. Less walls mean more life (or so they say)…

For a long time now the trend has been an open plan kitchen and dining room, with wide open spaces, a flow of energy. . . The openness of your home seemed to be a metaphor for your open heart, open minds, the availability of your time, your willingness to bare it all.  To show the world your true self and live your best life in full view of everyone from the front door to the fridge.

While we are not bashing this architectural design choice and the energetic flow of an open family style kitchen embracing everyone who enters with warmth, love and freshly baked sour dough bread is a true modern wonder.  We can’t deny that we miss walls…

Well, at least some of them.

With the advent of the open-age, we feel that we as homeowners and house-dwellers have lost a part of ourselves. The rise of broken plan living.

Some things are best kept private.

We miss the comforting click of a door that’s been pulled shut. The soft hum of a television blaring whatever the kids are watching, in a different room. The imperceptible clatter of a sink bursting with dirty dishes, invisible to your guests, thanks to the universal magic of the closed scullery door. And finally, the romance that is kept alive decade after decade by the decisive operation of a master bedroom ensuite bathroom with a separate toilet cubicle.

We love the freedom that modern homes and home designs give us to make our houses our castles.  Make no mistake we are all for a good hard core DIY project, but we are asking you to think twice before you break down the last vestiges of privacy.

Leave something to the imagination.

What people often forget, until it is too late, is that as much as an open plan house encourages guests and energy and good vibes to flow freely through your home.  The same can be said for noise, kids and pets. Don’t get us wrong, we love kiddos and fur-babies.  But sometimes you just want a Peppa Pig and pooch fart-free zone. This is why we are calling for the comeback of the interior wall and door.

Good walls make good housemates.

People are different and each person deserves a space of their own. If you live in a house that has a myriad different spaces and no one shares bedrooms.  Then we are happy for you.  But statistically speaking, most people do not have this luxury. This means that many young kids and even older students and parents inevitably end up working, studying or doing homework at the dining room table. It makes sense. There is usually good light, space to spread out your work and its close to the kitchen.  But this proximity could mean that it is rife with interruptions and background noise as well. If you have a living room (television area) with a door that can close, the impromptu dining room-office area can remain a little island of productive calm in an otherwise busy and noisy home.

Don’t air your dirty laundry.

South Africans are gregarious and hearty people, and we love hosting and entertaining others. We enjoy lingering over our meals, talking, drinking and enjoying each other’s company. There is nothing worse than sipping your Amarula on ice while you stare at the sink full of pap pots and braai casseroles.  For the love of the Braai we bemoan South African builders and architects to bring back the proper, full-sized scullery with a door that actually closes. I don’t want to see my hostesses’ dirty dishes, just as I don’t want my guests to see mine.

The same goes for the more intimate parts of our lives. As admirable as complete honesty and openness is between partners, some things are best left private. Open plan, walk-in master bathrooms with half walls, glass screens and unrestricted views are all very glamorous until eyes meet while one is on the loo and the other one flossing their teeth. Romance killed. We guarantee it.

Still not convinced?

Well, we have tried our best. But if you are still yearning to knock down walls and open up your home, be warned. Do not fall for North American Home Improvement influencers and programmes that make it seem easy. South Africans are like the third little piggy. Our homes are built from brick, not sticks and straw (wood and drywall), which means our walls and structures are a lot more dense.

Before you pick up that sledge-hammer to “open up” your kitchen, speak to a professional who can tell you if the wall you want to demolish will leave your home with permanent structural damage.