Explanation of the hype

Tastes are just different and fashion too [emoji6]

For example, we like the open area of living/dining/cooking. My husband shouldn't always be alone in the kitchen [emoji23] We have shared interests and friends. There would be very few moments when one of us would want to withdraw. For that, a TV will be placed in the guest room or bedroom. And the girls have rooms of 20 m2, so they can withdraw there anyway.

I find floor-to-ceiling windows great on the south side, if the garden is there. But we would have to block a patio door in the living room. However, I wouldn't like it from the outside world’s perspective if a patio door became a normal window. Upstairs with the girls, floor-to-ceiling windows were not for us.

We didn't want a balcony, but if we did, we wouldn't want it to be shared with a child. But since our children have their rooms on the south side, that wouldn't have been an issue.

We have floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere. I have never lived in such a bright and spacious place – I wouldn't want to miss it. None of them is obstructed.

Open kitchen with a large counter. That is the center of the house and creates a completely new living experience. Finally, when preparing the next course, you are no longer torn away from conversations, etc. If the food smells while eating, a cooking class helps more than a door...

Our huge rooftop terrace is definitely a luxury and not a must-have. But especially in the evenings, we use it regularly for a cocktail or a beer.

When I cook it doesn’t stink either!

How do you do that and can you please teach my husband? He always cooks with a lot of fresh garlic, horseradish, and onions. I am so glad about our door to the kitchen.

It has to suit someone.

Large floor-to-ceiling windows. We have them on the ground floor. Somehow light has to get into the house. Due to the hillside location, we only have 3 sides where windows are possible.
We like being outside a lot, and if that’s not possible, we at least want to be able to look outside without restrictions.
On the upper floor, we only have a terrace door that leads from the hallway to the terrace; otherwise, all windows have a normal sill height.

We did not build a balcony on the upper floor. Because of the hillside location, a direct garden access with a small terrace is available, which lies nicely in the shade at noon.

We have an open ground floor with kitchen, dining, and living areas all in one large room. We like it. You always have the kids in view whether you are cooking, working at the big table, or reading a book on the sofa (will that ever be possible again?).
Almost all our friends are mutual, and the best parties always end up in the kitchen anyway. My best friend often comes during the week when my husband is not home. My husband and his best friend are usually found under a car or at the grill.
What is very important to us is that the floor plan simply offers flexibility. We have friends and relatives who rely on various walking aids. So the sofa can just be moved, and suddenly there is enough space at the dining table for the wheelchair to pass the parked walker.

Food smells. Food smells good, except when something goes wrong. As soon as the kitchen door is opened, the smells spread to other rooms. If the ventilation system can’t handle it, there is always the possibility to open windows after eating.

I am so happy about our door to the kitchen.

how does the smell stay in your kitchen when you want to eat at the dining table in the living room, or do you always eat in the kitchen then? Here with us, it doesn't bother anyone if it smells like food, which hardly ever happens anyway since we are vegetarians .

Best regards
Sabine

Everyday we eat, for example, always in the kitchen. It is big enough for 4 people to sit there. Breakfast as well. Only when we have guests do we go to the living room to eat—and at Christmas. Then we just carry the food in there. When we have guests, we always sit in the living room. I don’t see the advantage of the open kitchen, my wife certainly doesn’t either. Our children had something like that in their house, but have now closed it off with a wall and a sliding door because the sight of these kitchen cabinets simply isn’t nice.
Floor-to-ceiling windows, to me, look like an office of the local health insurance fund; that’s the kind of thing you do to signal transparency. But in a private house, we are not transparent, but private.
Karsten