> The trouble is everyone congergrates in the kitchen! That's fine if it's nice and wide and has plenty of counter space, but awful if it's really tiny and the

> The trouble is everyone congergrates in the kitchen! That's fine if it's nice and wide and has plenty of counter space, but awful if it's really tiny and the only means between the living room and the patio where your other friend is grilling. This is one of the many reasons why open floor plans aren't going anywhere. Even without the "entertaining" aspect, people still cook for their families. I grew up in an early 1900s Coastal Victorian house. While my parents cooked dinner after work in our small kitchen, my brother and I would usually hang out under their feet an in the way. Playing in the living room or upstairs meant we didn't see them until dinner time. I live in a modern "open concept" now. My wife and I cook dinner after work while the kids play in the dining or living room and nobody has to be forced into isolation. The high-flow If anybody wants alone time, there's a small office downstairs and bedrooms upstairs.