Open floor plans have been a big trend for the past few decades. Personally I hate it but most people seem to want their kitchen and living room to flow togethe

Open floor plans have been a big trend for the past few decades. Personally I hate it but most people seem to want their kitchen and living room to flow together mostly seamlessly. I hate the sound of the refrigerator compressor. I hate cooking smells. I hate seeing unwashed dishes or unclean surfaces. These things are actually all fine during the cooking and eating process but if I want to relax in the living room, I don't want the sights, sounds, and scents of the kitchen constantly intruding. Better ventilation can help somewhat but that's additional noise and can't compete very well with an actual wall between rooms.