Design & Remodel

There has been a lot of discussion about open concept house plans versus traditional over the past couple of decades. With the explosion of popular HGTV shows, everyone was knocking down as many walls as possible to create open floor plans, it seemed. But once people lived in the spaces for a while, they started to realize that maybe walls weren’t so bad after all. Let’s look at some pros and cons of each style option.

An open concept plan is a home design that (typically) has the main living area, kitchen, and dining area all in one large space without walls. If you have an older home, this can be created by adding beams and/or columns in place of existing walls to open the space. The main benefit of this design is that your home will feel larger and more unified. If you host get-togethers often, this is a great layout so that everyone feels like part of the action. Those in the kitchen are no longer secluded from the guests while preparing food or cleaning up, and guests can mingle in all areas easily. An open concept plan is also great for adults in the kitchen or dining room to be able to keep an eye on kids in the living area, for example.

Another pro of an open concept plan is the look and style. People tend to think of open concept as more modern and more appealing, because that is what they see most often on newer remodeling shows and in magazines. It also allows for a lot more natural light; light can come in from all directions, keeping the space feeling light and airy. The other positive is that in many areas, an open concept is still popular and will help with resale value for those who might be looking to sell. Although the split is closer to 50-50 than it used to be, the majority of home buyers still prefer an open concept layout.

When it comes to an open concept, there are some negative aspects. First of all, the spaces are not usually clearly defined so it can be harder to figure out the best furniture placement, especially in a living space. Also, if you have an open space with high ceilings, heating and cooling can cost you more because of the higher demand and energy loss. If you are remodeling to create an open concept in an older home, make sure you also put a good amount of thought into the HVAC system and supply and return locations.

A traditional home layout is one where the rooms are clearly defined by walls and are connected through doorways, doors, archways, etc. There are many positives and negatives to this style, as well. For instance, it may not be as conducive to entertaining a large group, but it does allow for smaller, more personal conversations. The other pro of having a kitchen separate from the living space is that the smells and mess of cooking are more contained. With an open concept, many people feel the pressure to always keep the kitchen neat and tidy, but with a traditional layout,

Sara Bagwell

Design & Remodel

nMORE INFO: tracytesmerremodeling.com you can cook and enjoy time with friends or family and have the option to worry about the mess later.

The other positive of a traditional floor plan is that you can have some PHOTO: TRACY TESMER DESIGN/REMODELING privacy. Open floor concepts have been all the rage for a number Maybe you of years. don’t always want to be able to hear and see prefer an open concept or more the TV from the kitchen. Or you traditional floor plan is up to you. need to make an important phone You have to choose what makes call, but there’s too much noise in the most sense for your lifestyle. the living room. You won’t al- If you have a large family or like ways be hunting for a quiet spot to host parties with lots of friends, in the house or having to go out- an open concept may be right for side for some solitude. A tradi- you. But if you prefer having tional layout can be seen as more intimate dinner parties or old-fashioned by some, but that’s having quiet areas to escape, a OK, it can often be seen as more traditional layout makes more practical, too. Especially with sense. It really comes down to more people working at home, your lifestyle, so choose what’s there seems to be a greater need best for you! for more defined spaces again. Sara Bagwell is a designer

Trends come and go, as the for Tracy Tesmer Design/Remodname implies, so whether you eling in Gainesville.

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“We arrived in the dark; we departed in the dark. We were enlightened along the way.” – Pam Keene reflecting on her journey to Bhutan in early October

By Pamela A. Keene

Until lately, very few people traveled to the Kingdom of Bhutan, a mysterious country tucked in the Himalayan mountains between China and India. Not easily accessible – but getting better – the country just recently opened its borders to Western travelers.

When my friend and fellow journalist Christine Tibbetts called me last spring with the opportunity to travel Bhutan, I didn’t hesitate. With trips to Southeast Asia and India in my passport, I knew a journey into this small, remote country would open my eyes to yet another culture and way of life.

Arranged through SheBuysTravel.com and in-country’s MyBhutan.com, our six-day itinerary took us far beyond a routine sight-seeing trip. We visited monasteries (also called fortresses), private homes, small villages and festivals. Our time traveling along the mountain ridges revealed breathtaking views of the forested panoramas laced with switchback single-lane rocky roads that took us high into the mountains and back into the fertile valleys.

We journeyed in the dark over bumpy roads from Paro to the capital city of Thimphu, so it wasn’t until the next morning that we actually had our first look at the country that would be our home for the next six days. We also met our traveling companions, including Kim Orlando with SheBuysTravel, and our local guide Kinley Rabgay and driver Kinley Tenzin. I quickly nicknamed the two Kinleys: K1 for our guide and K2 for our driver. It caught on with the rest of our group.

After waking up among the clouds, we soon left our hotel to visit a group of local weavers, creating incredible colorful masterpieces that would be made into women’s Kiras and men’s Ghos. Throughout our trip we’d see many Bhutanese in native dress. Perhaps the reason was the upcoming nation-wide festival, but more likely, many of the older generation wear their distinctive dress out of respect for the culture.

The entrepreneurial spirit is beginning to flourish in Bhutan, particularly when it also solves a pressing multi-dimensional national challenge. Many Bhutanese lacked access to organic and healthy foods; farmers’ had limited ability to distribute their foods; inadequate refrigeration further restricted the availability of protein, such as eggs. About an hour from Thimphu, self-taught chef Kesang Choedon, created Chuniding Food nearly 10 years ago. In her open-air kitchen, she explained how she developed dehydrated eggs that when reconstituted taste just like they came from the chicken, plus more than 150 varieties of organic food that she distributes and exports through Chuniding Food.

Our lunch was a smorgasbord of fresh flavors of aged cheeses, hand-crafted dumplings, familiar and not-so-familiar vegetables and fruits, plus chicken, pork and recently foraged mushrooms.

Teenaged members of one of the country’s female softball teams joined us for lunch. Their American coach moved to Bhutan six months ago after seeing a posting on Facebook looking for coaches. He’ll be there for two years teaching the great American pastime to these young women who compete against seven other teams and hone their pitching, catching and batting skills, as well as learn about teamwork.

An afternoon of bumpy roads across the Dochula Pass at 10,500 feet took us to our next lodging in the Punakha Valley where the next morning white-water rafting in the Mochhu River took us through more pristine vistas and past solitary houses in the typical Bhutan architecture. The ice-cold water was chilling; even K1’s assurance that the river was warmer than its other branch, it was little consolation as we splashed through the rapids.

Afterward, we hiked across the country’s second-longest suspension bridge – 11,500 feet long –spanning the Pho Chhu River. On the way to our next lodging, we visited a small-town festival, our first taste of colorful pageantry and mythological culture. Along the roadway, we stopped to visit with two extremely competitive teams of female dart players. Called Khuru, it’s serious business; targets are flat 6-inch circles at ground level and the darts were very heavy. We could watch, but we were not allowed to participate.

Returning to Thimphu, which served as our hub, we stayed overnight and prepared for Thimphu Tsechu, one of the country’s largest festivals. Held in an arena, its approach flanked by a river and beds of blooming roses, the festival was attended by thousands of Bhutanese in native dress. In fact, attire is so strict at this festival that volunteer security staff checked each entrance to ensure that native Bhutanese were properly attired. Dressed in Western clothes, we were exempt, although one of our group was asked to remove her visor.

More slinky one-lane mountain roads took us to the Haa Valley in the west. It’s only been open to visitors for 20 years and truly captures the essence of the country as remote. People waved and smiled at us; they welcomed having their photos taken, especially if the photographer shared the results so they could see themselves.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the journey was our overnight at a camp in the Himalayas. It was anything but camping in the traditional sense. We were hosted by MyBhutan with beautiful tents, real raised beds, a separate tented shower, fresh-prepared food and a performance by a Bhutanese music and dance troupe.

To get there we crossed the Chelela Pass, more than 13,000 feet above sea level, then descended about 1,500 feet to the

PHOTOS: PAMELA A KEENE Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital, fills a valley between cloud-covered peaks at 7,300 feet. Typical of a city, these buildings would not be this tall in the countryside, nor would they be as close together.

Self-taught chef Kesang Choedon prepared a traditional lunch using fresh fruits and vegetables. Fragrant frangipani blossoms in the early morning dew bloom freely across the country.

Multi-colored Buddhist prayer flags span the length of the country’s second-longest pedestrian bridge.

Women are the matriarchs in Bhutanese culture

camp. The final approach into the camp required hiking, more like trekking really, a rocky road for about 45 minutes.

Early morning photographs revealed far-away snow-topped mountain peaks. A hike to the nearby monastery provided stunning photographs of the monks, Buddhist prayer flags and life in remote Bhutan.

As we again traveled through the Chelela Pass, we chatted with others there, including a pair of cyclists from Switzerland – yes cyclists! – who were making the trip via bicycle. It’s a popular stopping-off place to rest for a bit, take in the views across the valley and the surrounding mountains and pause for one last look at the beauty of the mountains.

Our final days brought a return to Paro and preparation for a hike to the famed Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perhaps the most sought-after climb in Bhutan. The wide dirt somewhat rocky trail meandered upward to an amazing white monastery perched on a rock bluff. Built in 1692, it is surrounded by legend that involves a monk, a rivalry of kings and a flying tigress.

Be prepared to make the round trip of four miles because it requires anywhere from four to seven hours, depending on your physical condition. It ascends 1,700 feet to an elevation of more than 10,200 feet.

We met travelers from around the world on the trail, including an 86-year-old Bhutanese woman making the trek as she had done before, multi-generational families with grandparents and babies, people from Europe, South Africa and beyond. One group of people from Asia helped a woman in

Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched high on mountain cliffs.

A Buddhist family says prayers before entering a temple. Death remembrances: Cremation is common in Bhutan; families make these small 3- to 4-inch shapes to fill with cremains of loved ones.

Graced with hundreds of Buddhist prayer and memorial flags, the 13,500-foot Chelela Pass was one of the highest places on the journey. Known as the happiest country on the planet, Bhutan’s people share joy in multi-generational family gatherings.

No matter what their age, children love face painting.