The Open Concept Trick Chip And Joanna Gaines Use To Manage Noise

The thought of an open-concept home can be freeing, allowing the space to feel and function as if it's larger. Without walls, the eyes can easily move throughout the open areas. Yet, in a home full of children or busy adults, it's hard to rationalize tearing down walls due to the noise. In Season 1, Episode 4 of "Fixer Upper: Welcome Home" called "Girls' Home Reimagined" Chip and Joanna Gaines like the idea of an open concept but realize it's simply not possible in a home filled with such a large number of people. Since 16 girls can call the emergency shelter home at one time, there is often a need for some noise reduction.

To create the feel of an open concept floor plan with the noise control of a traditional one, the team goes to work to install a window between two rooms. The window makes it easy to see throughout the home (which is one of the features the shelter overseers wanted so they could monitor the girls), but the sound doesn't travel. That's the best of both worlds.

In this episode, Chip and Joanna Gaines work to transform the emergency shelter for young girls into a space that inspires creativity and supports them through difficult circumstances. Yet, at the same time, the overseers need to be able to keep a close eye on all the girls for safety reasons. Removing the wall between the dining area and the living space and installing a window instead opens up the home, making it feel much larger.

The window, which has a bold black frame, is strikingly beautiful and offers just enough visual presence to make it super easy for everyone to remain safe. Another benefit of this design choice is that it allows light to flow through the rooms, which makes them appear brighter. While installing the window is a rather labor intensive and expensive process, it makes a big impression on the property owners and adds to the more upscale feel of the new living room.

Creating an open concept like this is possible if you plan to demolish non-load bearing walls and install a new windowed wall. If you are doing significant renovations in the home, this can be a viable option, especially if the existing drywall is damaged. Consider adding a window from the living room to the playroom, which would allow you to monitor the kids while relaxing. If you don't want to replace an entire wall, you could choose a picture-sized version instead. If you work from home, this same concept would help you keep an eye on your family while you are hard at work. You would have the privacy and noise reduction you need while also feeling connected to the rest of the home. 

Those that don't want to knock down interior walls could simply invest in bigger exterior windows for the space. While this won't change the perspective inside the home, it will make it feel larger and brighter. Floor-to-ceiling windows can be impressively beautiful when they frame a room in natural light. Using mirrors on either side of the room can also help make the space feel bigger, even if you don't do any structural changes to the home.