Open floor plans have remained popular and probably always will be. One of the main reasons for this is because openness helps create a sense of spaciousness even in smaller homes. An open, airy flow doesn’t just makes it seem like you have more room, it also helps connect spaces, such as the kitchen and dining room.
In my home, I’ve made the living/dining area into a large living room. Since we have an eat in kitchen and don’t do much formal entertaining, it works for us. We have a big family (four kids, two adults, two dogs) so we need the extra space in the area we spend the most time using.
We also have a pass through. It used to have a little bar area on the other side, but we have since removed it to expand our living space. I liked it and it was handy at one time, but in our case, the extra square footage was best used for relaxing instead of eating. Many people do enjoy the bar set up as it creates an informal eating area and an area where guests can sit and visit while you work in the kitchen.
I use the pass through for, well, passing things through. Just last week, I was making popcorn before the Bear’s game came on (I’m originally from Chicago). I quickly passed the bowls of popcorn through the opening, as I made one after another. It took longer to make popcorn than intended, and I would have missed the kick off if I hadn’t been able to see it through the pass through (the Bears shut out the Packers by the way, which hasn’t been done since 1991. Go Bears!)
The point to all this is that a pass through can help open up your floor plan and connect the spaces you use the most. If you have been considering one, you can hire a contractor to do it for you, and it is a lot less expensive than a complete remodel. If you are an avid do it yourself homeowner, you may be daring enough to take the project on yourself.
If so, here is a great page at Extreme How To that gives detailed instructions, complete with pictures.