Confined to little boxes.
For far too long homes were designed the same way each time as a collection of individual boxes. This is really architectural room segregation. All the homes from near and far seem to be separated into little ten by twelve foot and fifteen by fifteen foot boxes with the largest room being the garage to hold the family cars. No longer is this the way of thinking, but why?

Lifestyle finally reprioritizing the home layout
For a long time now we have lived and entertained much differently than the shape of our houses would accommodate. Who really lives in their living room anymore? It seems it is just a store front for your best furniture. Our homes actually frustrate mid-sized group gatherings. Larger families and social development of various groups have grown so that we gather more as little tribes. We have long out-grown the "little house on the prairie" way of living. Room layouts, for the most part, have not changed to adapt our social and family life style. This has lead to a pent up demand to break out and live outside our little boxes. Home improvement television has helped to bring this awareness to the forefront on our design priority list.

Open concept is how many actually desire to live
If your walls could be removed would you find yourself inviting people over to your house more? Is a cramped house hindering your family and social gatherings? Open concept living is not for everyone, but more and more families are discovering that their homes are actually restricting their way of life. Open concept remodeling is more than a temporary fad it is a long term trend and an overdue response to our most basic human and family nature...to gather together.

Simple solution
Knock down the barriers (walls) and merge your spaces. Sometimes it requires a little structural work, but the freedom to live your lifestyle is the reward or extend the room that was never big enough to start with.