Open concept on the way out? (Flip question: to open or not)

[Jason Sinclair]

Hola!

Trying to get a split level (not a lot of sqft) on the market in the next three weeks and trying to decide on whether to open the wall between the dining and living room for a feel of openness or leave it as I have heard from two interior designers that the open concept is on the way out as we are more at home and liking our separate areas in the home.

Pragmatically speaking the opening of the wall will be mostly a time drain with it being a load bearing wall and having to support the ceiling while rebuilding and all the drywalling necessary. Local real estate agents are saying open it up still as the opening seems too small and makes the space feel cramped. 

In general would you :

A) Speed to get it on the market or

B) take a little time to make it feel bigger?

Thanks for any feedback! Manchester suburbs just outside St Louis Missouri. 

[Evan Polaski]

@Jason Sinclair, having a designer for a wife, I would answer that it really depends heavily on each house, the flow and usability of the spaces as they are, and the overall use of space in the house as a whole.

That being said, while there may be a small shift towards more separated spaces, "open concept" is by no means dead, and in many markets, most people seem to still want to have connectivity between their communal spaces.

In fact, my wife's current flip is a split level (although technically it is a split-foyer), and she is taking out a structural wall to connect the kitchen, dining and living areas.  

Where I have seen "open concept on the way out" is in the very high end properties.  And this becomes an apples and oranges comparison.