The Indian realty market is witnessing an era of growth today. While the government is making efforts to provide affordable housing for people, the concept of luxury housing is also gaining momentum among other economic classes. Commercial real estate sector in the country is also opening to newer concepts such as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).

It is in such a scenario that home buyers in India are being introduced to a modern American architectural option of 'Open Plan Homes' or 'Bareshell Plan'. As the name suggests, an open plan home is the one where a wall does not separate areas of the house. In such a layout, the living room, the dining room and the kitchen are combined into one large space leaving it on the owners' discretion to design them, as they like.

These layouts first became popular in the pre-war modernist architecture era when American homes were 'open' by necessity. During the Victorian era, however, it became popular for homeowners who could afford it to build many smaller, specialized rooms. But as the times changed, so did our floor plans.

The trend seems to be back with growing obsession for minimalistic living. It allows people with almost complete flexibility to design the home space according to specific requirement. At present, only builders in the ultra-luxury segment are offering this option in India.

What works in the favour of an open house layout is that the area of the house can be used for multiple functions at any point of time, allowing the house a more spacious feel with increased light and ventilation. Such a layout can also have several disadvantages including less privacy, noisy atmosphere, maintenance difficulties, can easily get messier and not to forget the cooking heat and smell that travels across the house with an open kitchen.

If you opt for such a layout, it is not necessary to restrict yourself to conventional options like concrete and steel for constructing divisions in the house. You can choose to differentiate the areas using different coloured walls or tiles involving a smooth transition scheme. You can also opt for bookshelves or designer partitions for the same.