We contracted to build in North Texas and have the open design with 30’ plus ceilings and forget audio, or decent theater in such a room. The echo makes it challenging to understand simple conversation. Separate rooms are needed for audio and theater. We have a TV mounted high over a large modern fireplace, but with the floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows and poor sound, it isn’t ideal. Also, they love running lots of outlets and lights on one circuit.
Rant: PSA to builders, housewives, and general complaint
In our search for a new house, I’m seeing some disturbing and annoying trends, mainly, living rooms where the ONLY place to put a TV is way high above a fireplace. This leaves zero flexibility for tv placement, additional audio components etc. Most don’t even have plugs. I'm also in Texas and there's ZERO need for a fireplace.
Not to mention all the "open concepts" we’re seeing where the living room is strangely shaped and the kitchen is basically in the room where you hear all the kitchen noise and you’re 100% accessible to your spouse and their conversation (ramblings).
This isn’t a problem if you have $2m to spend but for most of us, we’re limited in where we can set up our toys and this does not help.
Thank you for listening.