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How to Transition to an Open-Concept Layout Without Dying in the Process
June 15, 2026
Older homes in Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph share a similar problem. They’re a bunch of boxes stuck side by side. The kitchen is enclosed. The dining room is on the other side of a wall that feels out of place. The living room is back there, cut off from the rest.
That’s how it was designed fifty years ago because life was different. But today, in 2026, no one wants to cook alone while guests are in another room out of sight. People want light, they want spaces to flow together, they want to see the kids while they’re making dinner.
So yes: opening up the main floor is a fantastic renovation. But it has to be done right. Because simply tearing down walls is a risk. You might end up with ceilings that cave in, cracks that appear out of nowhere, or repair bills that ruin your year. At Varoco Design & Renovation Inc., we’re experts at diagnosing these kinds of issues when undertaking a renovation, so let’s take it step by step.
First things first: what that wall supports
Not all walls are the same. Some are just there to separate rooms. You can knock them down without any issues. Others, however, support the floor above or the roof. You shouldn’t touch those without thinking it through.
If the wall you want to remove is a load-bearing wall, don’t worry. You don’t have to give up on the open-concept layout. But you do need to install a special steel or wooden beam in the ceiling to take over the load-bearing function of the wall. An engineer will calculate this, and a contractor with expertise in the field will install it.
And an important detail: that beam can be hidden inside the ceiling so it’s not visible, or it can be left exposed. If you like the industrial style, leaving them exposed can be a plus.
And then there’s everything inside
Here comes the issue most people don’t see coming. Walls contain things inside them. Pipes, heating ducts, cables. When you knock down a wall, all of that has to be rerouted.
Imagine you have an air conditioning vent in the wall you want to remove. Where does that duct go now? Well, sometimes through the floor, sometimes through the ceiling, sometimes by creating a decorative drop ceiling to hide it.
The same goes for plumbing. If there’s a bathroom upstairs, the pipes run down inside a wall. If that wall is removed, the pipes have to find another route. And that’s not easy.
And the wiring, the lights, the outlets, the internet. All of that has to be taken apart, moved elsewhere, and reinstalled in compliance with Ontario regulations.
At Varoco Design & Renovation Inc., we take care of that so you don’t have to.
A new challenge: how to organize a space without walls
When you’re left without walls, you face a curious situation. Suddenly, everything is one huge room. And of course, you need the different areas—kitchen, dining room, living room—to be distinct without having to put up partitions again.
The kitchen island is your best ally. It acts as an invisible boundary. People sit on one side, you cook on the other, and everyone is in the same space but minding their own business.
Another trick: the flooring. Use the same material throughout the entire floor. If you lay one type of flooring in the kitchen and a different one in the living room, the space looks fragmented. On the other hand, if everything is continuous, the eye travels from one end to the other without interruption, and the house feels much larger.
And the lighting. Don’t settle for a single lamp in the center. Install spotlights distributed across the ceiling for general lighting. Above the island, hang lamps that have character. And in the dining area, something more elegant, like a chandelier or a beautiful lampshade. That way, every corner has its own atmosphere without the need for walls.
Money and Return on Investment
I’m not going to sugarcoat it. A renovation like this is expensive. It’s not like replacing a faucet or painting a room. It’s a serious investment.
But in the Southern Ontario market, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Buyers in Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph are looking for open spaces. They love them. And they’re willing to pay more for them.
Plus, there’s an effect that can’t be measured in dollars but makes a huge difference: light.
When you remove walls, the light from the windows reaches much further. The house feels bigger without changing the square footage. That makes a difference when you put it on the market.
The Importance of Professional Advice
Knocking down walls without a plan is like playing roulette. It might go well, but if it goes wrong, you’ll end up with sagging ceilings, cracks, structural issues, and repairs that cost a fortune.
For this, you need a licensed general contractor. Someone who will inspect the structure, obtain the necessary permits, reroute the wiring and plumbing with care, and then leave everything looking polished.
At Varoco Design & Renovation Inc., we do just that. We assess, design, manage, and execute. From day one until we hand you the keys. No surprises, no stress. A main floor that you live in, enjoy, and that’s built to last.
Contact Varoco Design & Renovation Inc. to get your renovation project started
