These days, it's hard to find a new home without an open kitchen and living area. And even fixer-uppers are getting updated with knocked-down walls and open layouts.
But as much as we love the airy flow of open spaces, are we ready for a bathroom without walls? One Philadelphia rental is trying it out.
Kamara Abdur-Rahim is one of the owners of a three-story house in the city and is renting out the home's rather unique private master suite.
The bedroom and bathroom are separated by a wall in the middle, but the rest of the space is totally open.
“A lot of people are open to the idea,” Abdur-Rahim told TODAY Home, adding that she understands it’s not ideal for everyone.
The concept came to her after seeing it in other countries. “I’m always traveling and have stayed in places like this, and I like it so much that I wanted to do it.”
Some potential renters might need more convincing. A tweet mentioning the listing recently went viral, and people had some strong opinions about the concept.
“This is giving me anxiety,” one user wrote.
“I'm more concerned with the moisture and dampness here than privacy,” another added.
A lot of the negative feedback for the bathroom was around the fact that there wasn’t a shower door in the pictures provided in the listing. “I love cleaning water out of my hallway every time I take a shower,” the original poster commented.
But Abdur-Rahim said they had always planned to put a frosted glass shower door in — it’s just not there yet.
“It will be an L shape,” she said, adding that it won’t have a door that opens and shuts, but the open area that you walk into will be closer to the inside of the bathroom — not the hallway, so water spillage shouldn't be an issue.
Also, for those concerned about privacy, the bathroom is part of a room with a door that locks. “This is a private area for a couple or single person,” she said. “It’s a place you probably wouldn’t invite too many people.”
As for the ideal renter(s), Abdur-Rahim said she sees them being young professionals between 25 and 35 years old. “I had a couple email me who said they’d love something like that,” Abdur-Rahim said. “There are a lot of people open to the idea. It’s not so far-fetched.”
One of the things she said she loves most about this concept is that it’s better for lighting and it’s easier to get around. “You can just get up and maneuver around as opposed to having these dark spaces and having to turn on lights,” she said.
The three-story home features two other bedrooms, and the tenant will share common spaces including the living room, kitchen and dining area with others in the home.
“I just hope that people become more open to this,” Abdur-Rahim said. “I might be early with the concept, but I think this is something that everybody will be doing soon.”
The room is listed for $1,200 a month. Find out more information at the listing.
