Though combining the kitchen and dining area works well in a 1,500-square-foot house, Petrusnek says to avoid rolling a living room into the open floor plan. Make a separate living room to balance ...

For example, if your one-story house is 60 feet wide by 40 feet long, then your property is 2,400 square feet (60 x 40 = 2,400). However, most properties have more complex floor plans. When this ...