Most people start a home search by looking at price and square footage. The layout comes next. In reality, the floorplan is what you will feel every day, long after you stop noticing the paint color or the cabinet style.
Picture your daily routine for a moment. Morning coffee, kids getting ready, a quick workout, working from home, or meeting friends for dinner. A good modern floorplan makes those moments feel simple. A poor fit can make even a beautiful home feel frustrating.
This guide is designed to help you answer a practical question: which modern floor plan fits the way we actually live? You will see how lifestyle shapes layout, what options exist beyond “open concept,” and how Legacy South floorplans translate those ideas into real homes across Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
Table Of Contents
Why Floorplan Comes Before Finishes
Modern Floorplan Styles You Will See Today
Start With Your Lifestyle, Not The Blueprint
Room By Room Choices That Matter Most
Matching Modern Floorplans To Real-Life Examples From Legacy South
How To Test A Floorplan Before You Commit
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion And Key Takeaways
Why Floorplan Comes Before Finishes
Square footage tells you how big a home is on paper. The floor plan tells you how that space actually works.
Research on home layout decisions consistently shows that a well planned floorplan improves comfort, movement, and daily function. Poorly planned layouts lead to bottlenecks, underused rooms, and a sense that the home never quite “flows” right.
A modern floorplan should:
Support clear movement paths so you are not squeezing around furniture or cutting through bedrooms.
Put rooms in the right relationship to each other, such as bedrooms away from the busiest areas.
Balance shared spaces with privacy so people can be together without losing quiet corners.
Finishes are easier to change than walls. That is why it makes sense to decide on the floorplan first, then layer in style, colors, and materials.
Modern Floorplan Styles You Will See Today
Modern floor plans are not a single look. They are a set of approaches that can be mixed and matched.
Open Concept Modern Floorplans
Open-concept layouts remove many interior walls, allowing the kitchen, dining space, and living room to flow together. Designers note that open plans are popular because they create an airy, light-filled feel and make smaller homes feel larger.
These plans can be ideal if you:
Love to entertain and want guests nearby while you cook.
Prefer a relaxed, informal feel over separate formal rooms.
Want to keep an eye on kids or pets from the main living space.
More Defined Or Closed Layouts
After years of fully open spaces, some homeowners are rediscovering the benefits of more defined or closed layouts. Separate rooms can control noise, hide clutter, and give each activity a clear place.
These layouts can work well if you:
Work from home and need quiet, private rooms.
Prefer to keep cooking prep out of sight when guests arrive.
Want each bedroom or den to feel like a retreat.
Hybrid Or “Broken Concept” Plans
Many designers now recommend a hybrid or “broken concept” approach. These modern floorplans maintain the overall sense of openness while using partial walls, cased openings, ceiling changes, or built-in storage to subtly define zones.
This type of plan is a strong fit if you:
Like the light and flow of an open-concept living space.
Want some visual separation for the kitchen, dining, or workspace.
Need flexible rooms that can evolve over time.
Legacy South communities often incorporate these hybrid ideas into contemporary plans, providing openness where it matters and well-placed retreats that match modern life.
Start With Your Lifestyle, Not The Blueprint
Before you look at any specific plan, take a clear look at how you live right now and how that may change.
Everyday Routines
Many builders and designers recommend starting with daily routines: who lives in the home, how they use space, and when people are home.
Ask yourselves:
Who is usually home during the day and in the evenings?
Where do people tend to gather now, even if the space is less than ideal?
What feels crowded, noisy, or inconvenient in your current home?
Entertaining And Guests
Think about how often you host:
If you entertain weekly, open concept main levels or large kitchen islands may be worth prioritizing.
If you host overnight guests or see multigenerational living on the horizon, a secondary suite or bedroom with its own bath can be very valuable.
Work From Home, Hobbies, And Quiet Space
Remote work and at-home learning have changed what “modern floorplans” need to include. Many buyers now look for a dedicated office, loft, or flex room that can be closed off when needed.
Consider:
Do you need one office, or more than one quiet workspace?
Are hobbies noisy or messy, such as music, crafting, or workouts?
Would a small flex room or loft give you enough separation, or do you need a fully enclosed room?
Future And Life Stage Changes
Good floorplans grow with you. Guides for homebuyers stress planning for future children, aging in place, or changing work patterns so you do not outgrow the layout too quickly.
Think about:
The number of bedrooms you may need in five to ten years.
Whether stairs will be easy in the long term, or if a main-level suite is important.
How easy it would be to convert a flex space into a nursery, guest room, or studio later.
Room By Room Choices That Matter Most
Once you are clear on lifestyle, you can start looking at specific parts of a modern floor plan and deciding what you want.
Kitchen, Dining, And Living
The kitchen and main living areas are usually the heart of the home.
Key decisions include:
Kitchen layout: island versus peninsula, pantry size, and how it opens to the living area.
Dining space: separate dining room, everyday eat-in area, or an island with seating.
Living room size and orientation: where you will place seating and media.
Open-concept modern floor plans make it easy to host and move between these spaces, while more defined layouts can keep noise and clutter contained.
Bedrooms And Bathrooms
Bed and bath placement can quietly make or break a home.
Consider:
Whether you want the primary suite on the main level or the upper level.
How close secondary bedrooms should be to the primary, which matters for both young children and teens.
Bathroom count and location, including en-suites, hall baths, and guest powder rooms.
Flex Spaces And Bonus Rooms
Modern floorplans often include lofts, flex rooms, or partially open bonus areas.
These spaces can:
Become home offices, playrooms, media rooms, or hobby spaces.
Allow the home to adapt as your needs change over time.
Storage, Entries, And Laundry
Storage may not be glamorous, but it keeps a home feeling calm.
Look for:
Entry storage, such as coat closets or built-in drop zones.
Walk-in closets, linen storage, and pantry space.
Laundry placement that suits your routine, whether near bedrooms or off the main living area.
Outdoor Living
Many modern floorplans extend life outdoors with patios, balconies, decks, or small yards.
Think about:
Whether you prefer a low-maintenance balcony or a larger yard.
How easy it is to move between the kitchen and outdoor dining or grilling areas.
Matching Modern Floorplans To Real-Life Examples From Legacy South
Once you know your priorities, it helps to see how they play out in real homes. Legacy South offers a range of modern floor plans across Nashville and Madison that highlight different ways to live.
Compact City Living: The Eason
The Eason is a modern, one-bedroom plan of about 954 square feet, designed for smart, intentional living. The layout includes a spacious main living area and a versatile flex space on the top floor that can serve as a home office, workout area, or studio.
This type of modern floor plan works well if you:
Prefer a lock-and-leave lifestyle with low maintenance.
Work from home and want a separate, quiet zone for focused time.
Want modern design without a large footprint.
Extra Bedrooms And Upgrades: The Camden
The Camden is one of Legacy South’s newer floorplans, created in response to what buyers said they wanted most: larger bedrooms, upgraded features, and a layout that blends comfort with modern style.
This plan makes sense for:
Households that need more generous bedroom sizes instead of a greater number of small rooms.
Buyers who appreciate upgrades and a layout that balances shared spaces with private retreats.
Efficient Townhome Living: The Charlotte
The Charlotte is a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath townhome in the Soren community in Madison & Taylor in East Nashville. It features an open-concept main floor with a modern kitchen and dining area, plus two bedrooms with private en-suite baths upstairs, and an attached garage.
It is a strong fit for:
First-time buyers or downsizers who want efficient, low-maintenance living.
People who like open main living spaces but still want private, quiet bedrooms.
Flexible Urban Townhome: The Avery
The Avery at Taylor in Nashville is a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath townhome with a private balcony and the option to add a third full bath. The floor plan is designed for entertaining and flexibility, with an open main level and personalization choices to adapt to your life.
This plan appeals to:
Buyers who want easy access to downtown Nashville while still having a home that feels like a retreat.
Households that expect their needs to change and value options like an additional bath or flexible spaces.
Where To Browse All Legacy South Floorplans
Legacy South maintains a floorplans hub where you can filter by home type, community, and square footage to see a wide range of modern floorplans, from compact city homes to larger family plans.
How To Test A Floorplan Before You Commit
Even the best drawing can be hard to imagine in real life. A few simple tests can make your decision much clearer.
Walk a model home or completed home with the same plan, if possible. Pay attention to how the rooms feel at corners, doorways, and transitions.
Use tape or furniture in your current home to mimic key dimensions. This can help you see if an office, dining area, or bedroom will realistically fit your furniture.
Picture your day hour by hour and mentally walk through the plan. Where are you making coffee, working, relaxing, hosting friends, or putting away gear? Anywhere that feels awkward in your imagination will likely feel worse in real life.
Consider noise and privacy paths. Stand in the main living area of a model and listen to how sound moves to bedrooms or offices. Think about how you will feel during early mornings or late nights.
This is also a good time to talk with the Legacy South sales team about possible structural options or flex spaces within a given plan, so you can fine-tune the layout before you build.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Modern Floorplan?
A modern floor plan typically emphasizes open or semi-open living spaces, clean lines, and efficient use of square footage. Many modern plans blend open concept main levels with more private, well-defined bedrooms and flex rooms for work or hobbies.
Are Open-Concept Floor Plans Going Out of Style?
Open-concept layouts remain very popular, especially for entertaining and everyday family living, but there is growing interest in more defined spaces and hybrid “broken concept” layouts. Design coverage in recent years notes that many homeowners now prefer some separation for noise control and privacy while keeping sight lines and natural light.
The best choice depends on how you live and how much privacy you need day to day.
How Many Bedrooms And Bathrooms Do We Really Need?
Most floorplan guides recommend planning for both current and future needs. This includes the number of people in the household now, whether you expect that to change, and how often you host guests. A spare room that can function as a guest room, office, or nursery can make a plan more flexible over time. Bathroom placement near bedrooms and shared spaces also significantly affects daily routines.
What Is A Flex Room, And Why Does It Matter?
A flex room is a space not locked to a single use. It might start as an office and later become a nursery, media room, or studio. Many modern floor plans feature lofts, bonus rooms, or extra spaces over garages to give homeowners this flexibility, which is especially valuable as life stages change.
How Do Legacy South's Modern Floor Plans Support Different Lifestyles?
Legacy South designs floorplans around real daily life in Middle Tennessee. Contemporary plans often include open or hybrid main levels for gathering, well-placed primary suites, and flex spaces that support remote work or hobbies. Options range from compact plans like The Eason to larger layouts like The Camden and versatile townhomes like The Charlotte and The Avery, so you can match your lifestyle to a specific modern floorplan rather than trying to fit into a one-size-fits-all design.
Conclusion And Key Takeaways
The right floorplan does more than look good on paper. It shapes how relaxed your mornings feel, how easily you can entertain, and how your home adapts as life changes.
Modern floorplans give you more choices than ever. You can lean into an open-concept layout, choose a more defined layout, or opt for a hybrid plan that combines the best parts of both. When you match these options to your lifestyle, it becomes much easier to see which plans are worth serious consideration.
Legacy South communities across Nashville, Madison, Murfreesboro, and Fanning Bend are designed with this balance in mind. From compact city homes to spacious single-family layouts and flexible townhomes, you can find a modern floorplan that fits who you are today and who you are becoming next.
Key takeaways:
Start with lifestyle, not square footage. Think through your daily routines, work patterns, and future plans before you compare floorplans.
Understand your options. Modern floor plans include open-concept, more defined layouts, and hybrid “broken concept” designs that balance openness with privacy.
Make room-by-room decisions. Pay special attention to the kitchen, living, bedrooms, baths, flex spaces, storage, and outdoor areas, since these shape how the home feels day to day.
Use real examples. Compare different Legacy South plans, such as The Eason, The Camden, The Charlotte, and The Avery, to see how modern floorplan ideas look in real homes.
Test before you commit. Walk model homes, visualize your day in the layout, and talk with the Legacy South team about options that can fine-tune a plan to your needs.
