Last updated on October 27th, 2023
Homes are a representation of the owner’s personality. Your home will very likely exude your charisma through its interior design and aesthetics. If you’re a free soul or if you love hosting a lot of people in your space, you’re probably thinking about an open layout.
An open-plan design, if executed well, can turn into a masterpiece of a house. If you know the basics of an open-plan home, you’ll be able to use it to create a warm and welcoming space. Open floor plans are gaining popularity among homeowners due to the advantages they offer.
Before you dive into designing your open-plan home, here are 5 things that you can keep in mind.
Let your layout flow freely
An open plan does not have to mean that your home is a single large room. Open-floor planning requires a good strategy in place that can suit your needs well. Depending on the square footage you have, you’ll be able to decide the number of rooms and types of spaces you can fit in this area. Having an open-plan layout simply means reducing the number of structural walls and divisions in a space.
To make sure your layout is free-flowing, look at your daily life and see how and where you spend your time. Design the plan to suit your routine and lifestyle. A free-flowing open floor plan allows you to seamlessly move from one room to the other with minimal barriers.
Give your furniture a function
Since we avoid dividing spaces using structural walls, an open plan can end up looking like one huge space. However, it is possible to segregate this space into smaller chunks or rooms as per your requirement. Furniture acts as a subtle but effective divider in this case. A sofa set laid on a rug in front of the TV unit will pretty much demarcate the area of your living room. Using a kitchen island can let you decide the boundary for your kitchen space. Using desks, sofas, rugs, credenzas and other utilitarian furniture pieces will let you plan your layout smartly. You can also make use of unique partitions and bookshelves to divide your space creatively.
Sounds about right? Make your spaces soundproof!
One of the noticeable disadvantages of an open-plan home is that any sound is easily carried throughout the whole space. This is more of a possibility if the space has not been planned properly. However, by considering a few tips, this issue can be easily resolved. Using appropriate materials in your space that can absorb sound and making use of sound barriers between spaces are some strategies to keep in mind. This can be accomplished by strategically planning your layout, using upholstered furniture, and making use of soft furnishings like cushions, curtains, throws, etc.
Take it to a new level
Hacking your open-floor plan is all about trying out different ways of segregating your space so that it makes the divisions look more evident. One effective way to give a space its own identity is to make use of levels. Adding a platform to your kitchen can let you define that space while also making it easier to hide pipes and electric cables or other services under your floor. You can also get creative with the ceiling and add more dynamics to your space that way. Lowering the room height by adding a false ceiling or adding suspended lights and decor items will let you highlight the different rooms in your open-plan house.
Change it up visually
The easiest way to define separate spaces is to change their visual styles and interior design. You can do this by changing the color palette or materials used for that room. Using a different tile design for your living room as compared to your dining room will make it easier to identify that space without using walls or other dividers. Similarly, paint colors, furniture pieces, and decor styles can be switched up to create different spaces.
Open-plan homes are a great way to create a spacious home even on a smaller footprint. Using these tips will let you design your home creatively and make it unique to your and your personality. Open up your mind to open-plan homes!
Happy planning!
