Open planning living is a great way to make the most of small space or one that needs to serve more than one purpose. Our collections transition perfectly from kitchen to living and back again. Here are the top things to consider when planning your new space.
The best open plan schemes have one or more consistent elements to their design. A common material or colour that links the spaces together will make the scheme more deliberate and thought through. Another option is a repeated furniture style; a cabinet front or counter top material repeated in several spaces to join them together, it is then up to you to style the spaces differently for your needs.
When it comes to open plan the more light the better, instead of small dark rooms you get one big light space to work with. Consider adding to the natural light as much as possible with sky lights, lanterns or bi-folding doors where appropriate to the build. Lights allows you to use all the space for any purpose rather than a dark corner you don’t want to spend time in.
Once you have your design scheme and a well-lit space its time to decided what is going to happen where. Cooking, preparation, dinning, entertaining, living, working; whatever you get up to might have its own space or one area with multiple uses. An easy way to achieve zones is different flooring; either with new tiles, wood or carpets or simply add rugs to the existing design. You can also get clever with furniture; place an island or breakfast bar better the kitchen and dining space or use an L shaped sofa to section the living area. Think about high traffic areas like kitchens and hallways; the quickest way from the front door to the fridge or the hall table needs to be easy to navigate.
Now you know what is happening where it is time to take a second look at your decisions. Is the washing machine, dishwasher far enough from the living area? Is the children’s toy storage far enough from the office space? That is right we are talking about noise. One of the down sides of open plan living it is harder to hide things away. Think not just about storage but concealment for ugly or loud items. A well designed cupboard or shelving system can add not just storage but camouflage for things you need but don’t want to see day to day.
You might think we are repeating ourselves but now you know your room layout and confirmed it with the noise test its is time to add the finishing touches. You can reduce the need for counter top lamps later on by adding in cupboard lights or add a dramatic drop light