The open-plan home has been steadily gaining popularity with homeowners across the globe. Over the decades it’s become one of the most powerful statement designs that brings spaciousness, freedom of movement, and timeless aesthetic appeal to any home.
In a modern world, the open-plan home design aims to alleviate the stress of everyday life through the smart use of space and decor, while bringing a sense of spaciousness to smaller homes.
While undeniably aesthetic in nature, there are certain rules and considerations you should take into account if you want the open-plan design to come to life in your house.
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Here are the top five tips on creating and decorating your open-plan home.
Benefits of an open-plan home living environment
So what are the reasons why you would want to grab a sledgehammer and knock down a wall or two? Besides being loads of fun, the act of combining two or more rooms together or extending one space into the other can have numerous benefits for your psychological well-being, as well as the aesthetics of the room.
The first benefit you will notice right away is the overwhelming sense of freedom permeated by a calm, luminous, “healthy” vibe.
This serene feeling is made possible by eliminating needless obstacles such as doors and walls, and letting plenty of natural light saturate the expansive interior.
Unsurprisingly, this will also mean that your home will look and feel grander than ever before, no matter how small or capacious it might have felt prior to the renovation.
You might be concerned about noise levels, kitchen aromas, or the lack of privacy, but all of these problems can be mitigated with the smart use of proper ventilation, textures and layering, and medium-rise furniture and walls.
The essential features and how to create them
So how do you even go about planning your open-space interior without running the risk of compromising the structural integrity of your home?
There are such things as load-bearing walls, and professional architects in Melbourne and all over Australia can help you identify the weak points in the structure, and present the perfect solution for your specific needs. Needless to say, there are still certain rules you should follow.
You shouldn’t remove load-bearing walls, but if you do, you can compensate by introducing columns, beams, and ceiling joists.
You also have the option to create a fully open concept, or you can preserve the borders between rooms with furniture and architectural solutions.
Be sure to connect the rooms through a unified design scheme with strategic accents unique to each space for individuality and personality.
Aim to create a coherent whole
Creating a unified space out of two completely different rooms is no walk in the park, as you will have to opt for a single overarching design approach with hints of contrast.
The best way to set a strong foundation is to unify the colour scheme on the walls.
The base colour should be accompanied by accentuating hues on the furniture, as well as layers and textures throughout the new setting.
However, you will still need to define the two rooms so that there is a clear subconscious border that separates the space. This will allow you to retain that intimate, homey vibe while enjoying more freedom of movement.
Use flooring to define rooms
There are numerous ways you can section off rooms without the use of walls, screens, or doors, and flooring is your best affordable option.
A carefully positioned area rug can do wonders for the overall design and aesthetic appeal, and it can also clearly mark where one space begins, and another one ends.
Add a rug to the dining room but make sure the table and chairs sit well inside its borders, and then define the living room with another rug in the seating area.
The coffee table and the furniture should also sit inside the rug borders, or they can sit half-way, just make sure the furniture is not positioned outside the carpet.
Use furniture or architectural dividers
Speaking of furniture pieces, they can serve as excellent room dividers and a way to define unique spaces around the house.
Defining a living room with furniture should be easy enough by grouping the pieces together in order to create a certain shape.
You can do the same for the kitchen, the dining room, and every other room in the house. Alternatively, if you don’t want to open the space too much, you can always create architectural borders with medium or low-rise walls.
The open-plan home concept is becoming increasingly popular with homeowners across the globe due to its numerous benefits and that irresistible, feel-good vibe that permeates the setting.
With these five tips in mind, you will have a wonderful time creating and decorating your open-plan home that the entire family will adore.
About The Author
Catherine is a passionate home design consultant from Melbourne. She loves making homes beautiful and buildings sustainable, but she also like sharing her advice and knowledge with people. That is why she is also a regular contributor to the Smoothdecorator blog. Besides all this, she loves reading and enjoys a superhero movie from time to time.
