The “open floor plan” has been a part of the interior design for quite some time now. The concept has evolved so that it’s no longer a trend but rather a design decision. The benefits of an open concept floor plan are simple: enhances the feel of space, helps social interaction, and improves the efficiency of usable living space. Have you been craving to go open floor plan and revitalize your living areas with an open concept?

For some homeowners, separate rooms still hold there charm and work for their families. But today, many homeowners are taking down walls so they can enjoy cooking, eating, and movie watching all in the same space.

For example, a small dining room, with a few walls removed and an open concept created, will be ready for family holiday gatherings.

An open concept floor plan can maximize the appearance of your space, and improve the functionality for the living space.

The Benefits of an Open Concept Floor Plan

There are many benefits to creating an open concept floor plan in your home. First, it can make a small space feel bigger and brighter. Even a small house with a tiny, windowless kitchen off the living room can be transformed into a light-filled space by taking down the wall and replacing it with a large island or table.

Creating a large “great room” is the perfect way to keep an eye on the kids. While you’re cooking dinner or taking care of other household tasks, you can still interact with the little ones.

If you love to entertain family and friends, an open-flow kitchen and living area makes hosting a breeze. Kitchen islands or tables used to demarcate rooms, become a perfect focal point for food and drinks.

Maintain Continuity In Design & Decor

You’ve torn down the physical walls separating the rooms in your house, now it’s time to unite them through design and decor choices. There are many ways to achieve continuity throughout your home, including utilizing the same or similar fundamental design features in each space, such as flooring or recessed lighting.

Color is a big way to create a coherent theme throughout your house. For your overall color palette, choose neutral colors, which almost always coordinate well with one another. Going with more neutral tones also allows you to bring in vibrant accent colors in rugs, fabrics, and accessories without being too overwhelming. Even the smallest accents add cohesion across kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms and take an area from bland to live in an instant.

Define Areas With Lighting & Furniture

Use furniture placement and lighting to carve out spaces and strategically divide each functional use area. For example, a ceiling fan in the center of the living area can help make that area feel like a living room and not just an extension of the kitchen. Similarly, a kitchen island can be used to visually demarcate the cooking and food prep area from the dining room, without completely blocking off or separating the two.

A standout feature in each area will also work to define spaces, as well as give each room a little pop. Consider bold pieces of art, playful rugs, or eye-catching lighting fixtures. You can also go a step further by coordinating these standout focal points. This will give each area something unique while simultaneously bringing the entire area together.

Consider Flow

When it comes to arranging furniture in an open floor plan, flow is everything. One of the many reasons people opt for the open floor plan is to improve the flow of traffic, light, and energy throughout a house. Keeping this in mind, make sure to place your furniture in a way that doesn’t block foot traffic or cause someone to navigate around obstacles just to get from point A to point B. Create clear paths for people to walk through and ensure that there is room for people to comfortably pass one another. If you find that people are having to squeeze by furniture or others just to move around, consider rearranging.

Similarly, don’t put larger pieces of furniture in places that prevent light from reaching other parts of the house. Poorly placed decor and furniture can make otherwise open rooms feel more like a cave when the light can’t flow freely across the areas.

Create A Functional Layout

When arranging furniture, you also want to keep functionality in mind. If you plan on watching a lot of movies or television in your living area, ensure that the furniture is facing the TV. If you plan on entertaining, opt for more seating instead of less. The important thing here is that you customize your areas based on what you will use them for, not just what looks good.

Keep It Organized

One of the cons of having an open floor plan is that it is a little harder to keep clutter behind closed doors. It’s likely that if you still haven’t cleaned up the mess made in the kitchen at breakfast, a dinner guest will be able to see it when they walk into the living room. Not only does a messy area distract the eye from your beautiful home, but it also makes the area feel smaller. Maintain your open space by cutting through the clutter and organizing your areas. This can be anything from investing in multi-functional furniture that doubles as storage or simply forming good cleaning habits.