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More and more homes are being designed and built to have easy, breezy open plan rooms which allow light and space to be used to its full potential. These spaces often combine cooking, living and dining (and even sleeping) into one big space without formal dividers such as walls or partitions, meaning that there are no existing physical cues to suggest where one area ends and another begins.
For many homeowners and renters, this can lead to challenges in the furnishing and living arrangements in these spaces. For people who appreciate privacy or quiet (especially those with families or tenants), this can mean living in uncomfortably close quarters. Creating a structure in these open spaces can be an important way to segregate activities and provide areas of relative peace and calm.
An Expert Opinion
Another excellent way to help create a better and more practical structure in your open plan property is by enlisting the help of a professional – and there are many reasons why.
Professional interior designers and home staging specialists (click here for an excellent Interior Design Company in Melbourne) spend their days helping to transform homes so that they’re not only more presentable (benefit number one) but also more navigable and practical for everyday living.
Your home should feel intuitive in its layout – think of the way a kitchen naturally leads into a dining space, and then to a living space. These types of plans work because they group together activities and areas which are commonly associated with one another (cooking + dining, dining + relaxing). A professional can help to create a flow between these spaces while maintaining an overall feel and objective.
Divide And Conquer
The simplest way to create structure in your open space is by dividing the area up into smaller sections through either theme, color or another visual cue.
By appealing to the senses through these cues, you can create visual interest as well as providing a way to structure and delineate the space. For example, if you have an area set aside for an office space or working area, a clean neutral color palette can help to simplify the space and give a sense of clarity and calm to it, thereby separating it from the rest to the leisure and relaxation spaces.
Subject / Object
Using objects as physical dividers is another (less subtle) way to provide structure in your open plan space. By using large items such as shelving, bookcases and lounge suites, you can create physically isolated spaces within your home which have their own distinct feel and function.
You can also create areas of appeal by dividing your space up in this way – for example, by using a large bookcase next to a chair, you can create a space which is uniquely useful for reading and relaxing, which might help to make it feel more special if the rest of the room is otherwise for working, dining or other utilitarian purposes.
On The Level
Working with levels to create differences in height is another physical way to create structure in your open plan property. By designing areas with physical separation, you can create nooks with a more intimate feel or use – which can be especially handy if you have guests.
Levels can be utilized particularly effectively if you have high ceilings. Loft beds and spaces can be installed on all budgets, and many come with creative stairs or storage inbuilt. These have the benefit of providing both extra sleeping space and an area to relax in which is otherwise removed from the main living quarters.
Open plan spaces can work wonderfully with a little bit of forwarding planning and clever design. By implementing some tactical tips such as functional storage choices, the use of levels, color – and by heeding expert advice – you can create an open space which truly feels like home.