Having an open-plan area of your home is fairly common these days. Rather than closing off a large ground floor space into little boxed areas, more and more families are enjoying the freedom of being able to talk to one another without walls in the way. It’s been a byword of interiors style for some time now - but an open plan design is not without its issues.
There are times when you might realise that you need those little boxed off rooms, for privacy as much as anything. You might not like the idea of having to go back to solid walls, but is there a half measure that could offer some degree of privacy and separation - but only on a temporary basis?
Furthermore, there are design aspects to consider from open plan living too. The same style repeated endlessly can begin to look a little boring, especially if it covers the entire ground floor of your home.
So how can you fight back against these two problems - decor and separation - without ruining all the positives about an open plan home?The Floor
It makes sense to largely stick to one kind of flooring through the ground floor of a house. This creates a seamless look and is also easy to lay, as you don’t have to constantly pause to separate out flooring sections.However, if you go for the one floor solution, then immediately each room begins to bleed into one another. Easier, yes, but not so great when it comes to the style stakes. You can use soft furnishings to help create a level of separation, such as handmade rugs from Rugmart which can help break up a floor and create obvious differences between the rooms.
The Privacy
By far the best way to handle an occasional need for privacy in an open plan ground floor is to use screens. Free-standing screens make for great, temporary privacy barriers - and they can still look pretty when propped up against a wall while not in use. It’s not going to soundproof an area, but it can at least prevent the entire ground floor from feeling like it’s all melting into one.The Colours
If you’re going for the one-floor-only solution, then it’s ideal to pick a neutral colour. You can then almost colour-coordinate sections of your main living area. Bright, cheerful decor in the kitchen, with subtler hues leaning into the living room space.A clever usage of colours means you’re able to enjoy an open plan space as a whole, but also have each area distinct from one another.
The Lighting
Kitchens tend to need to be brightly lit - not being able to see what you’re chopping is a recipe for disaster! The same lighting in the living area, however, will seem too bright and obnoxious. Use spotlights wherever possible for each area, rather than relying on the overall ceiling light to do the work - it creates a much more intimate atmosphere.Separating an open plan space - without putting up walls - is never simple, but hopefully with the above you should be one step closer to managing it!