how do i decorate my open floor plan

Top Tips to Decorate an Open Floor Plan

• 1. Keep Furnishings Away from the Wall Moving Your Furniture Away from the Walls is One Way to Improve the Flow of Movement ...
• 2. Do Not Interrupt the Flow ...
• 3. Divide Spaces Using Different Flooring or Rugs ...
• 4. Maintain a Consistent Colour Scheme ...
• 5. Keep the Symmetry ...
• 6. Add Colour Contrasts ...
• 7. Decorate with Multi-Purpose Furniture ...
• 8. Keep the Furniture Light and Mobile ...

Full Answer

How to make a good floor plan?

What Makes a Good Floor Plan?

• Anatomy of a Floor Plan. Floor plans are made up of various elements that articulate the designer’s intent. ...
• Design Concept. ...
• Defined Entrance. ...
• Clear Orientation. ...
• Efficient Flow. ...
• Interconnecting Spaces. ...
• Appropriate Room Sizes. ...
• Room Proportions. ...
• Minimized Corridors. ...
• Adequate Storage Space. ...

More items...

How to organize an open floor plan?

The Best Design Tips for Open Floor Plans, According to the Experts

• Keep Scale in Mind. "If you decide to have an open floor plan, make sure you consider scale," says Kenza. ...
• Define Zones. "When designing a space that is part of an open floor plan, I recommend using rugs and furniture to define individual areas," recommends Papier.
• Think About Flow. ...

How to put furniture in an open floor plan?

Living Room Basics

• Establish the focal point of the room and arrange furniture around it. ...
• Use the furniture to create conversation areas. People should be able to comfortably talk to each other without straining their necks or shouting. ...
• Don't forget about the traffic flow. ...
• Pull furniture away from the walls. ...

How to use color with an open floor plan?

Open Floor Plan Decorating Tips

1. Repeat colors. Choose accent colors that can be repeated in different ways throughout your open layout. ...
2. Repeat patterns. Whether your style is subtle or bold, patterns and textures add interest to your home and are an important part of your design.
3. Use Consistent Flooring. ...
4. Use Consistent Wall Paint & Trim. ...
5. Define Rooms with Area Rugs. ...

More items...

How do you decorate a house with an open floor plan?

Designer-Approved Tips That Make Decorating an Open Floor Plan a Little Less DauntingAdd an Area Rug and Repeat Fabrics. ... Choose a Consistent Color Palette. ... Pay Close Attention to Scale. ... Connect Seating Areas With a Daybed. ... Let the Furniture Float. ... Divide Your Space Into "Rooms" ... Add Architectural Interest Where You Can.More items...•

How do I decorate my open plan?

Be strategic in a small space. ... Make a cozy space with mustard. ... Create a free-flowing, modern boho look. ... Choose light furniture that can be easily moved. ... Break the traditional layout. ... Use every inch of space. ... Bring the outdoors in. ... Create a breezy coastal scheme.More items...•

How do you make an open floor plan more cozy?

How to make an open floor plan feel more cozyUse color to tie spaces together. ... Define “rooms” with area rugs. ... Continue materials throughout the space. ... Add light fixtures.Use your furniture to define the traffic patterns between each area.Add a focal point.

How do you coordinate furniture on an open floor plan?

12 ideas for furnishing an open floor concept:Arrange your furniture away from the walls. ... Create a “room” with an area rug. ... Repeat a favorite element in each open floor plan section. ... Go with a cohesive color theme throughout. ... It's all about flow in an open floor plan. ... Address the floor and ceiling, too.More items...

What colors are good for open floor plan?

Top 5 Most Popular Paint Colors for Open Floor PlansWorldly Gray SW 7043.Repose Gray SW 7015.Natural Linen SW 9109.Conservative Gray SW 6183.Moderate White SW 6140.

How do you make an open plan homely?

Design secrets for creating an inviting open plan living areaStart with cohesive flooring between all rooms. ... Create cosy spaces with furniture. ... Add a fireplace centrepiece. ... Pull it all together with well-chosen details.

How do you transition colors in an open floor plan?

Have three or four Post-it notes for each color. Then go around the rooms and place the color you think you would like to see on that wall. The corners where two walls meet are the best places to transition from one color to another. The far wall usually works well for the accent wall color.

How do you warm up an open plan room?

Here are 6 solutions that will warm you up -- while still keeping your heating bills down -- in an open plan abode.Seal and insulate. ... Use a ceiling fan to blow warmth your way. ... Supplement your main heating source. ... Close out the cold. ... Plan warming window treatments. ... Warm the floor.

What are the disadvantages of an open floor plan?

ConsCostly to heat and cool. Great rooms with high ceilings are often energy drains, especially when the outer walls are equipped with large windows, as they often are. ... Higher construction cost. ... Poor sound control. ... Spaces can appear cluttered. ... Lack of privacy.

Where do you put the dining table in open plan?

If your open floor plan will be used as a dining space, then it's important to place your table as close to the kitchen area as possible, being sure to leave 2 feet on all sides for traffic flow. In the living room area, it's best to design around a focal point, whether it's a TV, a fireplace, or a window.

Is open floor plan out of style?

More value is being placed on functional outdoor spaces for gathering and entertaining safely with friends and extended family. However, the open floor concept plan is still a predominant layout in most new homes.

Does kitchen have to match living room?

No, living room furniture doesn't need to match kitchen cabinets. It's more important that the furniture in these two rooms be complementary. In other words, the furniture should either be the same style or have similar aesthetics so that the two rooms look like they belong together.

How do you transition colors in an open floor plan?

Have three or four Post-it notes for each color. Then go around the rooms and place the color you think you would like to see on that wall. The corners where two walls meet are the best places to transition from one color to another. The far wall usually works well for the accent wall color.

Is open plan living still fashionable?

More value is being placed on functional outdoor spaces for gathering and entertaining safely with friends and extended family. However, the open floor concept plan is still a predominant layout in most new homes.

How do you arrange lights in an open floor plan?

Achieve a cohesive look by selecting lighting finished in the same, or closely related, finishes as the kitchen faucets and appliances. Try mixed-metal light fixtures that add personality and interest to the space, or stick with a limited color palette to keep the area feeling connected.

How do you make a small open plan look bigger?

How to make a room look bigger: 7 easy tipsUse contrasts and light colors that make rooms look bigger. Photographee.eu / Shutterstock. ... Open up your space with creative lighting. asbe / Getty Images. ... Cut the clutter. ... Create a focal point. ... Use mirrors. ... Get creative with furniture. ... Maximize your room arrangement.

1. Use Bold Patterns and Pops of Color

This open-concept space is quirky and fun. From the patterned chair and rug to the bold-colored fuzzy pillows, this room feels fun and effortless. They managed to keep the motif cohesive with the flooring, grey hues, and consistent trim throughout.

2. Combine Large Windows, Crisp Lines, and Subdued Hues

This living room feels spacious with wide-open windows surrounded by creamy white trim. The calming blue hues, crisp horizontal lines, and geometric elements make this open plan design feel spacious and uncluttered. The iron light fixture helps centralize the focus, while the matching rug helps separate the spaces.

3. Create Consistency with Art Pieces

Fun fact: this ranch-style dining room with new traditional aesthetics actually belongs to well-known crooner Michael Bublé! The whole space feels anchored around the grey-blue painting. The rug beneath the table and the window trim in the kitchen share the same grey-blue hue, creating impeccable continuity.

4. Use Chair Rail Moulding to Tie it All Together

This home’s designer wanted to meld the home’s original charm with newer traditional elements. She found that pairing an MDF chair moulding with natural grain wooden floors was the way to do it. These two elements play together perfectly and carry throughout the entire home to tie this open floor plan design together.

5. Play with Contrast

Just because everything needs to be cohesive doesn’t mean it has to be bland. This home’s bold color choices prove that contrasting colors can also work well inside an open floor plan. The yellow chairs and emerald couch pop with the black trim and finishing touches.

7. Frame and Define the Spaces with Architraves

This lovely room features a breathtaking architrave and entryway into the main room. The architrave mirrors the elegance of the windows in the living space and really makes the whole look a perfectly crafted, winning design from top to bottom.

8. Liven it Up with Wall Features

This open concept modern farmhouse takes advantage of wall details to help liven up the space. The shiplap and tiles are the same shade of white as the rest of the walls, but they’re just a bit more interesting. The grey tones in the cushion, chairs, island, cabinets, and window trim keep the room cohesive and charming.

How to arrange furniture in an open floor plan?

When deciding how to arrange furniture in an open floor plan, be sure to create a space that makes moving around effortless and uncomplicated. Plan 930-476 (above) sports a seamless flow from the living room to the kitchen and dining area. Just be sure to allow enough empty space for people to easily move between each area.

What is an open floor plan?

Convenient and smart, open floor plans provide clear, open sight lines from the kitchen to the main living areas – making it easy to host and entertain friends and family. These popular layouts maximize space, provide excellent flow from room to room, and promote a modern sense of relaxation and casual living. It’s no wonder why open layouts make up the majority of today’s best-selling house plans and home plan designs. But when it comes to decorating an open floor plan, it can be challenging to know where to begin. Without walls, defining spaces can be tricky. Not to fear! We’ve got you covered. These smart tips will help you design and decorate your open floor plan in no time.

How do rugs help define a space?

Rugs can help define a space when it comes to an open floor plan. Take a look at plan 929-8 above. Notice how rugs define the main living areas and make the space feel warm and cozy. These rugs create boundaries that designate the dining and living room areas – without taking up space.

What to use in an open floor plan?

One of the great features of an open floor plan is the natural sunlight that can flood the space. Ceiling lights and recessed lighting are often used to light up the room in the evening hours. Turn off those ceiling lights and create intimacy in an open floor plan by integrating multiple sources of lighting throughout the space. A pair of table lamps on an entry console or dining buffet, a floor lamp in the living room or a reading lamp on a table by a chair, will light up individual areas and can help give the large room a cozier feel, when desired.

How to create a cohesive look in an open floor plan?

Pick a color palette for the room and incorporate it into each individual space. Choose 2 or 3 accent colors and add a touch of them to each area in the the form of fabrics, rugs and accessories. An entry rug, a pillow on the sofa, a runner on the dining table and window treatments in the kitchen, all featuring the same color palette, will help create a cohesive and unified look between the individual areas in an open floor plan.

Why is it important to have an open floor plan?

There are many benefits to choosing an open floor plan. Less walls to separate rooms means the greater the ability to benefit from natural sunlight and few er confined areas offer the illusion of more space . Decorating an open floor plan to create one beautiful, cohesive space can be difficult. Here are a few of my favorite tips on how to tackle this decorating challenge.

How to differentiate living area from dining area?

Use furniture to create and differentiate areas in the space. A console table or buffet behind a sofa can help to distinguish the living area from the entry or dining space. This can also be accomplished with the use of area rugs. A rug under a dining table or seating positioned around a large rug can create an area with a distinct function in the open space.

Why are open concept floor plans so popular?

Open-concept floor plans are great (in theory). They keep the family together, encourage quality time, and are more fun when entertaining —no one likes to cook alone while everyone else is having a good time in the next room. But at first sight, they can seem hard to lay out.

How to separate a dining room from a living room?

If your dining area is on the narrower side, swap a few dining chairs for a dining bench that can easily be tucked under the table. If your entry hall doubles as a dining room, kitchen, or living room, create separation by adding a console table and a row of coat hooks. A bulkier console or credenza can be practical here, doubling as a buffet or dinnerware storage.

What to do if you don't have space for accent chairs?

If space allows, get a sectional sofa to provide more seating —a great option if you don't have space for accent chairs.

How to make a sofa feel like a walkway?

Instead, consider floating the sofa in the room and placing the dining table behind it. Alternatively, a console behind the sofa can help the space feel like a walkway —especially if it's leading to another room or a door to the courtyard.

How to decorate an open concept room?

If your walls have distinct breaks or angles, you might want to consider a monochromatic paint palette. Use subtle variations of the same shade to indicate a focal wall or where one “room” ends, and another begins. Coordinate your primary seating upholstery with those of your dining or breakfast nook chair covers. Use area rugs in complementary colors. Take a cue from your kitchen cabinets and carry that wood tone into living and dining furniture.

How to decorate a single room?

Select furnishings and small touches that give each area a singular presence, while creating a cohesive flow from space to space. Pretend you are decorating a single room and keep furniture and accent pieces in the same style. Try not to be too matchy-matchy but make sure the elements are consistent.

How to use area rugs in a room?

Another great trick is to use area rugs to define separate areas within an open floor plan. Use two identical or coordinating area rugs to delineate your living and dining rooms. Rugs don’t have to be huge, just large enough to anchor the furniture in each space. The gap between rugs actually serves to help divide the spaces, creating a visual traffic path between two areas.

What is rug in apartment?

Rugs are employed to separate the living and office spaces in this apartment.

What is open concept living?

Open-concept floor plans suit modern lifestyles and offer a number of benefits that older, compartmentalized homes just can’t match. Flow, space, light and unobstructed views are among the top reasons open-concept living is so popular today. For those who love to entertain or just want to keep an eye on the kiddos while cooking a space that combines living, kitchen and dining areas makes daily life easier and more enjoyable.

What to put in a kitchen with a sparkling backsplash?

If you have a kitchen with a sparkling, glass tile backsplash, European cabinetry, leather and chrome barstools, and stainless appliances, carry that look into your dining and living areas with a sleek, streamlined furniture and minimal accessories to create a dynamic, contemporary vibe.

How to divide a room into two?

Take advantage of walls, columns and variations in flooring to dictate different "room" functions. If you have a wall that juts out, use it to divide the space into two separate areas. Similarly, the dividing line from a tile to wood floor provides a natural line of demarcation between spaces.

How to make an open floor plan?

To make open floor plans work, each area of your home should carry one or more style elements over into the next room. For a living room, take your cue from the kitchen's features, which would be more costly to change. Repeat the kitchen color scheme with softer textures in an adjacent sitting area.

How to divide open floor plan between kitchen and living room?

Stylishly separate cooking and entertaining areas in ways that let views and conversation easily flow between spaces. Partial walls, strategically set islands, breakfast bars, columns, and dropped or raised ceilings can all help divide open areas. In this family space, knotty pine boards and timbers accentuate kitchen doorways and frame the breakfast bar to create the look of a large pass-through window.

How to make an open living room feel more intimate?

Make an open living room feel cozier and more intimate with strategic furniture placement. Group the sofa and chairs in a close arrangement with the seats facing each other, instead of out into the room. This creates the effect of a smaller, more inviting room within a large open space. You can further distinguish the living area by laying an area rug underfoot.

Why do we have open floor plans?

Open floor plans forego walls in favor of connected spaces that flow seamlessly into each other. This layout creates an inviting atmosphere and eases movement between spaces, but it can also present a few decorating challenges. Learn how to decorate a living room with an open floor plan using our tips on linking different areas, defining zones, and establishing a distinct style within open spaces.

How to divide a large lounge area?

Arrange cozy conversation groupings, each defined with its own area rug, and spotlight each group with an impressive ceiling-mounted fix ture. In this large lounge area, a pair of statuesque lamps set atop a console subtly divides two sitting areas without blocking sightlines or conversation. A pair of lightweight stools can easily be moved between the two areas as needed for quick rearranging before parties and gatherings.

What is an open concept living room?

An open concept living room, dining room, and kitchen blurs the lines between each area. For more definition, incorporate a focal point in each adjacent space. These standout elements capture the eye while improving how the space works. This open-concept design showcases four striking features, one in each space. A mirrored bar area, a paneled television wall, light-inviting breakfast room windows, and a steely range hood set against a marble backsplash make one area as visually appealing as the next.

What are the benefits of an open plan kitchen?

Some of the greatest benefits of an open plan kitchen is how easily it flows into other areas of the home, doubling the size of your entertaining space.

How to make the most of an open family room?

Make the most of an open family room by creating functional zones, like this compact workspace that's right at home in the corner of the living room.

What are some good things to put around a room?

Houseplants and flowers are a great way to make an airy space feel more vibrant and lived in. From the eight-foot-tall variety (hello, fiddle-leaf fig!) to smaller houseplants with lush foliage, you can't go wrong with greenery. Several placed around the room will go a long way to bringing the outside indoors.

How to arrange furniture in a large room?

When it's time to start arranging furniture, a large, open room can seem intimidating. Let the room's focal point guide you. If you have a fab fireplace or amazing gallery wall, start there. Arrange larger furniture pieces around that, then work your way out from there .

How to make a room feel intimate?

While it's tempting to buy that huge sectional sofa, turn it toward the TV and call it a day , providing a variety of seating throughout the room can be a great way to give the space a more intimate feel. A couple of comfy accent chairs oriented toward one another looks polished and encourages conversations.