Open plan downstairs

I love my open plan downstairs but sometimes it can feel very sparse, particularly when it’s just the two of us – any ideas to add some personality to it?

My friend loved her open plan living space and then felt the same way as you so she installed those floor-to-ceiling room dividing panels between her dining and living areas. That way she can pull them open when she has a big party or have them closed to create a more intimate atmosphere it worked really well.

I had the same problem and used furniture to “zone” certain areas. So made sure the dining furniture was positioned to create a dining area and did the same with my sofas and chairs to create a living space. It works a treat; you should definitely give it a go.

Like Jessica and you I had the same problem – instead of doing anything structural I decided to cosy up the space by using lots of rugs, cushions, throws and comfy furniture. That way I still had my lovely open space but it felt a little more homely.

Hi Amelia,

A lot of our customers buy rugs to create individual areas in large open plan spaces. There is also some good general tips in the article below for creating individual areas in an open space:

http://www.homesandgardens.com/decorating/simple/livingroom/Creating_the_perfect_space_for_entertaining_article_104611.html

Some of my own tips:

1. Use lighting – create a cosy area beside the sofa with some floor lamps that can be used to highlight that part of the room (or beside the dining table). Dimmer lights are great for creating moods and look fantastic in an open plan space when set to different levels in different areas

2. Create changes in the flooring – if you have the budget change the wood or carpet to a different style in one area of the open space to break it up a bit, if not use rugs to define the areas – i.e. place a rug under the dining table and place a rug between the sofa/armchairs in the living area to add definition that both fulfill different functions even though they are in the same room.

3. Maybe use a room divider- it does not have to be a solid one, it could be a bookcase style divider which is open straight through so light can get through and you can see to the other side but it creates privacy and breaks the room up a bit (also creates some handy storage)

4. Add some art work to the walls to create visual interest. If you have a particularly big blank wall go for a large print that will create a striking focal point and draw attention away form the starkness (I particularly like this ideas as I don’t like clutter and so would tend to have quite a minimalistic decor).

Some pictures: