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Open plan living: How to make it work

By Amy Collins-Walker โ€ข Leave a Comment

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By Cherie Barber

Few can resist the airy feeling of open plan, with the free-flowing sense of space and light, airy interiors. However, without a good sense of how to furnish and light a large, open plan area, it can feel cavernous and cold; about as homely as a storage warehouse.

The key is correct ‘zoning’, using elements like lighting, artworks, rugs, colour and furniture to create invisible rooms within the open plan, along with unifying elements that merge all the spaces seamlessly together.


Letโ€™s come together
First up, you want a sense of cohesion as your foundation. When the whole space is empty it should feel like one big room. You achieve this with devices like flooring all at the same level (particularly if it flows inside/out), the same type or at least the same coloured flooring and the same colour palette throughout. Now you have a blank slate to work with.

Go with the flow
Next you need to create a flow that makes sense. To a large extent, the placement of windows and doors will dictate this. In typical open plan, you have a combination of kitchen, dining and living. It makes practical sense that the kitchen flows into the dining space. Depending on whether the space is L-shaped, square or rectangular, the lounging area may be an extension of these two ‘rooms’ or adjoin them. If youโ€™re lucky, the interior will spill to an outdoor entertaining area.

Get in the zone
Now you create warmth and character and give definition to the open plan through zoning. Youโ€™ve decided where your designated rooms are, but itโ€™s time to communicate this to the world.

Start with the kitchen. As the cabinetry and splashback are already in place by now, lighting is the most powerful tool at your disposal. Pendant lights over an island bench or breakfast bar, with obligatory dimmers, create a casual eating/work zone. High beam for chopping and low beam for relaxing with a wine after dinner.

Pride of place
For the dining area, a large table and chairs is an obvious statement piece, but think about how you can make this ‘room’ cosier. A rug that comfortably fits the chairs when pulled out (a 75cm overlap from the edge of the table will generally suffice) provides an obvious border. And again, a feature light over the centre of the table creates ambience and interest. Consider a mirror, artwork or even a console on the wall adjoining the dining table. It will help to anchor the space. And remember, a long piece of furniture, with floating legs, against the longest wall will accentuate the length of a room.

Easy living
The lounging area is really where you want to think about intimacy and warmth, and catering for a variety of moods. Itโ€™s a place to read, relax, watch TV and chat with family and friends. Along with the kitchen, itโ€™s the social focus of the home. A mix of lighting such as floor lamps, table lamps and overhead lighting is ideal.

A nice big rug will define the space, and furnishings like a sofa and chairs create the boundary (a modular sofa that forms a right angle does a great job of this). A wall-hanging TV opposite the sofa is probably inevitable, but just try not to make it the focus of the whole room.

–Cherie Barber is the director ofย Renovating for Profit, a company that teaches everyday people how to buy and renovate properties for a profit.

For more onย Cherie Barber and James Trebleโ€™s Interior Design for Profit online course

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April 5, 2017

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Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I fir Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I first came to Australia in my 20s, it's where I headed to buy everything I needed for my first apartment at an incredible price! And I've loved watching the range get more and more impressive over the years as my knowledge of furniture has increased. I had no idea how extensive their Aussie Made sofa range was though. I'd love you to check out the options via link in bio as I think you'll be impressed! I think we have a renewed appreciation for Aussie Made and supporting local manufacturing and jobs and this is a great success story. We love a bit of high low decorating, and turns out Fantastic Furniture is a great place to find your family lounge, a special accent chair, an extra ottoman for occasional seating and so much more. 

#fantasticfurniture #aussiemade #australianfurniture #FindyourFantastic #FantasticFamily #affordablehomewares #affordablefurniture #custommadesofa #custommadelounges #australianhomes #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsdaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Please don't show my boys this room or they'll wan Please don't show my boys this room or they'll want one like it!

How gorgeous is this Brisbane kids' bedroom?! 

@brittwhitestudio worked closely with the boys (aged 7 and 9) to understand their needs with a bespoke bunk bed solution crafted by BRC Cabinets, featuring ample storage as well as an under-stair hidey-hole, a useful reading nook for books and a built-in charger for electronics. Local craftsmen Emmettโ€™s Ropes designed and hand-tied the ropework on the top bunk and the supporting pillar beneath.

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see and read more!

#bunkroom #bunkbed #bunkbedsforkids #bunkbeds #bespokebunkbeds #custommadebunkbeds #sharedbedroom #sharedbedroomforkids #boysroominspo #boysroomdecor #junglebedroom #kidsroomstyle #kidsroomstyling #childrensrooms #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #brittwhitestudio #highriseliving #apartmentlifestyle #penthouses #apartmentlivingwithkids #newsteadbrisbane 

Pix by @joebrosnan.photo
Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3? Just 3 of the kitch Comment your fave: 1, 2 or 3?

Just 3 of the kitchens in the @duluxaus Colour Awards 2023 shortlist which will give you some serious inspiration!

Loads more gorgeous residential rooms to see on the blog this morning via link in bio.

Projects by @studio__bright @kaiko_design and Georgie Shepherd Interior Design. Pix by @arorygardiner @fiona_susanto and @christophermorrisphoto 

#duluxcolour #duluxpaint #duluxaus #duluxcolourawards #duluxcolourawards2023 #moodykitchen #allwhitekitchen #designerkitchen #sagekitchen #boldkitchen #colourfulkitchen #colouredkitchen #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount
We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony m We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony makeover using @kmartaus stone tiles!

Nineties townhouse in Lennox Head or villa in Greece? You decide! All up it cost $2000 including all materials and she did the work herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

Love your work @twin_palms_lennox

#kmartaustralia #kmartdiy #kmarthack #kmarthome #modernmediterranean #balconymakeover #balconyideas #diybalcony #budgetdiy #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Wallpaper in every single room! What do you recko Wallpaper in every single room!

What do you reckon? You'd think it would be overkill but it isn't because so many of the designs are subtle yet still impactful.

Head over to the blog to see how @grafico_walls transformed this blank canvas Melbourne townhouse with their products, which you've probably seen on The Block over the years. And read how Damian Corney has grown this Melbourne business with wife Adele and a growing team. There's also a look inside the very cool Motley Hotel which has used a whopping 4km of their wallpaper throughout!

You can also watch a video tour with Bec Douros as the house featured on Open Homes Australia over the weekend.

Via link in bio now.

#wallpapergoals #wallpaperdesign #australianwallart #australianwallpaper #wallmurals #wallpapermural #wallpapermurals #wallpapereddoor #digitalwallpaper #digitallyprintedwallpaper #customwallpaper #wallpaperaesthetic #wallpapertrends #wallpaperaustralia #grafico #graficowallcoverings #melbournebusiness #melbournesmallbusiness #openhomesaustralia #theblock #becdouros
Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! 

Braved the rain second morning in a row to feed the animals at @edenfarmescape because life's too short to worry about a bit of mud and drizzle!

Feeling relaxed ๐Ÿฅฐ
Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before ๐Ÿ˜‚

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION? How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION?!

Our friends at @mintdesignau have done it again!

Homeowner Briony Marsh says: Itโ€™s totally changed our home lifestyle now we can sit outside on the lounge in the sun or shade, be in the pool, spa, sauna or cooking pizzas and hanging out with friends. It sounds cliched but it really feels like we are on holiday at home!โ€

Head over to the blog to see the finer details, including a sauna and a seriously good looking copper pizza oven. There's a lot packed into this space!

#backyards #smallpools #smallpool #homesauna #pizzaovens #outdoorpizzaoven #landscapedesigner #mintdesign #holidayathome #resortstylehomes #landscapeartist #backyard #exteriorinspiration #exteriormakeover #exteriordesigns #pergoladesign #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno. L Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno.

Located inside a 1912 sandstone villa in Adelaideโ€™s Kensington, this bathroom makeover combines classic and contemporary elements that complement the homeโ€™s original, period features. 

Designed by the homeโ€™s owner @designby_Tahirih, who is a property stylist too, the renovation came sooner than expected after water ingress made the makeover of their only bathroom an urgent necessity!

The whole project cost an impressive $20k, project managed herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

#realrenovations #realhomes #realreno #heartyourhome #renoaddict #freestandingbath #classicbathroom #classiccontemporary #classiccontemporaryinteriors #theinteriorsaddict  #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #homestaging #laundrymakeover #bathroomrenovations #bathroomremodels
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Amy Collins-Walker

About Amy Collins-Walker

Amy is our regular feature writer, an experienced journalist and interior stylist living in Perth, Western Australia. Find out more about her styling work at http://www.amycollinswalker.com/

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