Home - a soft place to land

For many years, open-plan living spaces have been HOT--everyone was knocking down walls left, right and center. Removing walls to create an open concept floor plan is great for parties, it makes your space feel more expansive, and maximizes natural light--all good things! With the challenges of pandemic life, however, many people missed walled-off rooms. It *is* nice to be able to close doors, block out noise and hide clutter, no doubt! But there are still some great advantages to an open layout, and there are steps you can take to maximize those advantages and minimize the drawbacks. Here are four 'cons' to open plan living, and what to do about them.

1. An open plan space can look disjointed. This type of floorplan is a workhorse--you're reading, cooking, eating, and watching TV all in what is basically one room! How do you keep it from looking and feeling chaotic? Think consistency. For example, if you're planning a renovation, keep your flooring consistent throughout the space. Tile in the kitchen area is great, but having tile in one area and hardwood in another really breaks up the visual flow of an open living plan. Whatever flooring you choose, keep it consistent throughout. 

2. What do you do with all your stuff?! I always recommend regular 'edits' to possessions, but managing 'stuff' is just a facet of modern life. One challenge of  open plan living is keeping clutter at bay. Make use of attractive storage options, like baskets, boxes with hinged lids, storage ottomans or coffee tables. Having a variety of areas where you can store blankets, board games and other flotsam and jetsam can keep visual clutter at bay. 

3. It can be noisy! A major concern with open plan living is how to manage noise, especially if the space is large. The last thing you want is your home to feel like an airplane hangar. If you're replacing appliances, invest in quiet technology--especially with dishwashers. Appliance manufacturers have made great strides in this area, and it makes a huge difference! Use rugs and wall hangings to dampen sound in the space. Soft furnishings go a long way to making open living feel cozy--and dampen unpleasant, echo-y noise. 

4. It can lack definition. Walls give each room a sense of identity--when you remove the walls, it can be difficult to define each space. Using rugs and lighting can give each area purpose and personality. Decorative screens or open shelving can create some definition while still allowing the sense of openness many homeowners crave. Choose your wall color wisely--one color throughout will give the space cohesion, but consider subtle paint changes to give each area it's own 'feel.' I wouldn't recommend multiple bold colors in an open plan, but subtle paint changes can define each area, while still giving the space as a whole a sense of cohesion. Contact me if you need help choosing paint colors--it can be tricky to get it right!

Whether you have pined for open plan, or ended up with it by default, you can mitigate the drawbacks with some strategic planning. Open living really does have some great features, but as with anything--there are always pros and cons. Next week, we'll talk about traditional rooms and how to use them to your advantage!