Tips for Defining Spaces in an Open Floor Plan

Homes with open floor plans have certain advantages of more partitioned residential spaces. They can make the same amount of square footage appear larger and brighter because there are no barriers to limit the natural light that comes through the windows. Furthermore, people can feel more connected in an open floor plan, whether they’re standing in the kitchen, sitting at the dining table, or reclining on the sofa. However, you may run into one major dilemma because of this architectural layout: you may be unsure how to create a bit of separation between sections with different purposes. These tips for defining spaces in an open floor plan should remedy this issue.

Set Borders with Furnishings

Smaller rooms tend to give hints as to where you should place furnishings in them, but an open floor plan does not. You must set the borders for each “room” yourself using furniture and decorations as stand-ins for true barriers. To illustrate, you can form your living room area by placing your sofa in the middle of the floor between the entertainment space and the dining table. The sofa will act as the imaginary line between those two spaces. Rugs can also serve as visual partitioners that break up your home into clear zones.

Draw Distinctions with Color

You don’t want to veer off too far and cause your home to seem like a chaotic mess, but you can use different colors exclusively in certain areas to draw divisions between them. You can apply this idea in a variety of angles. For instance, you might follow the same color scheme in all your major furniture and fixtures but use cushions, throw pillows, blankets, and tablecloths in different hues based on where they sit in the space. On the other hand, you could incorporate specific colors in larger facets of your home, such as in chic seating upholstery or perfectly chosen wallpaper that’s distinct and yet fits naturally with your style.

Create Center Points with Lighting

Light fixtures are also effective tools for defining spaces in an open floor plan. Since they’re bright when turned on and still noticeable from their high positions during the day, they naturally draw eyes. As a result, they can act as center points for each of your home’s sections. Strategically place your lights where you want to establish your living room, dining room, and kitchen. They should hang from points in the middle of those areas. For example, you could hang them directly over the coffee table, dining table, and kitchen island.