Thought I would talk about open plan living today, personally not a massive fan and this is mainly due to seeing so many open plan spaces that just don’t work. For me you loose the cosyness of a room, it’s almost like the personality of the room has been stripped out!. I was watching Grand Designs the other night which showed a great example of how to not spoil the layout by doing open plan, still individual rooms but sectioning off by creating floor to ceiling book case walls and larger openings without having doors. This is a great way to get a social more open space without going completely open. So much easier to furnish and finish off and create a more homely look.

Down the road from where I live, almost the same layout as my house, they have knocked down all the walls of the ground floor creating that open plan living!! and put up a glass block wall!! thought these were all the rage in the 80’s and 90’s! In the ground floor of my house I have made the opening bigger to the kitchen and family room which are opposite each other, taken the doors off, creating a more open feel but still keeping the individual rooms. Much better solution and not as costly.

A few of my favourite pics below to show you how it can be done.

Love the sliding doors which creates the open feel but all important walls make the kitchen more intimate and separates it enough from the living space.

This is the New York home of one of my favourite American designers Nate Berkus, A clever use of gazing separates the kitchen form the living.

Above looks are not my normal style as not a fan of white walls, but the layout shows what I’m banging on about, creating divides in the room with bookcases or walls without separating the rooms off completely. Genius I say!

This one is a bit American, but perfect example of not having the space completely open, it’s much more interesting to the eye and has a homely feel, don’t you agree!

One of my favourite interiors by far, not open plan at all but love the way the kitchen looks into the living, slightly bigger opening with no door. Perfect way to create the wow with the blue wall!

Have a great day and weekend, busy one for me, client meetings in the shop all day tomorrow!