Looking for open-plan living room ideas? Airy, spacious and versatile, open-concept living rooms are a popular design choice for the modern home but a successful scheme requires careful planning. We’ve rounded up the best-kept design secrets to help you transform a large empty interior into a warm and welcoming sociable hub for the whole family. Click or scroll on for the ultimate open-plan inspiration…
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Make lighting striking
Consider how you’re going to light your space right from the get-go in order to plan for the electrical wiring and outlets required. Options include architectural pendant lights to illuminate a kitchen island, a cluster of pendant lights over a dining table, downlighters over the countertops and brighter spots that can be dimmed in your main lounge area.
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Add a double-sided fireplace
Try to give each distinct area of your room its own focal point. In the kitchen, it could be the island unit or the range. In the dining space, it might be a dramatic pendant light. In the living area, a fireplace is ideal. Here, a fireplace has been built into a small partition wall between the dining and living space for a designer look. And, if you thought you needed a chimney for a fireplace, think again: the latest bio-ethanol fires don’t require a flue and can be placed anywhere.
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Keep thoroughfares clear
An open-plan room is often a busy space with lots of foot traffic. Keep floors and walkthroughs clear by choosing slimline sideboards and fixing the TV onto the wall. As entertainment technology moves on, televisions are getting thinner and lighter so they are much easier to mount. Narrow, unobtrusive furnishings are a particularly good idea if you have young children around.
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Add a corner sofa
While there are so many styles of sofa to choose from, a large corner or L-shaped sofa is a great way to zone off your lounge in an airy open-plan space. For something practical and durable, go for a tactile family-friendly fabric like leather. An inviting focal point, complete the relaxed vibe with a rug, coffee table and plenty of soft cushions.
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Install a stove
Due to the lack of walls, open-plan living rooms can become cold and drafty quickly. Add warmth and a rosy glow to the open space with a wood-burning stove. A traditional style with a classic fireplace surround will create a focal feature, or go for a standalone, contemporary version that can be installed almost anywhere.
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Go dark and dramatic
A large open space with plenty of light creates a fabulous canvas to experiment with color. Dark paint shades will create a cozy and inviting vibe when teamed with warm oak flooring. Add to the ambiance with pendant feature lights and gentle spotlighting overhead to boost the moody atmosphere in the evening.
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Add texture
If your open-plan room was originally designed for a use other than living in, it might require a little bit more softness and comfort built-in to make it a space you’ll want to spend lots of time in. Make sure it has plenty of homely character by using natural elements such as wood flooring, textured soft furnishings and lush house plants. Add cushions to sofas, go for long drapes and layer rugs to make it cozy and inviting.
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Make walls interesting
Use wall art to visually divide open-plan areas into discreet zones. Gallery walls with family photographs will personalize your living areas, whereas neon wall lighting looks quirky and adds atmosphere to dining or home office areas.
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Partition with glass
Sliding glass doors or panels are a very effective way of dividing an open-plan space into smaller zones, while ensuring plenty of light flows through the entire area. Here, a dividing wall has been half-glazed with panels to separate the living area from the kitchen-diner without the space feeling like two disconnected rooms.
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Slot in an eating space
Make furniture multifunctional. The slimline design of this bistro-style bar table and stools is perfect for a quick meal and also makes good use of space by separating the kitchen from the living room in a small area. This one has extra storage shelves on the side to keep tableware. It can then be easily moved to the side of the room when more floor space is required.
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Use a strong accent color
If your open-plan room has a neutral backdrop like this one, add character and opt for hues within the same tonal family across different textures. To balance out the scheme, choose one or two bright shades to incorporate across the various zones in your open-plan space. Here, matching dining chairs, sofa cushions and wall art make the fun teal and yellow color scheme the stars of this room.
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Choose an L-shaped layout
If you’re extending your home or knocking down or repositioning walls to create a whole new open-plan space, think about making it L-shaped. It’s easier to break a room up if it isn’t a standard square or rectangle shape. An L-shaped room will allow you to create a hidden eating or sitting space in a corner – this layout tucks the kitchen neatly away when required.
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Arrange furniture well
Use furniture to zone off small open-plan spaces. This petite home uses a sofa to separate the kitchen area from the lounge. Now the room has a cozy and social living room space centered around an exposed brick chimney breast and a stylish light fitting. With this arrangement, the kitchen becomes a subtle feature of the backdrop.
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Make the stairs the star
Stairs can add a striking architectural feature to open-plan rooms. This industrial-style open-plan living room has a rustic vibe thanks to the factory-style iron staircase and exposed brick wall. The apothecary drawers and metal coffee table pull the whole look together.
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Make the staircase disappear
At the other end of the scale, if you prefer your staircase to blend into the backdrop paint the steps and banister the same color as the walls. Here, the minimalist staircase has open risers and a ceiling-hung balustrade so it appears to float in the room, offering a stylish and space-saving addition to this contemporary open-plan living room.
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Add a privacy curtain
A clever way to create temporary walls, curtains are affordable and very easy to install. Add a curtain track to the area of the room you’d like to screen off and hang made-to-measure curtains to get the right floor-to-ceiling length. If the zone is in the middle of the room, choose a double-sided design that looks good from both sides.
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Create a coherent backdrop
Help create a flow in a small open-plan space by making sure the backdrop is predominantly the same color. Here, walls, kitchen cabinetry and furniture are variants of the same tone to make the room feel spacious and cohesive. Only two statement chairs and a panel of wallpaper add pretty and subtle interest.
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Bring in a barn door
Give your open-plan living space a rustic touch by installing a barn door. Sometimes a little privacy might be needed, so sliding a barn door into place as a temporary divide between zones is an on-trend solution – just the ticket for a cozy movie night or an intimate dinner.
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Turn seating towards a view
An open-plan living room within a high-rise apartment will benefit from not one but two seating areas; one for general relaxing and the other to appreciate the views. Arrange the furniture so that a pair of comfortable armchairs face out towards windows to take in the outlook beyond, as this scheme by Tara Benet Interior Design does. Of course, this layout can work for any open-plan scheme that has a beautiful vista to admire.
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Inspire a theme
Create a cohesive look with a mix of natural materials. A sun-bleached white backdrop, a well-loved leather sofa and a surfboard propped against a wall make the owners of this open-plan living room feel like they are at the beach. A rattan rocking chair and jute rug layer up earthy raw materials and a cute children’s desk and sunny yellow bar stools mean everyone can spend time together.
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Extend your living space
A small expansion will enlarge an open-plan space to accommodate a kitchen-diner and living space in one. It’s a popular route to open-plan living in older homes – if your home is dark, opt for a skylight in the ceiling to flood the space with light.
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Two-tone walls
Unify a small open-plan living room with an on-trend paint technique. When space is tight, look to the upper portion of the walls and the ceiling. Paint this upper area a refreshing shade to make a statement across the entire room. Choose crisp white for the lower parts of the walls to create contrast; it will also reflect the light and maximize the feeling of space. Blonde wood and white furniture set against the walls add to the vibrancy of this invigorating room.
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Personalize the space
Large open-plan living rooms can lack character so adding personal objects will make the space feel homely. Soft gray makes a neutral base for this vast picture wall, creating a flexible focal point that anchors the scheme. Mid-century furniture and pops of mustard and blue add to the eclectic look of this inviting family space.
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Cut out a corner
Give an open-plan living room an extra dimension by cutting out a corner terrace. In this scheme by archangels ARCHITECTS, right-angled bi-folding doors open up completely to offer an outdoor space for alfresco dining. The clever layout consists of the successful open-plan grid design; kitchen in one corner, living zone in another, dining area in the third (out of shot) and the raised patio in the fourth corner.
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Decorate with books
Open-plan living rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows are usually light-filled and airy, however, storage space can become tricky. One solution is to place back-to-back bookshelves in the center of the room as a divider. Glass doors will keep color-coordinated books dust-free and why not install ambient lighting on top to create an atmospheric evening glow too?
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Include bi-folding doors
To maximize light flow and create a stylish indoor-outdoor living space in the summer months, install large floor-to-ceiling sliding, bi-folding or Crittall-style glass doors. When opened up, your outside seating area will feel like a natural extension of your kitchen and living space.
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Sink the floor
If you prefer modern open-plan living rooms with no dividing walls at all, you’ll need to be innovative with storage ideas. Here, Austin Maynard Architects have cleverly created underfloor storage space by raising the floor level. The result is stylish sunken living areas with a cool, contemporary feel.
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Include intimate nooks
Without careful styling, an open-plan room can feel box-like and impersonal. To avoid this, subtly zone each portion of the room to create intimate spaces within the larger area. For example, a partition wall, as shown here, can define the dining area, while seating is gently anchored by a soft rug.
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Play with paint
A bold feature wall makes a striking addition to a home and creates a clear visual link between adjacent living areas. Painting the walls opposite each other the same deep blue hue elongates this small space, but be sure to balance the rich tone with a neutral one to keep the space light and airy.
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Zone areas with flooring
A larger open-plan space allows you to be more creative with your flooring options. It’s possible to mix and match different types of flooring to help separate living zones, as long as the flooring types complement each other and create a cohesive flow. Here, porcelain tiles have been used in the kitchen area, blending into warm wood floors elsewhere. The patchwork-effect floor is then repeated in the central space to define the living area.
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Dine with a round table
Narrow open-plan rooms will benefit from swapping out a standard dinner table for a round design. The curved edges take up much less floor space, creating a mini kitchen-diner in an especially snug area. Here, a built-in bench allows the table to sit towards the side of the room to allow plenty of passage for through traffic.
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Enhance the mood with color
Define living zones by changing the wall colors of each section to suit the mood. Soothing green behind a sofa in a living space will help you relax, while a soft heather tone in the kitchen teamed with white cabinetry is lighter and brighter for food preparation and cooking.
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Create cohesion with wallpaper
If your multiuse space feels unharmonious and disjointed, a bold design choice can be the unifying element you need. This Art Deco-inspired Farrow & Ball wallpaper helps tie together the kitchen and dining space with ease, creating a colorful feature wall that balances out the crisp white table and island.
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Celebrate structural features
If your open-plan space has characterful features like exposed beams or support columns, don’t try to disguise them. Instead, let these architectural quirks enhance your scheme for a completely unique interior. In this beautiful barn conversion, characterful woodwork and an original brick hearth frame a charming country-style living space.
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Conceal your kitchen
For a cohesive open-plan space, make the kitchen area as unobtrusive as possible with clever design and sleek finishes. Here, the kitchen cabinetry runs along the back wall and is raised off the floor. The fronts are simple, contemporary and handleless, plus they fit in with the scheme’s chocolate brown tonal palette. When not in use, this kitchen has the air of a smart sideboard at the edge of the dining space. This would look equally as good in a classic white or sleek black scheme.
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Pick flooring for all zones
Using the same flooring throughout your open-plan living room will maximize the sense of space. Choose a coherent material that is slip-resistant and will withstand spillages in the kitchen, yet look timeless and soothing in the living area.
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Divide with shelving
To give a large room instant shape and structure, use freestanding furniture to differentiate the various areas. A simple shelving unit placed between the lounge and dining space is an easy way to zone a large multiuse space, plus it’ll give you practical extra storage.
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Make room for all
When planning your space, think about creating a scheme that complements your lifestyle. This plain rectangular room has been transformed into an inviting hub that’s perfect for family life. Two sofas are socially positioned in an L-shape, while wall-hung storage will keep a busy space organized from day to day.
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Slot in a desk
A home without walls means you may have to factor in multipurpose spaces. Create a hardworking home office that’s still part of the wider scheme with a desk that’s in keeping with your décor. Don’t neglect smart storage either, as it’ll be on display all the time. If privacy is an issue, you could close off the area with a curtain or freestanding screen.
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Streamline appliances
When your kitchen is part of a larger living space, it’s regularly on show to visitors. It’s not ideal if guests can see your socks spinning around in your washing machine, and you don’t want your appliances to make such a noise that you can’t hear the TV either. Go for integrated machines that can be hidden behind cabinet doors and buy the quietest possible models. Integrated refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers will also make your kitchen look sleeker.
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Duplicate furniture
Consistency is key and will make your open-plan home look streamlined and elegant. Create a visual link between spaces by choosing matching furniture. Here, pale neutral walls allow black fixtures and accessories to become the main feature, seamlessly blending one zone into another.
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Put a peninsula to work
A peninsular unit that juts out at a right angle from a wall of units can help you to create a natural barrier between your kitchen and the rest of the space. It can also provide useful additional countertop and storage space for the kitchen while doubling up as a breakfast bar too.
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Let the light in
In large open spaces with windows limited to one aspect, the area in the middle can often be starved of light. Installing a skylight can make the world of difference, bathing the heart of the room in natural light. Install electric blinds on those lightwells too, so when you do want a cozy feel at night it’s easy to shut out the outside world.
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Move up with a mezzanine
If you have particularly high ceilings or are extending a building from scratch, think about incorporating a mezzanine floor into your design. Whether used as a seating nook, library or study, it will allow you to create a more intimate area within your airy open-plan space. In this scheme by Gpad London, the sculptural staircase forms a wow-factor transition between the two levels.
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Wheel in furniture
The great thing about an open-plan space is that it can be easily rearranged to set a whole new scene as and when you need. If you want your room to be really versatile, invest in furniture with wheels. This coffee table, for example, can be easily pushed against the wall within seconds. It’s also possible to purchase sofas, dining tables, bookshelves and even island units that are on castor wheels.
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Step it up
Consider your interior floor plan. Creating a split-level floor in your open-plan space will help to discreetly zone off different areas. Here, a small step takes you up to the light-filled living area. Meanwhile, a step down could be used as a transition into a cozy den or a more formal dining space.
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Make room for play
The beauty of an open-plan living area is that it allows you to watch over young children playing and older kids doing homework, while you kick back and relax or get on with other tasks. Consider including a playmat, study desk or even a games zone in your layout. To avoid the space being completely taken over by toys and tech, invest in boxes or baskets that can be tucked away out of sight.
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Plump for a partition
In an open-plan studio apartment or small space, a half-wall can work well to screen off the kitchen from the rest of the room without blocking out any light. A neat little breakfast bar has been created on one side of this wall, while the other side supports the TV, which faces out into a cozy living area.
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Maximize extraction
It’s wonderful to be able to cook and entertain simultaneously and an open-plan space allows you to do that with ease. What you don’t want though is for the whole room to smell of whatever you’re cooking, so it’s important to equip your kitchen with a high-powered range hood to whisk all those odors away.
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Don’t skimp on storage
Keeping an open-plan space tidy can be a challenge – especially if you have a family. The easiest way to stay organized is to have a place for everything. This means investing in a mix of hidden storage and display areas for those more attractive items. Here, the kitchen cabinetry, broken up by open-shelving, has been taken right up to the ceiling so there’s no redundant space.
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Roll out a rug
If you have the same flooring throughout, rugs are a cheap and easy way to help zone your areas. As a guide, the rug should be no wider or narrower than the furniture that’s placed on it. Always make sure there is a small border of flooring visible at the edges, which will create the illusion of more space too.
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Suspend from the ceiling
Using the ceiling to suspend items can be a very effective way of dividing up a large multiuse room, and making use of all available space. Here, the ceiling over the island holds the range hood and a striking glass display unit. Pan racks fixed to the ceiling would work in a similar space-efficient way. However, this trick is most effective in rooms with high ceilings, otherwise it can overcrowd a space.
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Color-code zones
If you want to create a distinction between your living zones without ending up with a jarring, disconnected scheme, decorate each individual area with different hues. Here, deep blue and powder pink armchairs define this sitting area, while pale sage accents dominate the kitchen. Pops of yellow create a cohesive link between the two spaces.
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Choose space-savvy furniture
For open-plan rooms where space is at a premium, consider investing in clever furnishings that have been specially made for snug schemes. This angular IKEA table frees up the thoroughfare with its unique triangular design, which can also extend to double the length to accommodate guests when needed.
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Choose a monochrome palette
When it comes to the heart of the home, living rooms are overtaking kitchens so a stylish open-plan communal space that provides room for relaxing, working, exercising and dining is the key to success. This industrial-style open-concept room uses easygoing modern furniture, cozy texture and lush greenery to make it homely. The large space is then pulled together with black accents and a soft white palette.
