PRO TIPS: HOW TO DECORATE AN OPEN CONCEPT HOME

If you like spacious, well-lit and airy spaces, you will want to jump on the bandwagon of open-plan layouts. But this lack of visual and physical boundaries can mean that they aren’t the easiest to design and decorate. To help you along, we compiled a series of tips to guide you in your journey of doing up an open concept home.

Tip #1: Keep either the materials or colours consistent

It is important to keep to a consistent style throughout the open space. You need to see it as a whole and it will need to come together visually. Because of the absence of boundaries, having too many different concepts can turn your home into a jumbled mess.

Image: Sisindu Tea Estate

This can be done through the use of similar materials or colours. For instance, you could go with rustic materials in a variety of shades, or you could opt for a neutral colour scheme using different sorts of materials. Make sure there is at least one consistent factor running through your open concept home.

Image: Whiskey Woods Townhouse

Tip #2: But give each space its own identity

Image: Villa Seascape Lembongan

While ensuring a running theme throughout your open concept home, you should also think about creating an individual identity for each area through defining a function for the space or providing a focal point in the area. This gives more structure to your space, both visually and in practical terms, and helps your eyes have something to draw towards to. Feature walls, statement décor and even gorgeous window treatments are good focal points to consider.

Image: Villa Samudra Galle

Tip #3: Use lighting, art, rugs or ceiling treatment to anchor an area

Image: Villa Seascape Lembongan

A large, open concept space can feel less cosy, so if you are looking to create some intimacy, things like lighting, art, rugs or a well-designed ceiling treatment can really help anchor down an area and create cosiness without taking up extra square footage.

Image: Camellia Hills Villa

Tip #4: Include cosy nooks around your space

Image: Magma House

A lack of boundaries can mean you don’t have a lot of privacy, so you will want to create cosy corners around your home that will give you the space to recharge and have ‘me’ time. It could be as simple as a bay window nook that is screened of from the main areas of the home, or a lounging area by the stairs.

Tip #5: Don’t push your furniture against the walls

Image: Whiskey Woods Townhouse

To maintain that light and airy feel, it’s best not to push your furniture against the walls. You want to create a good amount of negative space so that your home will appear more spacious. Not only does it help define the different areas in your open concept home, it can also help create a better flow visually and for traffic, allowing people to move from area to area without hindrance.

Tip #6: Go with mobile, modular and multipurpose furniture

Image: Magma House

If you don’t have a lot of space to play around with, it helps to get furniture that can have dual purposes and that can be shared in more than one zone. This way, you won’t crowd your open space with too many furniture, causing a clutter fest.

Image: Villa Atmo

For folks who feel like an open concept home can feel just a little too messy, you might want to make use of furniture that can double up as dividers. For instance, bookshelves that serve as see-through walls or ottomans that help demarcate the space between the living room and dining area.

Image: The Layar Villa 2

Tip #7: Keep in mind what you want to see

One of the main benefits of an open concept home is that you get to see across the different areas of your home all at once, so you want to keep that in mind and make the most of your line of sight when planning out your space.

Image: Villa El Cielo

For instance, if you are a parent, you might want to see your kids playing in the living room while whipping up meals in the kitchen. If you work from home, you might still want to feel connected with your spouse while working from your home office. Or if you entertain often, you might want to interact with your guests while you prep hors d’oeuvres.

Image: Villa Mandala Rocks

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This article was originally published on HKDecoman.

HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation, and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.