To showcase our latest collection of homewares, Welcome Home, we transformed this spectacular heritage listed warehouse apartment, Hunting for George style. With a large open plan interior to decorate, we sure had our hands full. Luckily, we’re always up for a good challenge!
If you have an open floor plan to work with then count yourself lucky. You’ll have so many options available to you, but with that freedom of choice comes some tough decisions. Here’s our top tips on how to tackle an open plan interior…
1. Decide on the use of space
Think about how you want the space to be utilised. Do you want a formal dining area as well as an informal living area? Do you need to integrate a bedroom into your living space? Once you can get an understanding of how you want the space to be used then you can start to plan your zones. When considering zones, think about how you will access them. Which areas will be accessed most regularly and which ones require more privacy?
2. Create Zones
When you know the different areas you wish to create you need to be able to differentiate them because you don’t have walls to do that for you!
Rugs
A great way to do this is through the use of rugs. By placing a rug on the floor you create a grounding base. If you need to use multiple rugs in one space, make sure they work harmoniously together. Try and mix up the shape of rugs if you can, as a circular rug is a great way to break up repetitive rectangular shapes.
When choosing a rug it’s important to consider where you plan on placing the rug. Do you need a rug that’s tough enough to handle lots of foot traffic in a busy thoroughfare or a bedroom? Or do you love a little luxury and want your rug to be soft underfoot? Once this is defined, the correct material and fibres can be chosen to ensure your rug is well-suited to the space. We opted for Nodi’s Organic Lines Rug Design 3 in the living area, it’s fluid, bold lines bring texture and character to the space. To mix it up a little and add detail, we partnered this with Armadillo&Co.’s Petunia Weave Rug. In the bedroom area we opted for something soft and luxurious underfoot with Nodi’s Ribbed Wool Rug.
Furniture
Furniture is a great way to block off areas and set the tone for the space. Your choice of Dining Table, Couch, Bed and Armchair are important and their size especially! If your informal living area is more important to you than the dining area, then make the size of your furniture reflect that. Don’t forget to get the measuring tape out. It’s so important to be able to visualise how big or small your furniture will appear in the space.
3. Create Privacy
The one thing an open plan interior does not give you is privacy, so you’re going to need to create your own room dividers. These can be as significant as you want. We love using tall plants and trees indoors to provide some privacy. A great option is a Ficus or Strelitzia, as they love the indoors and provide generous coverage. Otherwise try integrating curtains to divide the area if you can, or use a taller shelving piece such as a bookcase filled with plants and personal belongings to create privacy.
There’s plenty more where that came from. If you’re struggling to zone your open plan interior, we’d love to give you a helping hand! We’re happy to talk you through some bright ideas in the shop or online. Bring along some photos and we’ll chat it through.
