Architectural Tricks to Enhance an Open-Plan Space

People are increasingly excited by the lifestyle possibilities offered by open-plan living, but sometimes are frightened off by the idea of rattling around in a big, soulless space. To avoid having an open-plan space that looks dull and flat, borrow ideas from the best designs and incorporate interior devices that define different zones. This means playing with the separation between areas, changes in floor level, finishes, islands, furniture groupings, light and so on. These deliberate layers can change the perception of space as well as create a more interesting room to be in.

Define your zones

People often think they must have either separate rooms or an open plan. The reality is not so black and white, as the relationship between different zones can be manipulated by varying degrees, to emphasize their separation or integration. Changes in floor level, floor finish, ceiling condition, furniture arrangement and many other devices can all contribute to this fine-tuning.

Create layered views

When considering ideas for opening up your interior, look for opportunities to set up views with layers.

Go for visual separation

 When adding to or altering a building, creating a clear visual separation between the new and existing elements of the building can really enhance the sense of extra space.

Use daylight as a highlighter

Daylight is the most wonderful magnifier of interior spaces. If you can bring more natural light into your home, it will have a great effect in maximizing the sense of space — and even in an already opened-up area, this is generally a benefit.  It does need to be done intelligently, however, as too much daylight flooding in — particularly too much direct sunlight — can be overwhelming, reducing overall contrast and bleaching everything out (and reducing the impact of all of your carefully created layers). So try to use daylight to create highlight points among the layers, enhancing the visual separation and creating greater depth.

But in really small spaces, blur your zones

Having described the importance of defining zones, it might seem contrary to talk about blurring the boundaries between them. In smaller homes, however, it’s sometimes good to deliberately overlap these boundaries.

Use an island to give purpose to individual spaces

Kitchen islands are probably the most common device for defining zones within an open-plan space, and this is one of the main reasons they are so popular (although many people do not realize that this is why).

By clearly signposting where the different zones within an open-plan space are, you get the benefits of the openness and daylight penetration while retaining a comfortable domestic scale. Well-defined zones are not just functional; they also help people feel more comfortable.