9 Ways to Create Zones in an Open-plan Home
Whether you love open-plan living or simply need to use a room for more than one purpose, here’s how to create zones to make it work
Helen Winter
6 March 2016
Regular Houzz UK Contributor and owner of Coral Interiors, a full service interior design company based in Bournemouth Dorset.
Regular Houzz UK Contributor and owner of Coral Interiors, a full service interior... More
Open-plan living means we often eat, cook, relax and entertain in the same physical space. Even older houses, which may have been built with a dining room, drawing room, separate kitchen and study, are now frequently knocked through into a more flowing space. But how do we make all these ‘rooms within a room’ work visually – and practically? Read on to find out how colour, rugs, lighting and focal points are key.
Decorate to differentiate
Try designing each zone differently, starting with the wall treatments. Here, the walls are decorated in contrasting ways, with industrial-style exposed brick in one zone next to tiles and painted cabinets in the kitchen area.
There’s plenty of visual ‘white space’ around each area, so the overall look is relaxed and bright. Too many zones in too small an area can just feel cluttered.
Try designing each zone differently, starting with the wall treatments. Here, the walls are decorated in contrasting ways, with industrial-style exposed brick in one zone next to tiles and painted cabinets in the kitchen area.
There’s plenty of visual ‘white space’ around each area, so the overall look is relaxed and bright. Too many zones in too small an area can just feel cluttered.
Work the island effect
Rugs are a great way to zone a space. Here, they create a visual cue that the living area is separate from the kitchen area. The relaxing and dining zones each have a different look, but complement each other at the same time thanks to a simple and pared-back colour scheme. You don’t want your zones to clash!
Rugs are a great way to zone a space. Here, they create a visual cue that the living area is separate from the kitchen area. The relaxing and dining zones each have a different look, but complement each other at the same time thanks to a simple and pared-back colour scheme. You don’t want your zones to clash!
Pick a focal point
Furniture grouping and angling can easily create clear areas, such as with these two seating zones. Lighting, rugs and colour schemes bridge the areas and keep them separate at the same time. Each zone also has a clear focal point: the fireplace in the centre of each space. This is a good way to create one zone for daytime and one for evening.
Furniture grouping and angling can easily create clear areas, such as with these two seating zones. Lighting, rugs and colour schemes bridge the areas and keep them separate at the same time. Each zone also has a clear focal point: the fireplace in the centre of each space. This is a good way to create one zone for daytime and one for evening.
Let the light do the talking
The location of lighting has a big part to play in zoning. Dining tables traditionally have a large feature light overhead and it’s a wonderful way to create a break point between one space and another.
The location of lighting has a big part to play in zoning. Dining tables traditionally have a large feature light overhead and it’s a wonderful way to create a break point between one space and another.
Keep your options open
Sliding doors allow the best of both open-plan living and compartmentalisation. Close the doors to contain the bathroom or slide them back to allow freedom of movement between the areas during the day.
Find out what you need to know about going open-plan
Sliding doors allow the best of both open-plan living and compartmentalisation. Close the doors to contain the bathroom or slide them back to allow freedom of movement between the areas during the day.
Find out what you need to know about going open-plan
Play with levels
This open-plan space is zoned visually with different floor levels. Using different levels, or even just different flooring, gives a lovely clear sense of ‘rooms within a room’.
Here, the relaxed, pale neutrals throughout create a seamless flow but with clearly separated areas.
This open-plan space is zoned visually with different floor levels. Using different levels, or even just different flooring, gives a lovely clear sense of ‘rooms within a room’.
Here, the relaxed, pale neutrals throughout create a seamless flow but with clearly separated areas.
Divide and rule
These glass doors divides the sleeping area from the seating zone in this compact flat. If the doors were solid, it would break up the space too much, but the light filtering through to the bedroom from the seating area, even when the doors are closed, and the view from the bedroom to the living room and beyond, means there is a flow between the two at the same time as demarcating each zone.
Read about the growing trend for ‘broken-plan’ living
These glass doors divides the sleeping area from the seating zone in this compact flat. If the doors were solid, it would break up the space too much, but the light filtering through to the bedroom from the seating area, even when the doors are closed, and the view from the bedroom to the living room and beyond, means there is a flow between the two at the same time as demarcating each zone.
Read about the growing trend for ‘broken-plan’ living
Create a kids’ area
This is a clever way of compromising between the needs of the little ones in the house and the adults. The sofa area is traditional, smart and understated, while the children’s play area is colourful and fun, and both coexist very happily in the same space. Again, a rug is a great anchor for the sofa and grown-up space.
Check out 10 genius ways to store kids’ toys
This is a clever way of compromising between the needs of the little ones in the house and the adults. The sofa area is traditional, smart and understated, while the children’s play area is colourful and fun, and both coexist very happily in the same space. Again, a rug is a great anchor for the sofa and grown-up space.
Check out 10 genius ways to store kids’ toys
Make every inch count
Not all open-plan spaces are large and expansive. This ingeniously designed studio flat is a superb example of one-room living. The ‘now you see it, now you don’t’ home office in a cupboard can be stowed away when not in use. You don’t want to be reminded of your paperwork while you’re relaxing and watching TV.
See more of this space-smart studio flat
TELL US…
How do you make open-plan living work for you? Leave a photo and share your tips in the Comments below.
Not all open-plan spaces are large and expansive. This ingeniously designed studio flat is a superb example of one-room living. The ‘now you see it, now you don’t’ home office in a cupboard can be stowed away when not in use. You don’t want to be reminded of your paperwork while you’re relaxing and watching TV.
See more of this space-smart studio flat
TELL US…
How do you make open-plan living work for you? Leave a photo and share your tips in the Comments below.
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Great ideas! Lighting is a great way to zone different living spaces and we love the idea of using different floor treatments too!
Yes. I was thinking this too for my narrow open plan, to use blocks of colour on the wall and rugs to zone the living and dining room...someone else suggested using marmoleum but zoning it in different colours or different flooring types to create a wall-less zoned open plan floor but i think I prefer the same flooring throughout, to keep the space feeling open. Was worried that zoned flooring would make it feel smaller!
great piece. Thx