Arranging an open concept kitchen and living space

6/11/2020

Open concept living is a great way to make your home feel larger, but layouts can be tricky. How do you seamlessly integrate kitchen/dining/living spaces? Where do you put the family room area in proximity to the dining or kitchen area? Here are a handful of ideas when arranging an open concept kitchen and living space.

ZONES AND FURNITURE SIZE:

  • It’s tempting to push all of your furniture against walls and spread pieces out. Instead, consider creating areas or zones for specific tasks that utilize the centre of the room.
  • Use rugs to separate your zones. Angle your furniture to create walkways and direct the flow.
  • Choose appropriately sized furniture. If you’re working with a very large space, make sure your dining table and living room furniture are proportionally sized. If your couch is too small or too big, it will throw off the balance of the space.


ARRANGING FURNITURE:

Create a cohesive layout that has a natural flow.

  • For your family room decide on a focal point. It could be windows, a large bookcase, a fireplace or your tv. Place your largest piece of furniture opposite the focal point to create balance.
  • Incorporate the rest of your furniture to create a U or L shape. I.e. Your largest piece of furniture will face the focal point, but your arm chairs or other sofa will face into the centre of the living room.
  • For your dining room, the table and chairs should be placed off of the kitchen island.


FURNITURE COMBINATIONS:

It can be tempting to fill up large spaces with a lot of furniture, so when you’re purchasing items make sure they have a clearly defined purpose, otherwise an open concept area can start to look cluttered and mismatched.

  • Family rooms usually have a combination of one the following:
    • 4 large arm chairs
    • 1-2 sofas and 2 arm chairs
    • 2 sofas
    • 1 large sectional and 1-2 arm chairs
  • Dining areas include:
    • Dining table with chairs (optional to have two different head chairs)
    • A hutch or dining cabinet that matches the kitchen cabinetry


INTEGRATING EVERYTHING TOGETHER:

  • Once you have your main furniture in place use lighting, rugs, and other design elements to unify everything.
  • Place a rug under your dining area and in your living room area.
  • Use chandelier lighting above your dining area, and create separate, dimmable ambient lighting for your living room area.
  • Add warm and a cohesive feel with throws, pillows, window treatments, and plants.
  • Keep your colours complementary so everything flows seamlessly together and choose one or two accent colours.