Before the 1990s, virtually all new homes were designed with separate kitchen, living and dining areas. These were succeeded by multi-functional, open layouts, which aren’t going anywhere.
Fully open-plan rooms often comprise an airy integrated kitchen, eating and sitting area – and possibly a desk – while broken-plan layouts are partially segmented by screens, doors or in other ways. Going open plan maximises space and light, giving you a versatile and sociable home.
First, we explore key considerations of open-plan living, before we tackle broken-plan spaces…
4 benefits of open-plan living
1. Choose to remove walls
Creating an open-plan layout involves removing at least one wall – usually the one dividing the kitchen from the dining room, the one between front and back living rooms or the one separating a narrow hall from the sitting room. Or maybe you’re planning on ripping down a rear or side wall to add an extension.
While taking out external walls before extending is a job for experienced builders, a competent DIYer should be able to knock through an interior wall – as long as it’s not load-bearing. This type of wall supports your home and prevents it from falling down, and if removed you must install a rolled steel joist (RSJ) in the gap to carry the weight of the floor above. Hire a structural engineer to assess whether the wall is load-bearing and if so, to calculate the size of the RSJ required.
2. Rethink the heating
All-in-one spaces can be harder to heat than smaller, individual rooms. They don’t warm up as quickly, you have to heat the entire area and having fewer walls limits the places where radiators can go. This is the time to replace an old boiler – particularly if it can’t cope with the extra square footage in an extension – and top up insulation.
Find out roughly much heat output is required using an online BTU calculator, and install tall, vertical radiators – either plumbed into the central heating or electric models which operate independently. A water underfloor heating system is ideal as it distributes warmth across the area. Compatible with almost all types of flooring, it pumps water through pipes in the subfloor or panels and is invisible, energy efficient and cheap to run.
3. Visual zoning
The key to a successful open-plan arrangement is ensuring the space flows while providing clearly defined zones. For example, your kitchen may be open plan to the dining and living area – three very different functions within the same room.
Begin by working out exactly what you want to include, map out where cabinets, appliances and other fixed elements will go, then focus on furniture. Run the same flooring throughout, choose a harmonious colour scheme, delineate the sitting and dining spaces with rugs, and don’t be afraid to place a sofa in the middle. Layered lighting will change the mood and visually break up the space. Put pendants above the dining area, task lighting over worktops, and accent lighting to show off interesting features.
‘Painting a section of the room or wall creates the illusion of a separate area, which is perfect for those wanting a designated corner for working from home or a reading nook. Using darker shades in these typically quieter areas can also be soothing, which in turn, can help a busy mind focus on the task at hand’
Kathryn Lloyd, colour specialist, Crown
4. Storage solutions
Knocking down walls inevitably means losing shelving and other storage. And, with your kitchen and other areas on show all the time, it’s more important than ever to keep surfaces tidy and clutter-free. Building work is a great excuse for a clear-out, so go through existing cupboards, throw away out-of-date foods and donate or sell crockery and cookware, before moving on to the living room.
Fit a hard-working island incorporating shelves to keep cookery books hidden from view as well as storage for pans and plates and make full use of walls and alcoves – in both kitchen and living areas – with fitted floor-to-ceiling cabinets. And if the dining table’s close to the wall, ask a joiner to make built-in bench seating with cupboards or drawers underneath.
5 cons of open-plan living
- Noise: ‘By taking out walls, noise is able to travel easily, which can be hard when managing different activities at the same time,’ says Holly Ambrose, interior designer at Roomes Furniture & Interiors
- Cooking smells: These spread rapidly too, so it’s important to install a powerful extractor
- Lack of privacy: It can be difficult to find quiet spots, especially if you have a big or boisterous family
- Choosing oversized furniture: ‘This can ruin the spacious feel. Keeping the proportions right is key – opt for slim tables and lighter structures to maintain that airy atmosphere,’ advises Gareth Davies, design director at Classic Interiors
- Safety: You’ll need to be extra vigilant in the kitchen without doors to prevent any accidents with young children or pets
4 reasons to choose broken-plan living
adjoining conservatory
We learned a lot about our homes during lockdown and our priorities changed as a result. Outside space became more desirable than ever, and busy households came to appreciate the importance of having a designated area to work in, away from everyone else.
A completely open plan room isn’t conducive to holding Zoom meetings or writing reports when children are running around or your partner’s baking all day, so a hybrid broken plan layout might suit you much better.
1. Choose half walls
A serving hatch is an early example of a broken plan layout, cut into a wall between a kitchen and dining room which can be closed off when desired. Although this particular idea is rather dated now, a half or partial wall is still a practical route to compartmentalising the space. This means removing most, rather than all, of an internal wall vertically to fashion an extra wide opening, or building a low, horizontal wall.
Retaining part of a wall has the advantage of providing extra storage and when integrating a hall and living room, it will protect you from draughts when the front door’s open. Or, if you’re lacking a focal point, why not break up a large living area – and keep it toasty – with a freestanding double-sided fireplace?
2. Go for split level
Make use of different levels within the same space to achieve a broken plan set up. We’re not talking flights of stairs but just a few steps to elevate the dining room, lower the seating area slightly or detach a study or snug from the main kitchen and living area without cutting it off entirely.
You might want to visually separate these zones further with different flooring in each. This will also help to indicate the change in level and reduce the risk of tripping up. Varying ceiling heights across the room can also signify a change in function. A marginally lower ceiling makes a TV or family area kitted out with sofas and armchairs feel more cosy, and if you have the bonus of double-height ceilings, a mezzanine can significantly expand the usable space.
‘In a larger bedroom, a half-wall height headboard can create a broken-plan layout that feels cosier and more inviting. Position the headboard centrally to divide the room into distinct areas, such as a sleeping zone and dressing area. This approach provides a sense of separation without completely closing off the spaces, maintaining an open and breezy ambience’
Claire Garner, director of Claire Garner Design Studio
3. Partitions and screens
A partition or room divider is another way to cordon off part of the room. Crittall-style glass and slatted wood allow light to filter through, or fit open shelving at right angles to the wall for extra storage too. Bespoke shelves built into a wooden partition provide a surprising amount of space for books and displaying favourite objects, or you might prefer a freestanding unit that can be repositioned if you want to tweak the layout later.
A portable folding screen gives the flexibility of creating a separate nook on a temporary basis – perhaps for working or doing homework – while being able to open the whole room effortlessly at weekends and for entertaining. Or opt for budget-friendly floor-length drapes hung on rings from a slim curtain pole to carve out a private pocket.
4. Bi-fold or sliding doors
Full-height doors are very effective at dividing an area and minimising noise. Your options are sliding, French or bi-fold doors. Pocket sliding doors, which sit discreetly in a wall cavity when open, suit small spaces, and hinged French and bi-fold doors can be designed to fit openings of all sizes, whether across a wide living room or within a larger fixed divider.
Bi-folds also come in a huge variety of heights and widths. When renovating a period home, you might be able to source reclaimed timber doors, though these will obviously restrict light. Fully-glazed panelled doors – again inspired by Crittall designs – continue to be popular and it’s easy to understand why: they’re timeless, low-maintenance, great for all types of property and enhance space and light.
5 cons of broken-plan living
- Visual confusion: ‘If not designed properly, a broken plan layout can end up being visually confusing,’ says Ryan McDonough, interior design expert at MyJobQuote. ‘Items meant to divide the space can instead create barriers’
- Less sociable: ‘The easy flow of conversation is reduced as the partitions can make it harder to engage with family or guests in other parts of the space,’ explains Chris Dance, showroom manager at InHouse Inspired Room Design
- Inflexibility: Fixed dividers mean it’s tricky to change the layout
- Cost: Being more complex than open plan, the build is more expensive, especially when altering floor or ceiling heights
- Sound: Noise still travels between the zones, though soft furnishings help to absorb it.
