open plan living

8 years ago

We are lucky enough to be planning a new-build house, and are at sketch stage. The idea is mainly open plan downstairs and a central staircase with double volume space leading to 3 bedrooms upstairs. Does anyone have experience of living in this kind of home? I'm sure it will look lovely, but are there drawbacks eg privacy, noise etc. that I should be concerned about? I have always lived in traditional houses with walls and doors everywhere! We have 2 youngish children, no pets.

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Brandi Nash Hicks

8 years ago

Your boys will grow quickly ,think about a room on the main that can or could be a master one day,also resell...most people want a master on the main level..having the boys upstairs with you is great now ...when they get about ten or twelve you will be wishing you had your own space,lol

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Comments (10)

bookworm987
8 years ago
I disagree, I think many people prefer the master bedroom upstairs as it feels more private. However, a small guest bedroom downstairs is often a good idea. Put the downstairs loo next to it, with a shower for guests. It can double as a home office. The bedroom, not the loo!

I would also have a snug/TV room that you can close off so that either the grown ups or the kids can have some separate space. A playroom for toddlers can become a library for grown ups or a teenage den. Think about how your children's needs -and yours- will change as they get older. You could use sliding doors so that you can keep the open plan feel when they're open.

Last thing I would say is, as you're lucky enough to be planning a new build - storage, storage, storage! Incorporate walk-in cupboards wherever you can. Good luck!
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The only real way to make it clear from the kitchen is to have it against the back wall at the foot of the stairs, but this may then make the bottom of the stairs look cluttered and it will then be difficult to put a coffee table there. If you are going to use a table I'd go for a clear glass one so that it looks invisible. I think the best place for the sofa is on the wall along the stairs, it seems the only logical place.
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I really like that wall unit. Wall colour? I would go with a simple off white like Timeless by Dulux. It’s a nice warm tone. I do have Dulux Polished Pebble in my bedroom. It’s a pale grey. Can look a bit lilac in a dark room, but it looks like you have good light. I find that wooden divide very heavy looking and I would remove it. Just my opinion. First pic is Timeless and second is Polished Pebble.
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Hi Louise, This new design will revolutionise your living! Watch out for the dining table zone. It may feel tight as it's close to adjacent doors. You may find moving the dining zone into the living room and having additional seating or storage in its current place as another solution to consider. I offer a 3D furniture floorplan service that shows your space to scale, with multiple furniture and storage arrangement scenarios, from the lens of a seasoned interior designer. It's my most popular service, and it's affordable. I'd be happy to email you my presentation if you drop me a line on hello@londonfatcat.com. Additionally, I have a brilliant little project management tool that itemises all the general build items a homeowner needs to complete a refurbishment. It helps homeowners budget their finishes/material costs by knowing exactly what to get. For example, there are at least 21 first and second fix items a builder needs for a bathroom. So when your builder asks for a bathroom's thermostatic valve and cistern, there won't be delays to your project as you'll have it on hand. You can get more details here: www.londonfatcat.com/project-management-tool All the best with your refurbishment, Louise! Best regards, Faten www.londonfatcat.com 5* rated on Google
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It depends how bright you'd like to go? Natural tones are very popular at the moment. I'm thinking something you could swap out if you get tired of it. Brighter cushions maybe and a much brighter rug on top of yours in a smaller size. You could leave everything and put all your effort into brightening up your built in bookcases either side. Even your book spines are muted. Start small with a few brighter books and see if you like it first. You have one accent orange cushion maybe carry on with that idea. Even a brightly coloured plant or flowers on the table would lift it.
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Brandi Nash Hicks
8 years ago
When we had out home on the market all of the bedrooms were upstairs,everyone that came through wanted a master on the main level ...probably need a option for one downstairs even if you don't use it until they get older
PRO
OnePlan
8 years ago
I think people have different expectations in different countries . What works in one continent doesn't always work in another !

It's great that you are in on the design stage as you can design more ergonomically too - ie laundry room near enough to the bedrooms but well sound proofed if you want to use the washer at night - maybe not so critical now if you are an 'at home mum' - but later when the children are bigger - might be necessary ... ( or downstairs if you always hang your washing out side - but it means dragging all washing up and down stairs etc and takes more time which you may not have later if you go back to work )

Back to your original question - yes noise will filter upstairs more easily in this type of design - practicalities of changing bulbs and reaching cobwebs etc too are a consideration !

Designing just enough bedrooms for the current family might be not quite enough . What if you need to look after a poorly relative or want a live in nanny ? A spare room could be useful . As could a multipurpose room as bookworm described .

Really take your time planning this home so that it works to suit you long term - and isn't just someone else's dream - make it yours !!
User
8 years ago
Build the nanny 's room as far away from the hubby's quarters as possible.
jelliest
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks for the comments! Unfotunately I think constraints of both budget and land are putting the kibosh on the two suggestions of fully separate master suite area (we'll at least have the bathroom and ensuite separating our room from the girls' rooms) and the separate snug. We were hoping to have the latter exactly so that children and grown-ups can entertain themselves separately, but have reduced it to a small seating area in the kitchen-dining side of the open plan space. Slightly tucked around a corner, so hopefully that will drown out the worst of the TV/play noises if we are trying to talk to friends! Sliding doors might be a good idea there though, thanks bookworm987. Downstairs at the back we also have 2 separate office spaces planned in - mine I will share with the children, for computers, sewing, craft projects etc, and hopefully keep the rest of the house a bit tidier. It's next to the utility in the current drawings so I think it has potential for conversion to a bedroom and toilet/shower room if we or future owners needed a downstairs bedroom, or to a proper snug if we aren't using it fully as an office/craft room.

Storage! Yikes! We forgot originally to put that in our design spec...! then told the architect at the 2nd meeting that it was very important. I think it got designed in, then designed out again! Must bring it up again as I agree you can't have too much of the stuff unless you are a ruthless chucker-outer of things (we're not)!

In the revision process the house size crept up bit by bit... then we realised we couldn't afford to make it much bigger and also were running out of garden space! I always hoped to be able to build my absolute dream home, and although it's wonderful to be able to start from scratch the reality is that we will have to make a lot of compromises.
PRO
Openplan Design
8 years ago
it is more and more common these days for people to open up, so much in fact that we named our company accordingly. i am a huge lover of open plan spaces and a well planned one will serve you greatly. its like buying a convertible, you know your hair is going to blow in the wind but you will have the gorgeous sun to bask in (when it shines). A snug / den room is a good way to isolate anyone watching tv etc leaving the living area isolated. however having a young family, its very useful being able to keep an eye on the kids in an open plan space
bookworm987
8 years ago
As regards the storage, just remember that all that stuff has to be somewhere...so although you might feel that you are sacrificing floor space for storage, consider the alternative: a large cluttered room. I'd always opt for a room that is smaller but tidier! My top storage tips:

Make the most of built in storage by custom fitting shelves/drawers to fit your belongings.

Shelve all the way to the ceiling in a closet and get a step stool.

Remember that drawers are easier to access and tidy than cupboards.

Use hanging rails at different heights in wardrobes to fit differently sized clothes.
jelliest
Original Author
8 years ago
Good tips re storage - thanks!
Charley Gloerfelt
8 years ago
If you kitchen is part of the open plan, do yourself a favour and have a good extractor - there is nothing worse than the smell of food getting into your soft furnishings! I love open plan, but for me it's still important to keep separate 'zones' like a definite eating area and seating area. Screens or even moving bookshelves are a great way to create flexible areas that can be opened up if need be. Some closed rooms are always good if you can have them too.

Storage is massively important, as everyone has mentioned. Firstly though, use the move as an opportunity to get rid of your clutter. It's hard at first but then it feels amazing.

I would say really look at the plans and utilise the 'dead' space. This is space that you aren't really going to use i.e. nooks under stairs etc and figure out how to make them useful. When you are planning the kitchen too, look at what you own that needs a "home" i.e. tall cupboards for vacuum cleaners, brooms etc and also what can be decorative yet practical - Nice saucepans hung up are better than overflowing drawers. I would also take everything up to the ceiling where you can. It creates storage and looks more elegant.

Noise does carry more in open plan so look at your materials and chose fittings that help absorb the noise - wood floors for example will clatter less than tiles. Make use of rugs and soft furnishings too, this will all help.

Finally, (gosh I do go on don't I) the most important thing is to make the space work for you. Your family will have it's needs and dynamics so take some time to figure out what these are and meet those needs. Does your family create mounds of washing that will need drying areas? Do you have a bazillion shoes? Really look at these things and make them a priority in your design. As bookworm said, clutter is worse than having less floor space. This is the less sexy part of designing but if you get a space to work for you, it will be much more enjoyable to live in. This doesn't mean making it a weird, unsellable house but just making it practical.

Also, if you are going to put the whole family upstairs then I would recommend soundproofing the walls (it's not a massive expense) and you have a downstairs bathroom somewhere as it's nice to have the segregation if you have guests.

open plan living

Brandi Nash Hicks

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