How to open up your living space

Some interior designers said 2024 might see the end of open-plan living, but by and large, this hasn’t happened. While there has been a slight shift towards separate living spaces in period properties, perhaps because it suits the style of the property more, there is an ongoing need for large, multi-functional rooms in more modern homes. Perhaps a lasting effect of the pandemic, or perhaps because it is a style of living that offers the greatest flexibility, homeowners are still trying to create bright open spaces that cater for all their needs including entertaining friends and family, space to work from home, and simply having a more sociable family space for everyone to gather and do their own thing. When done well, open-plan living can also add value to your property.

There are pros and cons to open-plan living, and whether you want to embrace it or not is a matter of personal choice. If it is a style that suits you, we have some top tips on how to open up your living space.

Top tips for more space  

Add more light

One of the top reasons homeowners choose open-plan living is because they want a lighter, brighter space. Common ways to maximise light include adding a skylight to a single storey extension and installing large sliding or bi-folding doors.

Let the flooring flow

If you have a large, multi-functional room, it can be useful to utilise the same flooring across the space to make it feel even bigger. Whether from the kitchen into the dining room, or even from a kitchen/dining space into the garden, the same, or similar flooring gives the illusion of more space.

Create zones

Open-plan living doesn’t necessarily mean vast, minimalist, wide open space. It can also be useful to create separate zones for different functions within the room. For example, a rug underneath the dining room table and a light or skylight directly over the dining area can make it feel like more of a designated space while maintaining the sociability aspect. Similarly, if you have a desk in the corner of the room to work from home, placing some plants and suitable lamp lighting next to it can help it to feel like a place of work. The use of similar flooring as mentioned above, or the same paint colour throughout the space will ensure that despite having different zones, you keep a cohesive look throughout.

Bring the outside in

Another popular way to open up space in the home, whether you have a large open-plan living space inside or not, is to add sliding doors or bi-fold doors that integrate the garden into the home. Large expanses of glass in these sorts of products, especially aluminium sliding doors or bi-fold doors that often have a slimmer frame, accentuate the view of the garden. But of course, when open, these products also bring the garden into the home by creating a seamless flow between indoors and outdoors.

Take the inside out

An increasingly popular trend that is also adding value to homes now is the creation of outdoor living areas. We are increasingly seeing more comfortable outdoor seating that looks more like indoor sofas, as well as the installation of bar and kitchen areas to create that open-plan living feel in the garden. The only issue with spending more time outdoors in the UK is the unpredictable weather, and while fire pits and blankets might keep us warm on colder nights, it takes a little more to protect us from the rain. Reynaers at Home offers a stunning aluminium and glass veranda that protects outdoor living spaces from the rain and helps to integrate indoor and outdoor space.

Take cover

If you think a veranda would be the perfect addition to your home, it’s worth doing your research first. Any outdoor structure needs to be particularly strong to be able to cope with the variable demands of the UK climate. As well as keeping the rain out, it needs to be able to withstand wind and snow loading while still looking the part. The ParallelRoof 100 veranda from Reynaers at Home is a stylish and high performing option that offers minimal obstruction of the views outside and facilitates comfortable outdoor living.

Open up your home

If you would like to open up your home by either installing aluminium sliding or bi-fold doors, or by adding a veranda to create a more seamless flow between indoors and outdoors, contact your local Reynaers at Home installer today for more information.