In the last 30 or so years, floor plans have gone through many changes, mostly for the better! When designing your floor plan, you no longer need to worry as much about the load bearings. This is due to multiple factors, namely improvements in construction materials, design, and engineered products. This innovation in design allows for a beautiful open floor plan that allows for natural lighting and great spaces for entertaining.

Having a home with an open floor plan is great, it feels more spacious, allows for natural lighting, and is great for entertaining. Unfortunately an open floor plan also has a trade-off. What do you do if you want an intimate dinner or simply want a little privacy? Or what if, after living in your home for a while, you realize you don’t like open spaces?

When you purchase a new home that has been built with an open floor plan, there needs to be a little creativity when it comes to adding intimate spaces. Tall ceilings and expansive walls can make your home feel cold, and a poorly designed open floor plan can also cause you trouble when it comes to heading and cooling your home. As a homebuyer you want a large, open plan, while retaining some of the coziness that smaller rooms give.

There are many ways you can create this warmth and intimacy in a home without having to put up walls!

Here are some of the ways to make a home appear a little more intimate;

Color – Proper choice of  color is a great way to create warmth and provide that cozy feeling that you want to retain without giving up the benefits of an open floor plan. Implementing a warm color scheme that also mixes colder and darker shades can completely transform the look and feel of a room. Choose paint, fabrics, and decorative elements with the entirety of the color scheme in mind. Colors that add warmth to a room are yellow, orange, and red.

Furnishings – Clever placement of furniture is a great way to carve our smaller areas in the room. Area rugs are a great way to define an area of the room, and combined with different light fixtures, can create a room within a room. The placement of your couch or cedar chests and benches can also help to separate the living area from the dining area.

Flooring Choices – Using different flooring materials can break up a large room. You may want the kitchen and dining areas to be wood or tile, while you choose to carpet the living area to carpeted. You can even change the color of the flooring for a similar effect.

Plants  – Adding plants to your home can not only add a great splash of color to your home, but they also help add warmth and life. Filling your home with plants and flowers is a very inexpensive way to make your open floor plan look lively and intimate at the same time. When choosing your plants, be sure to pick plants that need little light and care. Before buying your plants, be sure to find out if they can be toxic to kids or pets.

A little creativity can go a long way when transforming your home into a warm and intimate place to live regardless of the type of floor plan.

For more ideas and tips for building a custom home please download our resource guide.