Open Concept Floor Plans: Decorating Functional Areas with Consistent Aesthetic

Maximizing Space Efficiency without Sacrificing Style

February 12, 2024
Craftsmanship and Trends, Education

It’s no secret that architects and designers at MN Custom Homes have a deep appreciation for using open-concept floor plans in our luxury homes. Our team finds the freedom of space, fluidity of design, and seamless integration of living areas exciting and innovative.

An open-concept floor plan may initially seem intimidating for buyers who have only lived in traditional homes, but with the right strategies, we can help decorate your home to feel magazine-ready.

By keeping a consistent theme, utilizing the right paint colors, separating zones, and using storage solutions, your open concept will have a cohesive design with a natural flow. This will make your space not only visually appealing but also practical and comfortable for everyday living.

What is an open-concept floor plan?

Open floor plans were popularized in the early 20th century by architects like Frank Lloyd Wright who wanted to break away from traditional layouts. Wright made open floor plans and modern, fluid spaces an integral part of his architectural design philosophy.

It wasn’t until the mid-20th century post-WWII era that open floor plans became common in residential design. Lifestyles changed and building materials and techniques improved, allowing for bigger, open spaces. This period shifted toward more casual living arrangements that merged common areas like the entry, kitchen, and great room into one unobstructed space.¹

In modern times, open-concept floor plans have regained popularity as a new home construction trend for luxury homes.

Benefits of open concept floor plans

Your home is brighter

Open floor plans mean longer, uninterrupted wall space. This gives more space for larger windows to let in more natural light and make your home feel bigger and brighter. With fewer walls dividing spaces, light from chandeliers and lamps can also more easily fill your entire home, making your home more radiant and even reducing electrical costs.

Great for entertaining

A well-planned open-concept floor plan has an inviting, natural flow that makes guests feel welcome in all your entertaining spaces. Without walls separating the kitchen, great room, and dining space, it’s easy to stay a part of the conversation when you’re hosting. In MN homes, kitchens are always spacious and thoughtfully designed with large islands with room for barstools so your guests never feel in the way, but instead a part of the conversation.

Better visibility

Open floor plans make it easy to keep an eye on your family. Large open spaces with tons of natural light mean you can help your kids with their homework while you cook dinner, or watch the game while refilling drinks in the butler’s pantry.

Design tips for open concept floor plans

Decorating an open floor plan doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are our top tips for styling your open floor plan and creating a space you love coming home to.

Maintain a consistent design

Open-concept kitchen and living room floor plans can feel overwhelming to fill. Planning ahead before you start decorating can help maintain a consistent design style between the areas.

Start planning by creating a mood board based on your home’s style. Get inspired by your home’s existing materials and add complementary colors, patterns, fabrics, and metals to keep your design consistent.

276-16-3012 108th Ave SE-Bellevue-WA-MN Custom Homes-Kitchen

364-11-1102 2nd St-kirkland-wa-mn-custom-homes-kitchen

359-09-3860 142nd Pl SE-Bellevue-WA-MN Custom Homes - Great Room

Use paint

Using a neutral white paint color for large spaces will help keep a consistent design in your open floor plan. After you’ve chosen the perfect paint color, don’t be afraid to use color to designate areas or show off the features of your home like the long open sight lines. Try establishing color around existing architecture like fireplaces or walls with decorative moldings.

Tall slate blue fireplace in open concept floor plan living room

370-18-12243 SE 25th Street-Bellevue-WA-MN Custom Homes-Primary Bed

378-10-2821 109th Ave SE-Bellevue-WA-MN Custom Homes-Great Room

Create separate zones

If you’re feeling overwhelmed designing such a large space, try anchoring areas of your home to large focal points like the kitchen island or the fireplace. MN’s interior designers love using lighting fixtures to separate areas. Statement chandeliers easily designate dining areas and create warmth to up your home’s coziness. You can also use area rugs, focal-point furniture, or large artwork to designate the zones of your home while establishing clear walkways and flow.

305-13-16612 SE 26th St-Bellevue-WA-MN-Custom-Homes-Dinning

426-13-12419 NE 29th St-Bellevue-WA-MN Custom Homes-Kitchen

352-15-15220 SE 1st St-Bellevue-WA-MN Custom Homes- Great Room

Make sure everything has a place

An open-concept floor plan means great visibility of your home and with that comes the struggle of seeing messes. Stay organized and enjoy the clean feeling of an open-concept home by planning storage solutions for every room. At MN, our architects plan to contain the mess. We design new construction homes with a mud room to catch coats, shoes, backpacks, and keys, keeping them off your kitchen island or in your foyer. With tons of closet space in every room, everything has a place. We’re even known to add built-in cabinets to store everything else so your open-concept home stays clean and streamlined.

370-14-12243 SE 25th St-Bellevue-WA-MN Custom Homes-Great Room

369-16-730 18th Ave W-Kirkland-WA-MN Custom Homes-Great Room

MN Does Open Concept Better

Open floor plans have many benefits like being great for entertaining, improving visibility, and making your home feel brighter. Even with these benefits, decorating an open floor plan can be tricky. Fortunately, it’s easier in an MN custom home. From the moment you move in, our luxury homes have a cohesive design, coordinated paint colors, clear zones, and built-in storage so it’s easy to decorate and feel at home.

For more design inspiration and to explore our available homes, visit us at www.mncustom.com

Sources:

¹ Manson, G. (1958). Frank Lloyd Wright to 1910: The First Golden Age. By Grant Carpenter Manson. Published by van Nostrand (1958th ed.). Van Nostrand.