How To Seamlessly Integrate Open-plan Living Room With Your Kitchen And Dining Areas

The open-plan living room has increasingly become a hallmark of the modern home. Here’s how to seamlessly integrate it with your kitchen and dining areas

- Michele Koh Morollo

Removing walls and partitions between your living, dining and kitchen areas helps maximize floor space—this open-plan layout can also foster a stronger sense of togetherness in the communal areas of your home. When deciding on the layout for such an open-plan space, William Chan, founder of Spacedge Designs, says it’s important that the floor plan is human-centric and promotes ease of movement. “First, study the structural restrictions of the interior architecture, then come up with solutions that will enhance the connected spaces both visually and functionally,” he says.

To unify the living, kitchen and dining areas, Kate Deng, co-founder of interior design firm Mr. Shopper Studio prefers to use the same flooring material and complementary colors throughout. “You can use different materials and textures for the furniture and decor in the different areas, but it’s important to create some visual homogeneity so the space is aesthetically coherent,” she says. Clifton Leung, founder of Hong Kong-based practice Clifton Leung Design Workshop suggests choosing loose furniture and lighting from the same collection and sticking with one design or material for the built-in cabinetry for all three areas. “You can vary the sizes, finishings, textures or colors of soft furnishings to add interest and complexity,” he says. Here are some ideas to help you design a beautiful and efficient open-plan space.

THE LIVING AREA