Designing an open floor plan can be a great way to make your living areas seem more spacious. Without walls to visually divide the space, the entire area will seem larger. Even when the square footage is exactly the same, most people will perceive a room with an open floor plan to be larger than a divided space. Depending on the current layout of your living area, transitioning to an open floor plan can sometimes require major construction or wall removal. In both of these cases, it is best to consult with a building expert to avoid potential problems. However, there are also a number of decorating tricks you can use to create the illusion of an open plan living area. If you\’d like to give your living area a more spacious look, here are some tips you can use as inspiration.

Maximize the Usability of Larger Rooms

If your living room is quite large, you might actually be wasting the space by using it only as a living room. Instead, you can simulate the look and feel of an open floor plan by dividing the large space into smaller living areas. For example, if you currently have your living room furniture arranged against the walls of the room, try pulling some of the pieces in towards the center. Instead of widely spaced pieces, create a smaller and more intimate living room area. You can then use the rest of the room for other purposes. For example, you could create a small dining room area in one corner of the living room, thus creating an open floor plan between these two \”rooms.\” Or, create a small home office, family library, or reading area in a similar fashion. You might be surprised how much larger the room seems after you\’ve divided it into two different living spaces. This arrangement is also quite useful if you do a lot of entertaining, since you can effectively create several intimate conversation areas instead of one overly large room.

Connecting Kitchen, Dining Room and Living Room Areas

Many homeowners have a desire to connect their kitchen and dining room areas, or their living room and dining room. By connecting these two spaces, the entire area just naturally seems larger. A connected kitchen and dining room can also make entertaining much easier. When the rooms are not divided, guests will feel to mingle with you in the kitchen as you cook, thus creating a friendlier and more sociable environment. In many cases, it is necessary to remove a wall to accomplish this goal. Before attempting to remove a wall, it is imperative to consult with an expert. If you were to inadvertently remove a weight-bearing wall, you could create a potentially hazardous situation.

If the wall isn\’t an integral part of your home\’s support system, then removing it could be a viable option. However, even if the wall does bear weight, that doesn\’t mean it absolutely cannot be removed. An experienced builder could install a supporting beam, thus making it possible to remove the wall if desired. In some cases, removing only the upper portion of the wall is the preferred approach. For example, you could visually connect the rooms by removing the upper walls, allowing you to visually see and talk between the two rooms. However, since the bottom of the wall remains intact, you would be able to utilize it for cabinets and other furniture pieces.

Alyssa Davis is a home style expert who writes regularly for Metal-Wall-Art.com and is especially knowledgeable on decorating with abstract metal wall sculpture and beach metal wall sculptures.

Alyssa Davis is a home style expert who writes regularly for http://Metal-Wall-Art.com and is especially knowledgeable on decorating with abstract metal wall sculpture and beach metal wall sculptures.

Author Bio: Alyssa Davis is a home style expert who writes regularly for Metal-Wall-Art.com and is especially knowledgeable on decorating with abstract metal wall sculpture and beach metal wall sculptures.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: living room,living area,open floor plan,plan living area,dining room,floor plan