Open-concept has been one of the most popular, in-demand design styles for years, and for good reason. Nothing makes a home feel comfortable like more space. When decorating your open-concept space, consider these 5 ideas to keep it current, simple, and feeling free and open.
1. Avoid Clutter
This seems too obvious, but clutter somehow always finds its way into your home. Clutter, and unnecessary items will only make your open-concept feel closed up and claustrophobic again. Stay aware of the places in your home that collect clutter like that pesky coffee table with an open shelf on the bottom. That shelf is just out of sight enough that it becomes the go-to place to stash those birthday cards, and those random paperbacks. Clean it up and resist refilling it with your random stuff.
2. Single Paint Colour
The boho style can often make an open-concept home feel less open because boho is all about different elements and a mix of color. In the case of paint, different colors create a visual separation of your space and all of a sudden you are sensing walls where there are no walls, just because the paint colour changed. The single colour look is made for open-concept because it allows one colour to open up and flow through the space like an open rolling field of green.
3. Too Much Furniture
The worst thing to do for your open-concept space is to start collecting more furniture. Open-concept matches with simplicity, not complexity, so make sure you select a few key pieces and skip the next yard sale that has a $35 chesterfield from 1976. You don’t need it!
4. Similar Materials
This is a great rule to make sure the flow maintains throughout the entire open space. Use similar or the same materials for cushions and covers, and similar textures for surfaces. Don’t throw a shag carpet down to switch it up when everything else is clean and shiny or your space will start shrinking again. Flow comes from simple elements working together and that’s what you want in an open-concept space.
5. Closed Storage Space
No matter how much of our stuff we get rid of, there are always things to store. Open storage spaces obviously ruin the entire idea of creating less clutter and creating more flow. Kitchen cabinets should be covered with opaque doors, not windowed ones, so no one can see their contents. Similarly, random home items like that old basketball, train set, yoga mat, and juicer need to be stored in a hidden place to keep the space looking clean and open.
The open-concept kitchen/dining room/living space combo is a true classic and you must keep your space free flowing and open by minimizing the clutter and the elements you’re using to decorate. Simple is the key to this amazing design look for your space or to consider for your next home renovation.
