Home Floor Plan Design Tools

How to Decorate a Open-Concept Home

The generous size of this open-concept home offers plenty of options for space planning and decorating. A floating furniture plan allows fluid movement between the breakfast nook and living room, while a solid color scheme unites all surrounding spaces.

Make an Entrance

Since most entryways open directly into open living rooms, keep the color schemes and styles complementary. The same coral paint used in the entryway carries throughout the living room, so all areas work together.

Smart Home Touches

An updated thermostat can make a world of difference in a beautifully designed home. Swap out old, dated thermostats for more attractive options, like this programmable system.

Breakfast Nook

To give the space between the living room and eat-in kitchen a practical use, it was designed as a casual breakfast nook. A round table and rug keep traffic flowing easily between the two spaces. Anytime you're working with a boxy space, consider adding rounded pieces to soften the hard lines.

Statement Lighting

To define different zones in a living room, statement lighting is the way to go. Since the breakfast nook is used a lot by kids, a fun pendant fixture made of rustic twigs was added directly above the table. For a curated look, consider using light fixtures to introduce interesting textures and materials into the living room. This will help break up monotony in color while also adding depth.

Pedestal Table

When space is at a premium, round pedestal tables are the best option. Since the pedestal is centered under the table, it offers more space around the table to accommodate additional chairs.

Task Spaces

Living rooms occupied by busy families need all the extra function and storage solutions they can get. This streamlined console table is situated just off the breakfast nook and offers concealed storage and an extra spot to pull up a chair and do homework.

Pendant Lighting

The home's kitchen is grounded by a trio of polished chrome and frosted glass pendants that are graphic in shape and coordinate with many of the round accents used throughout each area. Most designers recommend installing pendants in groups of odd numbers for proper visual balance.

Consistent Tones

Color Palette

Color is the most efficient design trick for unifying different areas within an open-concept home. From the entryway all the way into the living room and through the kitchen, the same shade of coral paint was used on the walls. Similarly, the same accent colors of hot pink and spring green were used in the accessories and furniture. In addition to keeping the overall look consistent, this uniform use of color makes the entire living space feel larger.

Office Nook

With more and more people starting to work from home or telecommute during the week, multipurpose spaces are becoming increasingly popular. Workspace nooks have taken the place of formal home offices for today's more relaxed work culture. With just enough space to work from a laptop, these nooks offer a designated spot for housing your work materials without cluttering other areas of your living space.

Workspace Surfaces

To keep a consistent look between the kitchen and workspace, consider using the same countertop surfaces. In addition to creating a more uniform look, this will also allow an extra spot for food preparation, which becomes especially helpful during the holidays.

Adjacent Rooms

It's also important to consider how adjacent spaces will look in regard to flow and color. The spring-green accent color in the family room was used as the dominant color in the nearby dining room, while the main coral tone of the great room was used as its accent color.

Everyday Entry

With an open-concept home, simply closing the door on a messy space isn't always an option. Set up areas that are typically prone to clutter, like mudrooms, so organization is second nature. Label baskets and hooks for each family member to create a seamless and more efficient routine for the entire family.

Dining Room

For a tone-on-tone effect, the dining room features several shades of spring green. This subtle change in color adds a layered effect that's elegant and understated but tonally in check with the greens seen throughout the living space. Layering several shades and tints of the same color is an excellent way to introduce color into your home without the hues becoming too contrasted or intense.