Residential drafting designers Sydney on areas to consider when designing your open plan home

Designed to maximise space, open plan living areas have become the "default" layout being implemented in Australian homes. Open plan layouts are particularly popular with families and anyone who entertains at home a lot and it’s a great way to maximise usable internal space.

However, open plan living can still have its challenges. For small homes, it can be a challenge to ensure zones fit comfortably within an open space, whereas in larger homes there is the need to ensure that the open plan doesn't feel like an uninviting, cold and unfilled space.

Go Design Solutions recommend to carfully consider the final functionality of your home design, keeping in mind that you can have open plan living combined with more intimate living if designed well.

Our Sydney drafting specialists have the following areas to consider for designing your open plan home:

Acoustics - Sound can become an issue with open plan living. With young families it may be ideal to have more of an open plan in living areas, whilst ensuring that the sleeping zones are a separate structure, keeping the areas connected via one accessible passage, still allowing flexibility.

The history of a building – This should also be a determining factor when planning for open or closed living. It may not be suited for a full open plan and the living areas should fit to suit the period style where possible.

Dividing the home’s space - Because open plan living works best when there's some flexibility with the area, adding subtle dividers throughout can create "implied space", without floor to ceiling walls.

Are you able to add on? – Consider adding on to the current structure. Adding an extension to a smaller house may give you the best of both worlds, allowing you to have more intimate space, separating bedrooms for privacy, whilst keeping open plan living areas.

Thinking of adding on to your existing home or building your dream home from the ground up? Contact Go Design, drafting services in Penshurst today.