Good Spaces: Mastering the Open Floor Plan

Many men and women really like to pick out colours, fabrics and finishes when remodeling, however I really like the very first step: space preparation. When done correctly, it may produce a finished room that feels larger and performs more efficiently. A couple of measures will help you decide on the best arrangement for the way you live. I’m using pictures of open floor plans to best illustrate my points, but these tips will work for almost any space-planning challenge, large or small.

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Elad Gonen

1. What are your space? Create a list of those smaller, functional spaces you will need within the larger space, and then assign estimated square footage for each area.

Think about the size of your furniture and the number of individuals occupying the space. As an example, the space between the kitchen counter and the dining room table should be at least 4 ft so that people may walk between the two and diners have space to pull out chairs. But an entrance door in the road and/or a larger scaled space will require more space — 6 ft or more.

Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

2. What are your space relationships? Once you have determined the right size for each space, figure out which spaces will need to be close each other — all these are called adjacencies.

As individuals move from 1 space to another, which ones make the most sense to be close each other? An obvious adjacency is putting the dining table near the kitchen, but do you want an area for comfy chairs immediately near, a small workspace, or perhaps a children’s play area? Everything depends on the way you live.

Elad Gonen

3. What are the present problems? Most remodeling, redecorating or reorganizing jobs do not begin with a fresh slate. Your space plan takes shape within an existing shell. Areas of windows and doors, repair Electric Heaters Atlanta, columns and walls will all be major considerations as you think about your space program.

Darren James Interiors

4. Where would be the pipes, gas and sewage lines? For kitchens, baths, pubs and other rooms which require a water source and drainage, then you may want them as near as possible to existing plumbing and sewage lines to minimize costs. Plan the adjacencies accordingly.

Jane Kim Design

5. What are your organizing options? Understanding where the kitchen and baths will be, and working within the limits of the building shell, how do you want the smaller zones within the larger space organized? The four basic options are linear, grid, axial or fundamental. For homes, you’d usually use a linear or axial organization. More on that next.

Nicole helene layouts

A linear company is a series of spaces arranged in one line. Linear organization is very flexible. The sizes and shapes of those zones within can differ as long as they relate to a direct line.

Axial arrangements have two or more significant points specifying the arrangements — like a kitchen on a single linear route and a toilet on another. The route between the two points becomes a significant design element.

6. Don’t let avenues of travel be an afterthought. Think about how individuals will move from 1 zone to another. Don’t neglect to think about stairs and doorways as you allow ample room for flow. You are going to want at least 3 ft of space for avenues of travel.

Elad Gonen

7. Think of furniture in context of grouping. In the bedroom, a bed, nightstand and dresser constitute a group. In the living area, a couch, coffee table, end table, lounge and seat may be a grouping. The groupings are
The individual pieces of furnitureThe space around themThe space needed to get the groupingThinking this manner will make it easier for you to plan your space.

John Maniscalco Architecture

Remember the orientation of furniture pieces regarding each other, and also the spacing between bits to encourage social interaction.

Eggleston Farkas Architects

8. Consider private and public spaces. When thinking about public versus private spaces, think about whether you want some of the spaces enclosed, or partially walled off. Bedrooms are private spaces which needs to be located in a more quiet area of the living space. Kitchens are public and open. How do you like your dining area? In receptive communication with the kitchen, or more enclosed for an official feel?

Ernesto Santalla PLLC

9. Sketch out some basic thoughts. Bubble diagramming is a simple method to begin space preparation as soon as you have found out your adjacencies and size requirements. Draw many configurations of bubbles, with various sizes of bubbles representing rooms, zone dimensions or furniture groupings. Keep sketching until you think of an arrangement which works.

Ana Williamson Architect

10. Find the right help for you. There are lots of applications and online options to help you begin planning your space, not to mention you can employ an architect or programmer to make a set of scaled drawings to you.

More: The New, Smaller Great Room
Creating a Cohesive Space in an Open Floor Plan
Arrange Your Furniture for TV and People, Too

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