Designing for open floor plans

For the past few decades, open floor plans have gained popularity with homebuilders and homeowners because they are convenient and comfortable with an expansive living space that combines the kitchen, dining room and family room. It can bring families together and make entertaining easy, but designing for open floor plans can be an overwhelming task. 

Since Hunter Quinn Homes frequently integrates these open-concept layouts in South Carolina homes, our design team put together a few tips to help homeowners make the most of the opportunity to personalize their space with creative solutions.

Use cohesive colors

Once you have chosen one of Hunter Quinn Homes’ open floor plans, the designers will meet with you to add personal touches to your new home. This includes selections like interior paint colors and fixtures that can create a cohesive look, which is especially important with an open floor plan since there is no visual barrier between rooms. It may help to consider the entire living area as one continuous space and select tones and textures that carry through from room-to-room. Opt for neutral colors on the walls and durable flooring that can fit the needs of each space.

Maintain a path

One of the biggest mistakes a homeowner can make is overloading an open floor plan. Since there are no walls separating the rooms, it can be difficult to visualize how residents and guests will travel through the home. An easy way to avoid this pitfall is to mark out a path around the entire living area next extending from a wall and make sure to not invade that space with furniture as you add it. It may also help to use a similar strategy to predict travel from the kitchen to the television, out to the patio, and over to the bathroom. 

Create your own boundaries 

Alternatively, it may work best to go ahead and create your own boundaries that visually separate the space and then form pathways more naturally. Start with the kitchen, which is relatively well-defined already by counters, cabinets and unique flooring. Then, think about your family’s balance between dining and lounging to divide the space further. Consider a small dining table with an eye-catching light fixture or a sectional on a rug can act as a partition. A general rule of thumb is to find one focal point for each room.

If you are looking for a new home with an open floor plan in Charleston or Greenville, contact us. Hunter Quinn Homes currently builds in 18 new home communities in South Carolina with 53 floor plan options. Build On Your Lot services are also available through HQ HomeSights.