An open-floor interior combines the living room, dining room and kitchen – a great approach to having a brighter home and establishing a cosy ambience. It is also an ideal way to keep the design of your interior cohesive and engaging.
Open floor homes are gaining popularity among homeowners, and there is no surprise why! Space efficiency and a more natural social structure are only a few reasons. However, there is a catch to the layout, it can become a little tricky to create a flow with the lighting, and proper lighting is what makes a home.
How to maintain cohesion and balance with lighting in an open floor interior:
1. Start with a lighting scheme
A well-thought-out lighting scheme will help you find the balance between function and atmosphere in your home.
Lighting falls under three main types
- Ambient lighting: The amount of light available in the room.
- Task lighting: Targeted lighting to help carry out a task.
- Accent lighting: The finishing touch to your lighting scheme which highlights decorative features
Although it’s in an open space, each area within the space still has its lighting requirements. To start, create different zones in the area, and identify which areas will need brighter, functional lighting and which areas will benefit from lower ambient lighting.
2. Utilize pendant lights
Pendant lights are ideal for an open plan interior, as they come in a wide range of styles and materials and can provide great ambient lighting and task lighting, along with creating a focal point.
Pendant lights are diverse, and can be set-up in the kitchen, dining room or living room (ideally on a dimmer).
3. Add lamps and wall lights to create some atmosphere
Lamps and wall lights are a great opportunity to bring in some extra lighting layers to bring everything together with a cosy and relaxing feel for your open-plan interior.
Here’s how:
Wall lights are ideal for the dining area or even on both sides of the sofa in the living room, creating an ambient glow and helping frame the space.
Decorative lamps can be strategically set around the living room to offer lower light
Floor lamps are perfect for adding style and elegance to the room, along with creating a cosy feel.
Dimmer switchers installed in different zones can give you extra flexibility and allows you to set the atmosphere for different activities during the day.
4. Don’t be afraid to experiment
Once you can understand the different lighting types and how layering light works, don’t be afraid to play with a range of metals and materials for lamp stands or different textures for lamp shades to match the aesthetic and colour scheme of your open-plan interior. The more you experiment, the more you will learn and the more confidence you will gain to decide and choose the perfect lighting for your open-plan home.
