Open Plan Living: How to Decide on the Best Flooring
Open-plan living has become a popular trend for modern living, creating a space that flows from kitchen and dining to living. But with this large space comes multiple design choices, one big one being flooring.
Knowing which flooring is best for open-plan living involves many considerations. It needs to be durable and hard-wearing, suitable for multiple settings, and, of course, look good.
If you’re designing an open-plan living space and are looking for inspiration on types of flooring to consider, then read on to see our suggestions, how to define areas and the option for mixing and matching flooring within one space.
Open-plan flooring ideas
When deciding on open-plan flooring ideas, you have two main options: a cohesive look throughout or zoning areas.
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One flooring type: Create a cohesive look in an open-place space with one flooring throughout.
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Multiple flooring types: You can divide your open-plan living area into zones by laying different types of flooring within the same room.
Top flooring materials for open-plan living
Here are some of the best options to choose from when it comes to flooring:
Laminate
Laminate flooring is a classic choice for open-plan living spaces. Its timeless design comes in a variety of colours and shapes, allowing you to lay the floor as you like. For example, you can use laminate boards to create a herringbone style.
Laminate flooring is a cost-effective option for such large spaces. It is also durable, scratch-resistant, and water-resistant. Another big advantage of laminate is that it is easy to clean, so it’s ideal for spaces with heavy foot traffic and where people cook and eat food.
LVT
Luxury Vinyl Tiles have come a long way since vinyl flooring designs. These tiles are designed to mimic the look of natural materials like wood and stone without the upkeep that comes with those types of flooring. LVT is durable and highly resistant to scratches, stains and water, making it a great choice for open-plan living spaces where people will be moving about constantly. What’s more, LVT is comfortable to walk on and is easy to maintain, too.
With endless design options, there’s a colour and style to suit everyone’s preferences.
Engineered wood flooring
Engineered wood flooring looks like hardwood flooring, with the added benefit of durability. Give your open-plan living space the natural warmth of wood-look flooring without the worry of warping, shrinking or scratching.
Engineered wood flooring is a great choice for underfloor heating. It is also easy to clean, requiring only a quick sweep and frequent mopping to keep it looking its best.
Natural stone
Natural stone flooring, such as marble, granite, or limestone, is timeless, beautiful, and durable. Thanks to its long-lasting design, it is a strong contender for open-plan living spaces.
It’s a great choice for year-round underfoot comfort, as the stone remains cool in summer and retains heat when used with underfloor heating.
Porcelain tiles
Porcelain tiles come in a variety of styles, such as wood and stone effects. Their water—and stain-resistant designs make them ideal for kitchens or dining areas. They can also withstand heavy wear and tear, making them ideal for constantly used areas within the home.
Porcelain tiles have a simple and easy-to-clean design which is a major advantage for multifunctional spaces.
Wood
Real, solid wood flooring can also be a great choice in open-plan living spaces. While it certainly is a big investment to make, the payoff can certainly be worth it. The beauty of solid wood flooring is that it can be sanded and refinished many times to give you different looks through the years and of course, look as good as new. The downside is that it is prone to dents and scratches. What’s more, it can expand and shrink at different temperatures, which can lead to squeaky floorboards.
Concrete
Concrete flooring is a bold, solid choice that offers a distinct industrial vibe to an open-plan space. What’s great about this choice of flooring is that it offers a unique floor design. The concrete is simply poured and left to set as it wishes. Provided it’s sealed properly, it’s easy to clean and maintain, too. However, the rock-hard floor is not ideal for families with small children, and it will need to be resealed every year.
Can you have different flooring in an open plan?
Having different flooring within one open space is certainly a bold design choice, but the payoff is worth it.
It obviously means making further choices on the two or three different types of flooring. But it’s a great way to zone off different areas within one room.
An easy way to do this is to use the same flooring in different colours or a similar tone of flooring in different designs. Whichever option you choose, the most important design tip is to ensure that it flows seamlessly and that there isn’t a lip that you can feel underfoot.
Design tips for mixing flooring in open spaces
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Choose materials and colours that complement each other. Light wood looks great paired with neutral tiles. You could also pair a stone with a similar shade of engineered wood. This will define different zones but still create a harmonious aesthetic.
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Use the flooring to define specific areas, such as zoning off the kitchen or dining area and pairing it with something softer for the living or relaxation zones.
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Choose flooring that aligns with your home's overall theme to maintain cohesion. Modern homes might be better suited to sleek tiles and wood tones, while a more rural home might be better suited to warm wood flooring paired with natural stone.
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Before you commit to any flooring, get your samples together and consider them together in the space they’re going to be used at different times of the day. This will give you an idea of how they’ll look in different natural lights, as well as artificial light. This can help ensure that the flooring options look good together.
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Choose timeless flooring options; if one of the flooring materials you choose is trendy, over time, it will make the flooring look dated. You want to ensure that you create a space that remains stylish and looks good for many years to come.
Best flooring for open-plan living
The best flooring for open-plan living is a personal choice based on how much money you’re willing to spend on it and how much work you’re willing to put into it to ensure it looks good in a few years.
Here are some of our tip design tips for flooring in open-plan living:
Consistent colour palette
Choosing a consistent colour scheme throughout the space will help create visual continuity. Neutral tones, such as beige or grey, work well to create a cohesive design.
Play with patterns
Patterned flooring has certainly seen a resurgence in popularity, but it’s a timeless design choice that has been and will continue to be used in homes. Herringbone, chevron, or diagonal patterns will give your flooring a unique touch. Plus, placed in the right way, they can help create the illusion of a bigger space.
Durable materials
Open-plan living is designed for busy lives with lots of foot traffic, which means you’ll need a durable floor. Robust flooring options like porcelain tiles, LVT, or engineered wood are designed to withstand daily wear and tear and still look good years down the line.
Add rugs for warmth
If you opt for one style of flooring throughout an open-plan space, you can use rugs to help zone off certain areas and add warmth to the space. A fluffy rug can give your relaxation space some texture. A runner could be used in a kitchen to give the flooring a little dose of colour and personality. If you’re looking at kitchen rugs, make sure they’re easy to clean.
Lighting compatibility
Consider how natural and artificial lighting will impact your flooring choices. Darker floors can absorb light to create a cosy atmosphere, while lighter floors will brighten a space and make it feel larger.
Acoustic properties
Open-plan spaces can amplify noise, so consider flooring materials that help absorb sound. Rugs, for example, can help over hard surfaces like stone or tiles.
Style and practicality
Even though you want to pick a floor that looks good, you have to consider practicality, too. If you have pets and steam cleaning your floor is a must, LVT is probably not the best solution. Slippy surfaces might not be best for homes with young children running around.
Timeless
One of the most important design tips is to choose a timeless flooring option that will not feel dated over time. Natural materials and classic patterns are the best bet for ensuring that your floor will not grow tired over time.
Maximising space in small open-plan living
Creating a warm and inviting home with a small open-plan area can be tricky, as you don’t want the space to feel cramped or cluttered. However, these clever flooring tricks can help you maximise space.
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Continuous flooring will create a flowing visual look and help to make the area feel larger.
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Herringbone floor can work well to exaggerate the look of a space with its continuous design.
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Install floor planks at a diagonal to help widen the look of a room.
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Use rugs that are a similar shade to the floor to maintain a tonal look and avoid sectioning off the space too much.
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A light and airy colour palette will give a small open-plan living space an expansive feel.
How to decide on flooring
While we’ve been happy to point out the number of flooring options you have available to choose from when it comes to designing your home, we thought it would be wise to share things to take into account when it comes to deciding on the type of flooring to go for. Here are some of the main factors to think about:
Cost
Cost is obviously the biggest factor when choosing the right flooring. You don’t want to exceed your budget when there are plenty of options on the market. The best thing you can do is get an idea of prices by visiting a flooring company and working from there. Once you know the expected prices for the space you need to cover, you can narrow down your choices.
Durability
Flooring is not an aspect of home design you wish to replace regularly, mainly for the inconvenience of getting it fitted. So, buying a durable flooring type is important to ensure that you get the most out of your investment.
If you have a busy household with multiple people and pets, flooring that is susceptible to dents and scratches will not wear well. Conversely, if you’re designing a home just for yourself, you might not need to think practically; you might just want to consider how it looks and feels.
Maintenance
If cleaning your floor is as high-maintenance as you want it to be, that is your choice; just pick a floor that allows you to do so. To keep it looking its best, steer clear of options that need resealing, rebuffing, or resanding over time.
Installation
Are you planning on fitting your flooring yourself? If you have the skills, that's great. If you’re a newbie just looking to save money, it might be worth investing in a proper floor fitter. This is especially true for high-end flooring products like LVT, which require floor screeding beforehand.
Environmental impact
We certainly need to consider our impact on the environment more in everyday living, and choosing materials to decorate our homes can be just one aspect of this. Natural materials are, of course, the best option here, as they use natural resources from the world around us.
Flooring for open-plan living
Designing an open-plan living space takes some careful consideration to help maintain a cohesive and comfortable space that can be used in many different ways. The flooring is just one aspect of that.
With the help of Mersey Flooring’s expert design team and fitters we can ensure that you create a space that you’ll love for years to come and will withstand the daily wear and tear of your home.