Designer tips for maintaining a sense of welcoming connection in your home

When it comes to our homes, who doesn’t simply want more – because bigger is just better, right?

Whether it is to accommodate more guests for dinner, go all out on your home office, or finally fit in that home gym you’ve always wanted, a little extra space to play with is a thoroughly enticing prospect. But herein lies the challenge – how do you pull off a successful scale up without losing all-important cosiness? Bigger may bring more options, but it is important that this doesn’t spell cavernous or impersonal.

Read on to discover our top-tips for maintaining homely connections in large, open-plan spaces.

Open-plan living

Open-plan spaces are fantastic for entertaining and offering flexibility. Combining a kitchen and dining area into one space encourages social interaction and aligns with modern lifestyles. However, if this combined space lacks clear definition and purpose, it might feel unwelcoming and disjointed.

A great way of giving a large space definition whilst creating a sense of intimacy is to demarcate specific areas with a floor-to-ceiling partition. By introducing division without entirely cutting off one area from another, you create a wonderfully functional feature which can be elevated by the choice of material finish, incorporation of artwork, or a television.

At our North Finchley residential project, we introduced clever gadgetry into the partition in the form of a discreet 360-degree revolving panel that houses a television screen on one side and an original oil painting of a Parisian Street scene on the reverse.

Create cosy nooks

One of the easiest ways to ensure a large room maintains a sense of snugness is to create a relaxed seating area. This provides the perfect opportunity to introduce layers of soft fabrics and textures to create an enticing area to recline and rest.

In the master bedroom at our Harrogate project, we created a serene spot by introducing a pair of pillowy armchairs gently angled towards each other, to further encourage a sense of connection. Overlooking the mature, flower garden below, this provides an ideal spot to share a morning coffee, take in a good book, or unwind at the end of a long day.

Let lighting set the mood

When it comes to lighting set-up, a general rule is that more really is more. Several well-thought-out circuits will allow you to instantaneously control the ambience and mood in any room.

For effective lighting, consider a multi-layered approach:

• Task Lighting: Use brighter lights directed at specific areas where tasks like meal preparation, homework, or dressing occur.
• Ambient Lighting: Employ wall lights, lamps, and dimmable fixtures for a softer and more gentle overall illumination.

Take into consideration the colour of the light itself, adding warmth by veering towards the orangey tones of warmer whites as opposed to colder, blue-based whites.

At our North Finchley project, we introduced this beautiful soft peach, mouthblown Veneto glass wall light from Chelsom. The elliptical ribbed effect casts a striking pattern across the wall which feels perfect for gently transitioning from day to night, or creating a gentle evening glow.

For expert advice on any aspect of your interior redesign, or further information on how our team can support your home renovation plans contact us or give us a call on 0203 371 1779.