You love the open floor plan of your home. It makes a spacious feeling, increases natural light, and allows for easier movement from room to room. How do you keep your sightlines clear? Ellecor Design explains how to create sightlines as part of kitchen and living room design.
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Sightlines Explained
Sightlines take advantage of open spaces to allow people to see (or not see) various elements in your home. One key advantage to sightlines in an open floor plan is that you can keep an eye on small children playing in the living room while you’re cooking in the kitchen. You can also watch TV while you’re prepping dinner, or relax in the living room when you’re listening for the oven to beep. There are several ways to create clean sightlines in kitchen and living room design.
Stay Low
Keep your furniture and accessories lower, around 4 feet or less. Avoid floor lamps or table lamps that block the TV while you’re in the kitchen. Forget high-backed chairs, tall pieces of art, or freestanding shelves. You can have these items in your living room design, but consider them as corner pieces that are out of the way.
Rearrange Furniture
One handy part of an open floor plan is the easy path to walk from room to room. Rearrange your furniture to make a cohesive path that goes from your living room, through the dining room, and to the kitchen. You might have a hallway that stretches down from the living room towards the bedrooms. Think about aligning that hallway with your open floor plan’s living room design. You could have a space that allows you to see from your kitchen to the end of the hallway!
Think of Straight Edges
Maintain straight lines with your furniture to have a clear sightline. Align the back of your couch or comfy chair with the edge of the dining room table to create a longer line of sight. Imagine lining up a pool shot in billiards or measuring a piece of wood to cut. You want your line to be as straight as possible in living room design.
Avoid These Sightlines
Some sightlines should be avoided in living room design, just because they are unseemly and you want to maintain some aspects of privacy in your home. Try not to make a sightline where it’s easy to see dirty dishes in the kitchen, the toilet when the bathroom door is open, or the interior of a bedroom. Dirty dishes don’t look pleasant, and the bathroom and bedroom should be places of privacy in your home.
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Living Room Design by Ellecor
An open floor plan is a great way to create an inviting space for your family and friends. The Ellecor Design team has suggestions, tips, tricks, furniture, and accessories to take full advantage of your kitchen and living room design. Contact Ellecor Design today or call (417) 720-2602 for more information.