Dear Landing,
I live in an apartment with a large, open-concept living space and I’m struggling to figure out how to arrange it in a way that still feels airy and not cluttered. Do you have any tips?
Signed,
Raj
Dear Raj,
We love open floor plans, and we hear you on the struggle to find the perfect layout - but have no fear!! By following a few rules of thumb and considerations, you can turn your open space into a functional live space while still feeling and looking comfortable AND beautiful! Let’s dive in:
Furniture: The first thing to look at is how your furniture is spaced. This has a HUGE impact not only on how the space feels and functions, but also how it looks. As a rule of thumb, be sure to leave 30” between furniture that you walk around, and 14”-18” between coffee tables and other accessorized furniture.
Rug: Rugs are such a great way to define space within an open floor plan without compromising visual airspace. In terms of sizing, the rug should be large enough that the sofa and chairs can rest their front legs on top.
Art: As a rule of thumb, the center of art is ideally placed at eye level, 5’ to 6’ from the floor. This is a good one to consider if you are above or below “average” height - i.e., best not to rely solely on eyeballing and grab that tape measure to be sure!
TV: As a rule of thumb, the TV and sofa should be 7’ apart. The center of your TV screen is best placed at eye level from the seated position on the couch.
Dining Table: When setting up your dining table, be sure to leave 42-48” between the table and walls so that the space doesn’t feel cramped!
Lighting: In an open floor plan, it is important to have enough lighting- generally you want to have a few table lamps, a lamp by your reading chair, and a floor lamp or two in addition to your built in lighting. Light is SO powerful when creating space - we also recommend opting for warmer bulbs (you can still get LED energy savers, just grab the ones that emit warmer light!) to make your space feel cozy. :)
Alright! Now let’s explore some different layout options that you can browse/get inspo from based on what you need most out of your space. Let’s take a look:
Layout A - The Economical Space
This layout is the perfect economical space - the island kitchen provides a larger work surface or storage unit in the middle of the kitchen. It works well for socializing if you have the space for a sectional sofa to provide more seating. We love having a space that is easy to interact while prepping meals, hanging out, and working!
Layout B - The Functional Space
This layout is the perfect functional and simplistic layout - the one wall kitchen creates a clean aesthetic, providing an open living, dining, and work space. It works well if you buy a round table to make the room feel bigger and create more space for walking and sitting. We love hosting dinner parties and game or movie nights in this space!
Layout C - The Flexible Space
This layout is the perfect spin on an open floor plan with a galley kitchen - optimizing base, wall, counter, and living space . It works well if you can float the sofa between the media console and dining room table to create a separate hangout and dining area. We love having a spot that is flexible for casual and formal gatherings!
We hope that this gives you some good inspiration for laying out your open-concept space! Remember, if you feel stuck in the design process, or have ANY questions at all, you can reach out to The Landing Support Team via email at hello@thelandinghome.com, or by chatting them directly from your Landing account! No question is too small. We’re here to help!
And let us know how your layouts are turning out! We’d love to see your designs from The Landing AND your IRL spaces @thelandingsocial or via writing at dearlanding@thelandinghome.com.
Yours in #CreatingSpace,
Miranda & The Landing Team
