Designer Barbara Wigmore shows how to bring serene beauty and cohesion to open-plan living.

Once dark and closed off, this now bright, airy bungalow in Cobourg, Ont., was redesigned by Barbara Wigmore. Her client’s mandate was clear. “She kept saying, ‘I want to see light,’” says Barbara, and that meant no dark colours, dark woods or dark furniture. Opening the choppy floor plan of separate rooms would improve flow, usher light into the entire first floor, and allow the space to breathe, says Barbara. To make an open-plan space work, the designer created separate zones based on function but linked them visually for continuity. “I wanted her to walk in and see the kitchen, banquette and living room as whole, so it had to be cohesive,” she says. Barbara’s tips are essential for anyone working to maximize functionality and bring calm continuity to a tight open-plan space.

How To Make Your Open-Concept Home Feel Cohesive

1. Start with a clear vision. Barbara and the owner agreed that the interior of the small house should be bright but not stark white, and texturally rich with tactile layers and light-coloured woods.

2. Plan a flexible layout. Barbara designed four zones (living, eating, cooking and entryway) that could expand and contract to accommodate varying numbers of users, from her client on her own to entertaining large or small groups, or for fun with visiting grandkids.

3. Furnish for flexibility. The banquette, for instance, was located so that people sitting there and in the living area feel like they’re together. It’s cozy for a few friends and easily accommodates eight. As well, it’s covered in kid-friendly wipeable faux leather. The table isn’t precious either, so doing arts and crafts with the grandkids is fun, not fraught.

4. Banquettes also save space because they get tucked into a corner or against a wall, while a table and chairs in the centre of the room forces people to squeeze by furniture.

5. Simplify and pare back design elements in a small space, says Barbara. She opted to forgo counter stools to keep the kitchen island – visible from the front door – uncluttered. Touch-latch cabinets, discreet hardware, slim-profile Shaker-style cabinets and a light wood stain further the effect.

 “By bringing little accessories or plant material like a fabulous vase for fresh flowers into the kitchen, you add a little charm and whimsy.”

6. When a kitchen is open to the main living areas, hidden storage is key. Barbara maximized storage in the interior of the oversized island. There are shallow shelves for crystal glassware; a microwave compartment; drawers for bowls; and deep cabinets with pullouts for small appliances.

7. A slab of quartzite on the island makes it a showstopper, and the colourful veining adds a tad of excitement against the whites and woods.

8. Personalize a kitchen with favourite objects, but don’t impede function by overcrowding surfaces. Go for an uncluttered look, but not stark.

9. Don’t be afraid to mix whites. “I wanted the space to be bright but warm,” says Barbara. “All the whites we chose had creamy undertones with a small hint of muted yellows and soft muted green tones.”

10. Simplify and pare back design elements in a small space.

11. Include a drop-off zone by the front door. Since the entryway is visible from everywhere on this main floor, it had to be both pretty and practical. Barbara nixed an existing large closet to allow for a floating shelf with roomy drawers and also built a smaller customized closet. Modern black sconces and a mirror make it a bright spot, day or night.

12. Choose furniture scaled to your space to give a small room a more airy feel. “With the addition of the new fireplace, we had to look at smaller-scale furniture and less of it,” says Barbara.

13. Easy-to-rearrange movable furniture makes for multifunctionality. “Little side tables are great when you are entertaining, because they can be moved around,” says Barbara. Even the sofa and chairs are light and small enough to move when company comes.

14. “You don’t need to go in one direction for lighting,” says Barbara. The swooping floor lamp in the living area makes a statement. “With lighting, find a starting piece that you love and then work around it.”

15. To style, mix objects that have been collected over time. Consider tex- ture and shape, and mix metals, materials and styles. “Who says you can’t have a traditional bowl on a contemporary table?” says Barbara. She used accents like rugs and pillows to inject colour into the neutral space.

“Budget is always important, but also ask yourself, ‘What do you want to feel in your home?’ This is the most helpful information to a designer.” 

Recommended

This Toronto Home's Design Celebrates Light

By: Jenny Febbraro

The idea of capturing, reflecting and celebrating light was the primary goal in this revamp of a tired Toronto home.

Read More

Recommended

6 Expert Tips For Transforming Your Basement

By: Kelly-Ann Neeley

Make your basement a comfortable place to be.

Read More