How to Decorate an Open Concept Home

Over the years I’ve lived in quite few homes, that’s just how life has unfolded. From a super boxy but cute 1920’s cottage to a remodeled open layout ranch style house to most recently a Northwest Contemporary multi-level home – I’ve tried them all it seems. And you know, they all have their charm as well as a host of challenges. One thing I noticed, in my own homes and with clients, is that open concept spaces can be harder to style than it first seems. Many people might feel like bigger means easier, but with one wall leading to another and areas used for many different purposes, it starts to get tricky. Well, good thing I’ve gathered some tricks along the way. So, keep reading for all my tips on how to decorate open concept home.

open concept kitchen and dining room with white walls and black accents — open concept home: stock photo

First, let’s point out that open floor plans have lots of benefits, like making a home feel larger and encouraging more time together. I mean, having the kitchen near our family room is how I get to spend so much time with my teen boys. Food and games: makes perfect sense.

But, when you try choosing furniture, or even more challenging – paint and trim work, things get dicey real quick. How do you make an open concept home layout not feel like just a bunch of furniture swimming around in a big space? What if you want to paint an accent wall, then what? Keep reading – I’ve got some decorating solutions.

1. Best Paint for Open Concept

One of the hardest parts of open concept is how walls just flow into each other. A dining room might have the same the wall line as the living area. This is opposed to older style house with rooms defined by walls and corners.

To create a really cohesive look, use one paint color throughout the home. I personally prefer this no matter the style of house as it creates a really nice blank slate. Then, use accent wall paint color strategically like on cabinets, doors, and accent walls. Not sure where to start? Check out my post on my Favorite Neutral Paint Colors I use throughout my home.

living room couch with throw pillows and neutral decor — my former open living room, directly connected to dining room and entryway – defined space with rug and furniture. Couch could’ve been larger but used ottoman to extend the length visually

2. Furniture Size for Layout

One thing that is tough about open concept is getting the furniture size proportionate. This is really an all around challenge, but it’s super noticeable in open concept. Often, furniture is too small for the space and it can look like little miniature pieces floating around. Or, it’s too large and and you end up feeling like you’re in a boxy maze.

So, the solution, kind of like the three little bears, is to find furniture that is just right. When possible, look at the space, like the living room and imagine or tape off what exists as that room. Then use furniture guidelines, like couch sizes being ⅔ of the wall they are on to choose the right size. Even if the wall is not there, pretend and use that as starting point.

3. Low Profile Furniture for Open Concept

A benefit (which can also be a downside) of an open concept home is being able to see across to many different areas. Hello from the kitchen! One thing that kind of throws a wrench in things is using tall, high back furniture right in the middle. It will make the whole space feel like a corn maze, wading through that bulky furniture to get to the other side.

Using lower profile furniture, meaning not as high of a back, helps keep that line of sight open. Use more classic high back recliner chairs in corners or to the sides of rooms. This keeps the open feeling and keeps things functional. Check out my post on Low Profile Accent Chairs to get started.

open floor plan home with living room, kitchen, and dining room — stock photo example of large open floor plan with living room, kitchen, and dining – defined by rugs and separate functional areas

4. Open Floor Plan: Define Space with Rugs

Who doesn’t love a good area rug? A good rug can change an entire space. Plus, they’re functional and protect the floors.

But, rugs also play a super important role in defining a space for an open concept home. Basically, that’s a fancy way of saying they tell our brains, “hey look, this is the living room. See I’ve outlined it for you.” This lets us know subconsciously how this space functions. Defining spaces with rugs even works in the kitchen with long runners.

neutral entryway with black rug, metal railing, wall mirror, and console table — my large open entryway that walked right into living room, defined by large rug, baskets, and console table

5. Add Wall Fixtures to Create Depth

Ok, this is one of my very favorite tricks for dealing with open concept living rooms. By adding wall fixtures, like shelves, hooks, and light sconces we create more dimension to a space. Open concept can often feel like one big box and this is a great way to add character and make it a little less boxy.

6. How to Use Accent Walls in Open Concept

Speaking of accent walls, it’s easy to go hog wild and want to paint them everywhere, especially if the single color idea is a challenge. However, accent walls work best when used strategically – like at the end of a long, rectangular room.

For an open concept home, it can be tricky to paint an accent wall as corners and walls all run into one another. I also like to keep them at a minimum, because too many and they’re no longer an accent, know what I mean? Here are a few more tips:

Use natural end point like interior corners (not an outside wall corner)
Paint end of long hallways or rectangular spaces
Keep colors neutral for classic look (neutrals can mean charcoal, hunter green, deep navy blue).\
Don’t force an accent wall if the corners and end points don’t make sense

Read more about my tips for Painting Accent Walls – a few small details goes a long way!

7. Create Separate Mini Spaces

When decorating an open concept home it’s also helpful to create separate mini areas – based on function. For example, adding a bench and wall hooks to an open entryway area make it functional and more defined. Instead of just seeing a large open space, our brain reads it as, ok this is the area for putting things away. This tends to lead to items “bleeding” less into other areas.

Other ways I create mini spaces in open concept is creating office nooks, reading corners, or bookshelves. So, even without actual walls or doors, we can use furniture and decor strategically to create separate spaces.

Open Layout Questions

When tackling an open layout, I hear a lot of questions. Here are some of the most common and how I address them.

Is open concept going out of style?

While open concept is still going strong, many folks are expressing their struggles with this layout making it seem like it might be going out of style. I’ve also noticed that new builds are include a little bit more definition, maybe not completely closed off separate rooms but areas that feel more defined. Saying it’s going out of style might be a stretch, but I definitely think it’s not as popular as it once was.

Disadvantages of open floor plan?

We’ve skimmed over them here, but disadvantages of an open floor plan include difficulty decorating, lack of privacy, increased noise throughout the house, and more room but less functionality. Open floor plans seem to have benefits for certain stages of life, like perhaps when kids are really young or for someone who routinely hosts large gatherings.

beige open concept living room and dining room with rugs, couch, tables, and fireplace — stock photo example of defined spaces and low profile furniture

How Do You Make Open Concept Feel Cozy?

While the openness has advantages, an open concept home might not feel as cozy. More traditional, walled off homes have smaller, naturally cozier spaces so what to do with open layout spaces? Many of the tips in this post will go a long way in create a warmer vibe, but here are some direct ways to make an open concept home feel cozy:

Focus on function – nothing is quite as cozy as being able to snuggle up in a reading corner or gather around a coffee table
Add texture – many newer, open concept homes can feel like one big blank slate. Adding different textures like metal hardware, woven baskets or chandeliers, wood shelves add sense of depth, increasing the cozy vibes
Consider lighting – open concept often means more light fixtures. This can be great but can also make it feel to stark. Find ways to layer lighting with dimmers, wall sconces, and task lighting (like a lamp for that reading nook)

Final Thoughts

I hope this gives you some ideas for decorating an open concept home that feels comfortable and functional. The whole point of an open floor plan home is to be more functional – sometimes it just requires some good decorating strategies to make it feel more cozy and less of a showroom.

So, whether you’re making more of a commitment with wall fixtures and paint or simple solutions like rugs and low profile furniture, these tricks should help tackle the challenges of an open floor plan. If curious to learn more, read about what an open concept really means or my post on How to Arrange Living Room Furniture for more tips.