4 Simple Ways to Stage an Open Floor Plan

By July 13, 2018Home Staging

How to Approach Open Floor Plan Concepts When Staging

Open layouts are homes with few interior walls, more specifically with a great room that combines the kitchen, living room, and dining room in one large space. With the popularity of open floor plan homes not decreasing anytime soon, if you are looking to sell an open layout, you are already at an advantage.

You want to show your home off to its best advantage because a vacant house, especially an open floor plan, can feel awkward and overwhelming to potential buyers. Fortunately, we are going to share four simple ways to stage an open floor plan so potential buyers can envision themselves entertaining, relaxing with their family, and enjoying the spaciousness of the area.

Create Visual Separations

While buyers enjoy having an open plan because it allows for easier entertaining and for easier supervision of young children, they still want defined spaces. Having one large room where the sitting area isn’t well defined or the dining area doesn’t make sense to the layout of the kitchen creates a chaotic, confusing feel.

Staged by No Vacancy, Photography by Melanie Watson

Create specific zones for dining, relaxing, and even an office or workspace if room allows it, and use your furniture and accessories to create those defined locations. Rugs and tables are an excellent way to delineate areas while being attractive.

For example, create a sharp square or rectangle around a large area rug for your seating area, , turn the sofa to where the back is facing the dining table, and rest a lovely console table behind the couch. Not only will it create a subconscious “wall” effect, it will also hide the unattractive back of the sofa.

Keep a Uniform Color and Change the Accent Colors

Open floor plans need to be cohesive, but that doesn’t mean it all has to be done in the exact same color scheme. Paint the great room one specific color, such as one of our favorite neutral paint colors, but use different colors as an accent for each space. For example, if you choose a cool gray wall color, use cherry red as an accent in the kitchen, yellow in the dining area, and turquoise in the seating area for your pops of color!

Carry a Theme Throughout the Space

Staged by No Vacancy

While you want separation in your spaces, too much variation can make the home seem thrown together and sloppy. If you stage the seating area with a rustic farmhouse design while the kitchen has an industrial, minimalist look, the home won’t make sense. Keep a similar design theme through the space, whether it’s modern minimalist, contemporary, or rustic. This can be seen in the styles of lighting you choose, wood varieties, and accessories you use to stage an open floor plan.

Use the Same Flooring Throughout

When you stage an open floor plan, you want to provide a sense of spaciousness, flowing energy, and an ease of motion. You want to feel like each part of the space is a piece of a puzzle and each piece fits seamlessly together to create a gorgeous picture. The final piece of the puzzle is using the same flooring throughout the space. This means selecting the best flooring for an open layout which includes being water-resistant, durable, and attractive. Porcelain or stone tile or a high-quality laminate flooring can be a great option, while rugs can be used to add softness.

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