With space being a constant constraint for modern Singapore homes, open floor plans are growing in popularity due to their clean aesthetic and creating a larger sense of space.

Learn more about what an open floor plan is, as well as the ideal way to arrange quality designer furniture in Singapore to complement an open floor plan home arrangement.

What is an open floor plan?

An open floor plan does away with partitions and designated spaces, combining common areas into a larger form of communal living space. For example, two common setups are the combining of the kitchen and dining room via a versatile kitchen island to prepare dishes while serving as a convenient dining table; or combining the dining room and living room using versatile furniture for smaller-sized Singapore homes.

Open floor plans offer numerous advantages, such as facilitating interaction with guests and family members, creating a sense of openness and having additional living space, as well as offering greater flexibility to reconfigure furnishings and accessories should one decide to change a style.

How do I best utilise an open floor plan?

Here are some useful tips to consider before you start searching online for furniture in Singapore.

1. Purchase multi-functional furniture

While an open floor plan provides more leg room and versatility, it is more of an essential design choice for highly space-constrained homes in Singapore. Hence, choosing multi-functional designer furniture pieces is key to saving space while still having them serve their intended functions.

Some living room furniture ideas for Singapore homes include extendable coffee tables with their added pull-out space for work or snacking, along with vertical TV consoles which allow you to decorate and personalise your space while doubling up as an informal partition between spaces. You may also want to consider modular sofas with their ability to reconfigure seating as needed or based on the number of guests.

2. Plan your arrangement thoroughly

An understated downside of open floor plans in Singapore is the lack of vertical spaces to form a backing for your designer furniture, such as mounting a TV console or propping the back of your sofa set. A lack of walls also reduces the amount of available space to hang paintings or decorations, necessitating one to come up with more creative ways to utilise the open spaces.

Some useful things to consider include planning your furniture layout around your home’s windows to maximise the use of lighting, or utilising portable dividers such as folding doors to facilitate zoning while providing additional soundproofing. You can always visit interior design blogs and sites for inspiration, or get in touch with an interior designer.

3. Choose matching furniture

Since an open floor plan does away with walls and partitions, the need for your Singapore living room furniture to match your dining or kitchen furniture is more important than before. Wood is always a stately and classic option, perfect not just for your dining table and chairs but also a solid choice for TV consoles as well, while also complementing leather-backed chairs and sofa sets. Other options include glass, marble and granite for coffee tables and kitchen island table tops, which go well with bar stools for your dining space.

4. Creatively separate each area

A common mistake many Singapore homeowners make is purchasing overly similar pieces of designer furniture, which can lead to a sense of uniformity and boredom rather than a sense of vibrance. Some ways to overcome this include utilising contrasting textures and colours, playing around with different furniture heights and shapes, as well as utilising accessories such as rugs and to distinguish between your living space and dining space.

Looking for online furniture in Singapore? Visit Star Living today to see our full range of quality furniture.