What an Eye-Opener!

Open-concept home designs have

become hugely popular. They are

spacious, functional, and can be

visually stunning.

Today's new homes offer varying openconcept

styles, such as the living/dining

room and the great room-a large multipurpose

space that can combine the

kitchen, dining, and living areas. The

question is, how do you decorate these

vast, spectacular areas?

Alexandra Naranjo, interior

designer at Artella Interiors in

Toronto, explains that decorating

an open-concept space can be

challenging. Since you don't have

traditional walls to separate rooms,

you have to create zones. Naranjo

says, "you want to create different

environments in one space."

In an open-concept living/dining

room, for example, you should

differentiate or visually divide the

areas. One option is to position the

sofa so that the back is facing the

dining room. Then, along the back of

the sofa, place a sideboard table with

two lamps. Naranjo says, "it visually

creates an imaginary wall that divides

the two spaces."

Another way to differentiate space

is through colour. Debra Fenwick,

interior designer and partner at

Fenwick Burnett Design Group in

North York, suggests using a piece of

artwork or a painting technique

on the wall to define space. For

example, you could paint a pattern of

geometric shapes on a neutral

coloured wall. Floating shelves

arranged in a pattern can also

be used.

For paint colour, Fenwick suggests

that in a vast room with high

ceilings, you may not want to paint

the entire room a dramatic colour

like red. However, you could paint

one wall red to create a great focal

point in that room. You can also tint

the ceiling the same colour as the

wall, providing it's a light, neutral

colour. Doing so will make the

ceiling look less stark.

What about choosing furniture?

"If it is an open-concept space, I

would be more likely to buy furniture

that looks good from the front and

the back," Fenwick says, since you

will probably be looking at the

furniture from many angles. Also,

select pieces that are the same scale

as the room. "When you've got

high ceilings you can use bigger

furniture," says Fenwick. "In the

smaller-scale condo you want to

use smaller-scale furniture. People

feel at ease when they have space

around them."

Another important element is

continuity. Naranjo suggests keeping

the same flooring throughout an

open-concept space and using colour

to create consistency. "If your dining

room is cranberry and chocolate,

then incorporate that same cranberry

in the next room," says Naranjo. You

could do this by choosing accent

pillows, artwork, or rugs that have

cranberry tones in the pattern.

Select other finishes that

complement all the areas of the

room. For instance, Naranjo says,

"whatever window treatment you

decide to go with has to go with all

the spaces you've created." If you've

selected a contemporary style, she

suggests wood blinds. With more

traditional décor, consider using

drapes. In a family/dining room,

you may also want to dress up the

window with a valance.

Most importantly, Fenwick advises

not to decorate a new home a week

after you move in. Live in it

for a while, she suggests, and then

ask yourself, "how am I going to use

this space?"

For more information contact Artella

Interiors at www.artellainteriors.comor Fenwick Burnett Design Group

dfenwick@fbdesigngroup.com.