Open plan is over and the sitting room’s back
Homeowners are reinstating their interior walls to create peaceful, private spaces, says Morag Turner
Until recently, open plan was the well-worn phrase on every interior designer’s lips. Property developers sold it as the ideal concept for modern living.
We all bought into it, of course, knocking down as many walls as possible to create one vast living space. it seemed the perfect way to create the ultimate family home. You only have to count the number of side-return extensions on any given street of terrace houses to see how keenly we’ve embraced the open-plan trend.
But, while builders rubbed their hands with glee and sales of steel beams skyrocketed, those going about their day to day lives in homes where the living, kitchen and dining rooms have been knocked into one area realise the drawbacks of this set-up.
Yes, there are occasions when it’s wonderful to spend time as a family or entertain, but there are just as many instances when it would be nice to have two (or more) distinct living areas.
those with young children are the first to regret their decision to remove walls — and, therefore, sound barriers — because they soon discover there is nowhere to escape the hum of children’s tV or to avoid stepping on toys.
‘A couple of clients have asked me to reinstate walls in their homes,’ says louise Maconachie, of istana interior Design. ‘they missed having a separate room to relax in, and thought that going all-out open plan had been a mistake.
‘Playrooms used to be a big thing — but now, unless you have a huge house, a room just for the children is increasingly being replaced by a sitting room.’
it isn’t just frazzled parents who feel the need for a bit of personal space. Families at any stage benefit from more than one living area. Which is partly why the sitting room is back on our floorplans.
Whether you call it a parlour, living room, tV or even drawing room, it’s essentially another space where parents can reclaim those joyous adult pastimes such as reading the Sunday papers or watching a favourite tV drama in peace.
it doesn’t have to be formal, either. if you like a traditional look, then go for it. But the only prerequisite for this room is that those who actually own the house (the grown-ups) get to express their tastes without the constraints of decorating and furnishing with sticky fingers in mind.
‘this is a social space where adults can relax. it’s not that children are never allowed into these rooms, but the focus is more on conversation and entertaining than video games and toys,’ says linda holmes, interiors director at top interiors retailer luxDeco.
‘We have noticed a growing trend for more formal sitting rooms where people will spend money on beautiful fabrics and more expensive furniture. Sofas tend to be in paler colours and are less slouchy and more elegant.’
Finding the perfect sofa is a good starting point when designing a sitting room. While it has to be comfortable, it doesn’t need to be practical. Go for a style and fabric that you actually love, anand maybe consider an armchair where you can curl up to read a book.
this is the room in which you can fulfil your interior design dreams, so style it up with a coffee table, smart art books and chic ornaments.
table lamps and soft lighting wwill help to create a relaxing feel. Pooky’s saba table lamp in olive is a sophisticated shade, £160, pooky.com. And why not go for the ultimate grown up style statement, the drinks trolley?
Oliver Bonas has a glitzy metal and mirrored one for £ 350,
oliverbonas.com. While Graham & Green offers a version with lashings of Deco style. the Caldwell Gold Drinks trolley is £450, grahamandgreen.co.uk.
‘Serving drinks from a chic trolley is exactly the kind of thing you want to do in a smart sitting room,’ confirms holmes.
So before you sign off plans to knock through from your front door to back, consider how pleasant it will be to escape to the calm of a sitting room with a freshly shaken cocktail.