Designing A Multifunctional Space.

Why We Need Multifunctional Spaces.

For todays blog we are sharing our design knowledge and guiding you through designing a multifunctional space. We recently completed a fantastic project for a family who wanted to create a cozy, multifunctional space for them to all enjoy being together.

This is really how many of us want to live. We no longer want to feel segregated into smaller rooms whilst we cook, eat and relax. The cook feels cut off from the rest of the family, dining becomes an activity of ferrying food between the two rooms. The flow of communication and coming together is fragmented as everyone is divided into separate spaces.

The Everything Room.

Open plan kitchen, diners are nothing new. It is the way that the majority of us live or aspire to live. What we are seeing more and more of, is the aspiration for the open plan kitchen diner to transform even more and become the everything room. A space to cook, eat, chat, relax, feel cosy and connect to nature.

This was definitely the aspiration of our recent clients. With busy lives putting pressures on their time. They felt that when they could be at home, they wanted to enjoy that time together, so they could reconnect and recharge as a family.

How Do You Divide Up A Multifunctional Space?

How do you create this everything room? The design, layout, lighting and material palette is absolutely crucial to the success of this space. 

Firstly the layout; zoning the room allows you to clearly define the purpose of each section of the space. For many open plan spaces there are essentially three zones for the room: cooking, dining and relaxing.

For our recent project we wanted the family to maximise their enjoyment of their garden when they were relaxing and dining. This then allowed us to use the width of the top half of the space to layout the kitchen.

The Different Zones.

Open plan spaces are obviously larger rooms, so that presents a challenge if you want to create a cosy seating area. For our recent project the family wanted to add glass to the rear of the extension to enjoy a connection to nature. However they also wanted to add a fire into the space to feel cosy and relaxed.

The solution was to divide up the window wall into two large sections of Crittall doors and add a ceiling hung, feature fire. By creating this strong feature, it also clearly defined the cosy area of the space. We then also positioned the corner sofa to enjoy the garden views and we added a beautiful bespoke bookcase. This not only provided some much needed storage, but also created a back drop to highlight some of the families treasures.

Where possible we always design seating areas to be as close to the external views. We are big believers in the power of Biophilic design (bringing the outside in). With so many proven, health benefits it is very important that our clients enjoy that connection to nature as much as possible. 

For this project, the dining space sat next to the cosy, living zone. This meant that there wasn’t ample space for this zone. The solution was to design bench seating as a continuation of the kitchen units. It maximised the space and maintained a sense of flow and consistency.

The spatial planning for this layout, allowed us to maximise the full width of the room for the kitchen zone. This was very important, as it allowed us to maximise on storage and usage but also to create a large kitchen island, with additional breakfast bar seating.

The kitchen zone is also the area when you need as much circulation space as possible. There are doors and drawers opening, ovens being used, different family members coming in and out of the space. It is very important it doesn’t feel cramped.

The Palette of Materials.

Although it is vital to zone an open plan space, there needs to be consistency so that the room doesn’t jar aesthetically. This is why it is very important that your palette of materials is complimentary as you move round the space and there are consistent uses of those materials.

Modern extensions can be challenging spaces to add character. For this project we installed an entire wall of reclaimed brick slips down the length of the space. This addition instantly brought character and depth to the room. Brick slips are a fantastic alternative to building an entire wall of expensive, reclaimed brick.

To compliment the reclaimed bricks we bookended the space with sets of crittall doors. The black of the crittall is then see again in the ceiling hung fire, chair legs and trim on the pendants. Dark wood and brass are our red threads of the space. They are consistently used in all the zones and this contributes to a cohesive scheme. 

Although we wanted the kitchen units to play their own part in this extension, we didn’t want them to distract from the chosen palette. The solution was to finish them in a tranquil green, that replicates the connection to nature and compliments the chosen aesthetics. We chose a hardy quartz for all worktops, using a waterfall design for the island for extra luxury and impact.

Zoned Lighting.

One of the easiest ways to zone an open plan space is with the lighting. Lighting design is one of the most important elements of a space and it is so often over looked. I have previously written a blog on how to layer lighting and the importance of different types of lighting.

General lighting and task lighting is obviously very important for the kitchen. You need to be able to see clearly when you are cooking. Darker areas, such as under wall cabinets and shelves can be highlighted with under cabinet lighting.

Downlighters are a common addition for the open plan space and they are incredibly useful. However when they are used on their own, they produce a very flat, uninspiring light, which does nothing to bring warmth and dimension to the space. When we design downlighters into a space, we are careful with their usage. We always stipulate them to be dimmable and they are always just a base layer to the rest of the lighting.

Pendants are a brilliant way of bringing ambient lighting into the space. They can be hung over kitchen islands and tables. They not only zone the sections, but they are a softer, warmer light to enjoy chatting to family and friends.

For our recent project we lit the bookcase in the cosy zone. Hidden LED strips are a brilliant accent light. For this space not only did it zone the seating but it also highlighted all the beautiful books and treasures that were showcased.

Other ways to layer and zone the lighting is to use wall lights, shadow gap lighting or floor or table lamps.

The lighting scheme is such an important part of the success of any space. When we work on a project we always spend time creating lighting and electrical plans to enhance our design.

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The open plan kitchen, dining, living space is one of the most important rooms in your home. It is probably the space we design the most, as clients value the importance of getting this room right. If you would like to chat to us about your project then don’t hesitate to contact us.