Flooring to Define Each Space in an Open Plan Home

The open plan home trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down. However, just because you don’t have walls doesn’t mean you can’t design for different areas in the home. You don’t want it to be just one open and uniform space from the front door to the back door. By playing with the dimensions and installation method of your hardwood floors, you can create a subtle distinction for each specific area.

Colorado hardwood floor design
Play with shape, size, color, and installation methods to define each area in an open plan home.

Installing hardwood floors in open floor home

Using the same type of wood throughout your home will create cohesion, but you can play around with the installation and the shape of each plank to help define each space in your home, creating boundaries around certain areas.

As you move from the living room to the dining room to the office to the kitchen, play with methods of installation to distinguish each area from the next.

Expand the living room

For areas that are going to draw a lot of people, where people will gather for a party, think about using long, wide planks to make an area feel grander and more inviting. The longer and wider the planks, the bigger an area will feel. Perfect for a living room.

Natural and authentic flooring

You can also mix and match width and length of floor boards within the same area. Playing with size and dimension within the same area will create a more natural and authentic look. A variety of width and lengths is an aesthetically unique look, and it’s perfect for a country-chic and sustainable home.

Installing mismatched flooring

Hardwood floors and installation in Colorado
Hardwood floors can create cohesion in an open floor home.

Keep in mind that if you are buying wood that comes in non-traditional dimensions, where each plank is different from the next, you will need the skilled hand of a hardwood flooring installation expert. Be sure to hire a reputable hardwood flooring company in Colorado to be sure to have your floors installed correctly.

Keep it cohesive

Be careful not to make every area different, because an open plan home has to be able to feel cohesive when you are taking in the whole picture, not just each room one at a time.

Colorado’s largest hardwood flooring retailer

T&G Flooring is one of Colorado’s largest hardwood flooring retailers. For hardwood flooring inspiration, stop by one of our showrooms in Denver or Evergreen, or schedule a free consultation with a hardwood flooring craftsman.

Picture of Chris Keale

Chris Keale

Owner & Operator of Tongue & Groove Flooring
Wood Flooring 101 Course Creator

Chris Keale is the owner of Tongue & Groove and the creator of the Wood Floors 101 course, an educational resource that helps homeowners and design professionals make confident flooring decisions.

With a career that began in global technology and consulting, Chris traded boardrooms for floorboards, bringing his leadership skills and love of craftsmanship into the hardwood flooring industry. Since 2007, he has grown Tongue & Groove into one of Colorado’s most trusted flooring companies—built on a foundation of integrity, education and precision. 

Known for his sharp insight, dry humor and genuine commitment to his clients, Chris has helped homeowners, builders and designers through the complexities of choosing and installing hardwood floors. Whether teaching in the showroom, on a jobsite or through his Wood Floors 101, his mission remains the same: to simplify a complicated industry and deliver floors that stand the test of time.

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