Flooring design guides

Open Plan Flooring Ideas

Spend quality time in a multipurpose kitchen, diner and living room – tied together with flooring for open-plan living. Explore our guide to discover how to make flooring a striking feature of your open-plan space.

What is open-plan flooring?

Open-plan flooring is flooring that flows from one area of your home to another. This usually consists of using matching flooring in multiple rooms, or throughout the different zones of an open-plan living space.

Howdens Professional Fast Fit V Groove Basalt Slate Tile

Where can open-plan flooring be used?

Open-plan flooring can connect different rooms, like your hallway and living space, or your kitchen and dining room. It can also be used across an entire floor. To extend your flooring into a utility room or bathroom, look for Aquablock technology which can withstand splashes and spills.

The benefits of open-plan flooring

Using one type of flooring throughout your living space can be more affordable. If all of your flooring is fitted at the same time, labour costs could be reduced. By fitting one material you will also save on cleaning products.

Kitchen floor plan design considerations

If you want to use the same flooring throughout your living space, there are a few design considerations to keep in mind when exploring open-plan flooring ideas.

Clerkenwell Super Matt Grey Flooring 1 RT1

The size of your space

In a smaller open-plan home, light flooring can enhance the sense of space. Dark shades work better in larger rooms where you can be bold with your flooring design.

Explore open-plan kitchen ideas

Your design and decor

If your open-plan flooring flows through rooms with different design schemes, opt for a neutral colour that will complement each area of your home and tie your interior design together.

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SDH3680 Classic Oak Natural_Landscape_HR (1)

Who shares your home

For families with pets or young children, vinyl flooring is a good choice, as it is easy to wipe clean. Its textured surface also provides paws and small feet with better grip.

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Different living areas

Define the areas for eating and entertaining with your kitchen floor plan. Using contrasting colours and materials, you can create separate spaces without a physical divide.

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SDH3621_cameo_ greenwich super matt graphite

Care and maintenance

Consider how much maintenance your flooring will require. The character of solid wood can last for years with regular care, whilst laminate is easy to clean and withstands wear and tear.

Explore floor cleaning tips

Heating your home

To make your open-plan living space warm and cosy, find flooring that is suitable for use with underfloor heating. This removes the need for radiators, creating a sleek, modern look.

Four favourite open-plan kitchen flooring ideas

Discover the latest kitchen floor plans and on-trend materials with these open-plan kitchen-living room flooring ideas.

1. Art deco inspiration

Choose from grey or oak chevron laminate flooring to mirror the heritage design of a parquet floor. With hints of art deco style, this is a great choice for a kitchen with a refined look.

See oak chevron flooring

2. Neutral shades create space

Pale colours can make your space appear more open. Continue a white washed laminate floor from the kitchen into the dining area, and ask your builder to use the same soft shades on the walls.

See white washed laminate flooring