Guide to Broken Plan Living

Why Broken Plan is now the most sought-after layout.

Broken plan living is all about being clever with the use of space within a home. Rather than opting for a traditional interior design, broken plan living encourages homeowners to consider what would make their layout more functional and practical for their individual needs.

Throughout the pandemic, people have been using their homes as offices, classrooms, and more. The need for dedicated working spaces and to separate these spaces from recreational spaces has increased dramatically as we have all spent more time in our homes than ever before. Although open-plan remains a highly desirable home layout, it has proven to be less practical in recent times. Open plan does not cater to modern homeowners’ specific needs and as a result of this, there has been a rise in demand for internal glazing and partition systems.

One of the most popular predicted trends for 2021 was zoning – where interior design layouts are used to create dedicated zones within the space. Zoning allows for flexible room partitions that can be used to shut off workspaces from the rest of the home or allow people working from home to shut off from the working environment during the evenings or weekends. It has also been useful for children being homeschooled to have a clear understanding of their surroundings, where they are learning, and where they are playing.

There are a variety of ways to implement a broken plan layout, including specifying half walls or incorporating different floor levels. Half walls are a great way to divide the space of a layout, but this is a permanent solution and cannot offer as much flexibility as other methods. For the most flexible solution, internal glazing is the best choice.

IQ Glass offer a range of internal glazing solutions to suit any layout and design, including sliding glass doors that can be configured to slide into hidden wall cavities for additional flexibility. Sliding glass doors can save space within the interior design of a home, sliding effortlessly behind walls instead of opening outwards on inwards. Frameless glass partitions are a good alternative to brick walls, as they do not obstruct the light transmission or views whilst offering a form of privacy.

Another solution, used within the luxury apartments at One Crown Place, is internal bifolding doors which stack neatly to one side when an open plan layout is desired. The MIRO Pivot, part of the Sieger aluminium range, has been specifically engineered for use internally. The slim framed pivot door has an exceptional glass to frame ratio, making it the perfect solution for contemporary homes where natural light plays a big part in the design scheme.

An increasingly popular choice for broken plan living is indoor fireplaces, which can be used to act as a design feature whilst simultaneously separating living spaces. Bespoke fire solutions from Urban Outdoors can be personalised to create a wide range of designs, from a full glass fireplace that can be viewed from either side, to a fireplace that acts as part of a bigger wall structure. As well as a design feature and a means to implement broken plan layouts, fireplaces are fully functional and can add depth and heat to a home.

To speak to an expert about how you can implement a broken plan layout, contact us at info@skyhousedesigncentre.com