How to Open Up Living Spaces

Make two small rooms feel more spacious by opening a shared wall to create a framed opening. A framed opening visually links one space to another and is most effective when it provides a wide connection between spaces while still maintaining the differentiation of one room from another.

Create a more open floor plan, especially where the kitchen connects to adjacent living spaces, by removing a wall and replacing it with a new support beam and columns. Columns allow for differentiation of places without obstructing much of the view, while providing the structural support of a load-bearing wall.

One of the best ways to increase the apparent size of a home without adding on is to bring more daylight into the interior. Increase the size of existing windows or place them adjacent to perpendicular walls and ceilings, allowing those surfaces to act as giant daylight reflectors. In addition, create openings between rooms to allow more of the available daylight to be seen from room to room.

Unify a remodeled space by creating a spatial theme with varied ceiling heights. Use lowered ceilings over subordinate spaces such as hallways, alcoves and smaller rooms, and higher ceilings over the more important rooms.