Open plan: Building with less walls

Simon Peter Kazibwe, an architect, describes this design as modern architecture. This sleek and sophisticated six bedroom plan encompasses both aesthetic and functionality.
Inspired by contemporary living, the home has open floor plans that combine spaces for dining, relaxing and entertaining. With its economical footprint, the plan fits nicely into a tight city lot of 100mx100m and should cost Shs95m out of Kampala and Shs140m within the city. “In terms of space and construction, this is one of the most economical plans I have ever designed,” Kazibwe adds.
It employs technologically advanced materials such as iron, stone, steel and glass.

Special features
The house features clean, geometric lines and is supported by contemporary finishing which blends in well and is improved by nature.
The first floor features the family room and entertainment room that flow easily into the living room, kitchen and dining room. High windows on side walls bring natural daylight into the rooms, reducing the need for extra lighting. This level also has three self-contained rooms and an extra bathroom.
The next level features two more self-contained bedrooms and a luxurious master suite that boasts of a spacious closet. Every bedroom has its own private shade.

Cleaning challenges
This house presents one major problem of cleaning. “Unlike other homes that are separated by walls, this concept has a lot of open space that flows into each other. This exposes the eye to every space which creates pressure to keep the whole house clean all the time which will require more manpower,” observes interior décor expert Wahab Mbabazi.

He recommends that rooms should be properly divided into zones that are strictly reserved for particular activities such as eating, playing, watching TV or reading.
The designer says one of the best ways to create such division is by using colour to demarcate the different purposes within your open plan space. “Keeping the basic colours such as the whites and neutrals, one can add other colours to create visual barriers without necessarily interrupting the flow,” explains Mbabazi.

Furniture and placement
“The biggest challenge for the homeowner would be finding furniture that blends perfectly but the open concept also gives plenty of room for creativity,” Hannington Wasswa an interior designer observes.
Pick a colour palette for the room and incorporate it into each individual space. “The dominant colour palette should be visible in the sofa, dining table and window treatments in the kitchen. This will help create a cohesive and unified look between the individual areas,” he adds. He recommends warm or earthy materials and colours to add warmth and coziness to the room.

Pros
Light. Thanks to fewer walls and obstructions blocking the natural light from sunny windows, you can enjoy lighter, more uplifting surroundings. You may want to incorporate a lot of glass to maximize this effect, to blur the line between indoors and out and visually extend the space.

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