Open-Plan Living, Work & Play

The brief

My client had a large, open-plan living space that needed to work incredibly hard for her family. It needed a designated area for relaxing, watching TV and socialising, a proper space for my client to work from home, somewhere for the children to play with storage for their toys, room for extra dining ware, and an at-home mandir.

She’d previously had a media wall installed, but it had already started to feel outdated — and with so many different demands on one space, it needed a complete rethink.

The approach

The priority was creating clearly defined zones for each of these functions, while keeping the flow between them feeling natural rather than closed off. I replaced the outdated media wall with a new design featuring asymmetric alcoves — perfect for styling, and with the additional storage the space needed. A large, oversized rug helped zone the seating area and created the perfect spot for the family to socialise, layered with textured wallpaper and bespoke, commissioned abstract artwork for a high-end, luxury feel throughout.

For my client’s work-from-home space, I added panelling to the wall behind her desk, creating the perfect backdrop for video calls. The children’s corner was designed with its own seating and low-level storage, so they could reach their toys easily and play independently.

The mandir was one of the most meaningful parts of the brief, and I wanted the design to feel both symbolic and elevated. I kept it simple — a bespoke feather design that can be illuminated with LED lighting, giving it a real presence within the room.

The result

A single open-plan space that now works effortlessly for the whole family — a place to relax and socialise, a proper home office, a play area the children love, and a beautiful, meaningful mandir at its heart, all designed to flow together rather than compete.