How practical is it? In what situations can we abandon the door leaf and lose nothing, but, on the contrary, make the space more convenient, comfortable and modern? What can be used as a substitute? And how to decorate archway with style and taste? About all this we will tell in this article.
When you can abandon the interior door
There are situations when it really turns out to be superfluous. What are these cases?
- You need to add light and air to the space, make it more open, visually increase the area .
- It is necessary to combine two adjacent rooms into a single room, but at the same time maintain zoning.
- Opening-closing “eats up” useful space, the canvas prevents the free use of space, complicates access to furniture and other items.
- Need to save the budget. In most cases, the design of a free passage will cost less than installing a box.
Most often, archways are left free between the living room and hallway, kitchen and dining room, between the hall and kitchen, if it is allowed by housing law.
But there are rooms where this is not possible. Either in accordance with the law or the requirements of common sense.
In the bathroom.
Between the room and the kitchen, if gas equipment is installed and blue fuel is used.
- In the bedroom.
- In the home office or library.
- In the pantry.
Pros and cons of an open floor plan
The advantages of this solution are essentially equal to the reasons for choosing it. We have already listed them in the previous section of the article. But if you set up to get rid of closed passageways, it is not bad to consider the possible disadvantages of this choice. On them we will dwell in detail.
- You will have to spend time and go through various authorities. If you’re going to expand or narrow the aisle, make it higher or lower – it can be considered a redevelopment. It all depends on the situation. A redevelopment must agree to the beginning of construction and repair work. Otherwise, you will then have to legalize it, and probably in court. In general, before breaking the walls, you need to make sure that their actions are legal. Otherwise you will have to return everything to its original state.
- If privacy is important to you, you need your personal space, you work at home and want to do it quietly, without distractions, then it is better not to get rid of doors. Open passageways, in fact, erase the boundaries between rooms, turning them into a single common space, accessible to all. So you can forget about privacy.
- The same applies to soundproofing. With an open floor plan it does not and cannot exist. Therefore, if you need silence, you need to concentrate and not be distracted by extraneous noises, it is better to leave the room closed.
What shape to make the opening
The size of the portal comes in different ways. It can be equal to the width and height of an ordinary standard door, or it can be expanded, and in height almost reach the ceiling. The choice depends on the dimensions and features of the room layout, as well as the preferences of the homeowner. As for the form, there are several basic options.
Rounded
This type we did not accidentally put under the number one. Rounded arches are a returning trend in interior design for several years now. Topical rounded archways are not wide, elongated vertically, concise, minimalist and without voluminous trim. They fit particularly well in rooms with high ceilings. Such designs are no longer attribute exclusively to the classics. Today designers boldly use them in any style.
Rectangular
A more traditional, familiar and “safe” option.
The portal is the most universal form. It will be good and with small ceiling heights, and in rooms under 3 meters high and more. To make such an arch is easier than a rounded one. Sometimes it is enough just to remove the box and perform basic cosmetic repairs.
Asymmetric
And this is probably the riskiest choice. And it is better to do it under the guidance of an experienced designer.
This form must be justified in the interior, supported by other architectural solutions or design elements. If we act at random, the asymmetric opening can be too pretentious, far-fetched and even tasteless. And vice versa: an interesting, but calibrated form will build the geometry of the room, emphasize the character of the space, will be a bright accent.
Finishing the archway without a door
We have already mentioned that trending options: laconic and simple. This applies to both shape and finish. Preparation for decoration can consist of a simple plastering and puttying of the slopes. This method is suitable if the surfaces are fairly even. But often additional leveling is required. Then the slopes are covered with plasterboard and only then is the construction puttyed.
Paint
Paint can be applied to a leveled, puttyed, primed surface. In modern projects, the interior part of the interior archway is often coated with a matte finish. For example, bright, contrasting, emphasizing the geometry of the arch. And if not matte, then metallized – in the tone of gold, silver, bronze or brass.
Wood or its imitation
Another popular but more expensive method is to clad the arch or portal with natural wood, veneer, MDF or chipboard panels.
The materials are listed in descending order of price. This solution is consistent with the general trend for eco-style design. In addition, it is relevant if the opening is part of a furniture wall, as in the photo below.
Stone, brick, stoneware, cement
If you imagined artificial cobblestones, thin strips of artificial slate with jagged edges or bricks laid out in a staggered order – forget it. That’s not what an actual design looks like.
How do you decorate archway with stone so the finish doesn’t look outdated? Brick can be, but then it must be supported by the rest of the interior elements. And it is desirable that it was a rough, authentic masonry or its quality imitation.
If you want to face with porcelain stoneware – choose as accurately as possible the texture of natural stone or marble. Better suited options, for which seamless installation is available. The texture of concrete or stone can also be recreated with microcement and plaster.
Moldings
Classical interiors and not only will benefit from the traditional design of arched structures.
A couple of centuries ago, it would have been necessary to start the time-consuming and expensive process of making and applying stucco. Today, moldings are used for the same thing. This is a ready-made decor that is easy to install and assembled like a constructor. For example, flexible plastic ones are attached to the glue. After installation, they can be painted in the desired color. There are also models made of wood, MDF and even metal.
Wallpaper
The most obvious option for decorating the archway without a door: if the walls are wallpapered, they can be wallpapered and the opening.
True, this is a very time-consuming process. It is necessary to align all the corners, make the seams invisible, smooth out the smallest creases.
Three simple ideas for decorating the opening
Decorate archway and separate the aisle can also be done in other ways. Let’s list some of them.
- Curtains. Textiles can act not only as a decor and decorate archway, but also perform a number of important functions. For example, heavy heavy heavy curtains will protect from prying eyes, absorb bright lights and even muffle the sound a little. Lightweight tulle will dissipate the direct rays of the sun and create a sense of privacy, even if barely noticeable. The convenience of curtains is that they can be kept gathered on the sides, the aperture will be open most of the time. But in the case of the first need, you can use them to fence off.
- Partitioning. If you do not want to make a blank wall between the rooms, but zoning is necessary, you can install a decorative partition. It can be made of wood, carved or with slats. Made of glass on a metal frame – normal or sliding. Made of glass blocks – the wall is made of them, as of bricks. If desired, the transparent partition is also decorated with textile.
- Screen. It is a simple and mobile way to cut off the opening and add privacy to the space. In addition, a screen is always interesting, a bright accent and an unusual detail that attracts glances. The screen can be made of wood, metal or fabric. It will not improve soundproofing, but it will create a comfortable sense of personal space.