Joaquin Altamirano and Silvia Martín worked with Daniel Bergman Vázquez of Estudio Untercio to create an open-plan oasis in an apartment building in central Madrid. Estudio Untercio designed the medium-density fiberboard cupboards, which are coated with lacquer paint matching the ceramic-porcelain countertops. The tubular hood above the island is by Teka.

The renovation, which focused on the living-dining-kitchen area, strikes a balance between intimate and inviting, hence the project's name, the Open/Private apartment.

The refrigerator is Sub-Zero, the cooktop and hood are Viking, and the oven is Miele.

Two smaller, adjacent structures house autonomous bedrooms, each equipped with a full bathroom.

The central living area features an open-plan kitchen, living space, and deck with views of Louttit Bay. To maximize energy savings, the house has a ducted reverse air cycle system from Fujitsu.

A linear layout allows for air and light to flow freely through the apartment, making it an a open haven in the center of the city. An IKEA pendant and chairs surround a table by Zone Maison.

The family's activity centers around the open-plan dining room, which does triple-duty as a living room and kitchen. Susanna prefers a motley set of dining chairs over a coordinated set; that way guests can pick their favorite when they sit.

The decidedly modern dining and kitchen areas open to the backyard through a floor-to-ceiling steel-and-glass door, fabricated by Optimum Window. One of the owners’ favorite features of the home is the “ability to connect the inside to the outside seamlessly,” Bangia describes. The living area serves as “a place for the kids to dance or ride a skateboard, a casual space that reflects the way they live.”

The more planning you do and the fewer changes you make, the higher chance you have of staying within your budget. Take the time to figure out what the scope of the project is and get a sense of how much work is needed so that you can make educated decisions when presented with options.

Impromptu reading time in the open-plan kitchen is encouraged.

The dining table in the open-plan space is custom, and the fireplace is from Napoleon.

The kitchen and adjoined dining space have a light, open feel, as does the rest of the home. Complementary design elements, like the low-slung steel bookcase next to the stairs, which Flournoy’s partner organized according to color, reappear throughout the house. Pops of color add an appealing break from the largely monochromatic palette, and reinforce the couple’s design aesthetic. The Bistro chairs are from Crate and Barrel.

Architect Ester Bruzkus of Bruzkus Batek redesigned a compact apartment in Berlin to serve as her home. The previous layout had two bedrooms and one bathroom, but Bruzkus created an open-plan arrangement with only one bedroom to free up space. A folding wall can be pulled out for privacy. Custom furniture joins pieces by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller and Gervasoni. The bathroom is enclosed within the black cube, which can be entered from either the bedroom side or the living room side. The paintings are by Berlin-based artist Niki Elbe.

The open plan, high ceilings, and white walls all amplify the light that streams into the living room, accented with a Barcelona Couch by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll and two Blythe Pony Cube ottomans by Gus Design.

Rich blue PKW-2 chairs by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller surround a custom table by Bruce Bolander in the home Bolander built in Malibu Canyon.

The house captures meadow views, thanks to three large sliding doors by Loewen that lead out to a big deck. “We wanted to hide the view from visitors until you get inside, so it would feel like a surprise when walking in,” Bronee says. “This also gives us the sense of being tucked in and cozy in the winter with a view of the meadow, and in the summer it feels like indoors and outdoors are connected. We live just as much on the deck as we do inside.”

Nix and Novak-Zemplinski, founders of the design firm BioLINIA, in their 1,000-square-foot apartment’s open-plan kitchen, dining, and living space. They had the decorative cabinets and ceiling panels CNC-milled by a Polish subsidiary of the Finnish company Koskisen. Photo by Andreas Meichsner.

The Aiyyers’ midcentury furniture collection adds personality and color to the open-plan interior. A sofa by Kofod-Larsen for Selig, chairs by Viko Baumritter, shelving by Regner Christensen, and a coffee table by a local craftsmen accentuate the living room, while a dining table and chairs by Calligaris, custom cabinetry with pulls by Mockett, and an overhead Bel Occhio light from Pablo Designs complete the kitchen. Leigh’s harp, from Lyon & Healy, sits nearby.

The 1920s building was converted into lofts in 2000. The client started out looking for new cabinet hardware and an improved connection between the laundry room and the guest bath, but ultimately decided to work with the firms on a full overhaul.

Nakada works from an Alvar Aalto table in the living and dining area, adjacent to the kitchen. He saved on some elements, such as the plywood cabinetry, and splurged on others, such as the Finn Juhl chairs and Vilhelm Lauritzen lamp. A skylight beneath the angled roof allows in a sliver of constantly changing light.

In addition to adjusting the windows, Carle dislocated all wall partitions from the main structure of the house to create a more open feel. “This way, we’re going back to the mythical plan libre dogma of those days, as a wink to our ancestors,” the French-Canadian architect jokes.

Candy Sarvis loves feeling connected with dinner guests while she cooks. The African teak kitchen cabinetry is by Pedini, with Miele appliances. A Big Bang pendant by Foscarini illuminates the Montecarlo table by Cattelan Italia.

With the help of Sarah Zames of General Assembly Design, Brian Crano and David Craig merged two apartments into one while preserving their general layout. One apartment serves as a space for entertaining while the other, housing a bedroom and home office, retains a more intimate character.

In the open-plan main room upstairs, a midcentury modern table and chairs from a local antique shop mark the start of the eating and cooking area. Bertoia stools from Knoll tuck beneath the bar of the mahogany island, outfitted with a Kohler sink and a Grohe faucet. The cooktop and oven are from Wolf, while the other appliances are from Thermador.

Cedar planks and gray-stained oak flooring line the interior. A minimalist LED lighting strip by Systemalux runs through the kitchen area, enhancing the wood ceiling’s reddish tone.

The couple loves to entertain, so the kitchen connects seamlessly to the dining and living areas. The countertops are HI-MACS, the sink is Elkay, and the faucet is Blanco.

Tsutsui continued the Oregon pine from the floor to the steel-reinforced cantilevered staircase, which appears to float above the floor.

The kitchen is outfitted with a duel-fuel range by Bosch, a Diamonte Canopy hood by Faber, a LaPerla dishwasher by Miele, French-door refrigerator by LG, Blanco sink, and Compact Smart overn by Breville. Catifa 46 stools by Arper are stationed at the bar. The counters are quartz and the cabinets are solid maple. "Given that the owners’ intention was to stay and age in the house, we decided that the materials needed to be elegant and timeless and, in essence, could also age well in place," Tedesco says. "This led to devising a refined and warm palette of natural finishes. White carrara marble, oiled clear Douglas fir, and maple floors and millwork create a light, warm interior with a reddish hue that emanates when the sunlight washes the woods. The selection process included R-and-D on the materials to assess their ability to be both robust enough to handle every day wear and tear in the short term and acquire a beautiful patina long term. We also researched MSDS charts to ensure they were safe, non-toxic, and would not off-gas."

The house's open plan is neatly divided into public and private spaces, with the front containing the kitchen and living areas and the back holding the bedroom and bath, overhung by a small mezzanine. A hidden wooden panel can be drawn closed between the two sections for greater privacy.

“The walls are painted brick to reinforce the connection to the exterior of the house,” Trimble says of the combined dining and living area. Clad in European oak flooring, the warm space features Series 7 chairs by Fritz Hansen, a Soverin Table by Andreu World, and a comfy, leather Marenco sofa by Arflex.

The staircase leads to the living area upstairs.

Inside, the bottom floor contains the bedroom, off of which is the bathroom, with a tub from Kaldewei and a Duravit sink.

To maximize space, several vertical HVAC units were removed and replaced with energy-efficient units that are cleverly concealed in the ceiling. White Ardex concrete flooring is used throughout the common living spaces.

The open-plan living spaces act like a “giant kitchen” that invites guests to mingle throughout the house. The white rug anchors the living room furniture, which includes two red couches from Room and Board and a coffee table and end tables that were thrift-store finds. Roberston opted for commercial storefront doors over sliding glass ones for the back of the house. "It's the least expensive way to get a wall of glass," he says. The only drawback: The doors automatically lock when they close so Freeman and Feldmann have to be sure to always have keys on hand.

The design team completely changed the layout of the first floor, moving the kitchen to the front of the home and the living room to the rear. The open floor plan allows them to cook in the kitchen while the children play in the living room. All walls and ceilings were painted basic Dulux Brilliant White and a custom-supplied skylight adds illumination to the previously dark and closed-off space.

In the most open layout configuration, all bedroom walls are closed to create one large living space. By challenging the idea of permanent divisions, the design team was able to create a luxurious and open living area, without sacrificing the need for sectioned off bedrooms.