Lessons From An Open Plan Family Home

A converted dancehall turned family home shows how open-plan living, honest storage and well-used walls can bring calm to a busy household. There is plenty here worth borrowing for smaller homes too.

Knocking through for family time

This home began life as a dancehall, and its owners spent three years reshaping it into an open-plan space where the family naturally gathers. Internal walls came down, and furniture and colour now do the work of dividing the kitchen, dining and living areas instead. A soft grey picture wall acts as a flexible backdrop that can be refreshed over time. For anyone living in an apartment or townhouse where rooms feel boxy, it is a reminder that knocking through, even partially, can make a modest footprint feel far more generous and sociable.

GLOSTAD 2-seat sofa, Knisa dark grey, 121 cmGLOSTAD 3-seat sofa, Knisa dark grey, 171 cmKIVIK 3-seat sofa, Tallmyra white/black, 228x83x95 cmÄPPLARYD 2-seat sofa, Lejde grey/black, 199 cmKLIPPAN 2-seat sofa, Bomstad black, 177x66x88 cmGULLVALLA 3-seat sofa, Silkeryd dark grey-beige, 182 cm

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Everyday storage that looks the part

The owners admit the kitchen layout is not perfect, but the open shelving tells its own story, lined with jars of dried goods, foraged mushrooms and nuts. It is a simple approach that suits a warm climate too, keeping staples visible and within reach rather than hidden in deep cupboards. A long wooden shelf above the worktop and a wide double sink by the window show how practical details can still feel warm and lived in. For compact kitchens common in Maltese homes, open shelving and glass jars are an easy way to bring order without losing character.

KORKEN jar with lid, clear glass, 1 lKORKEN jar with lid, clear glass, 0.5 lIKEA 365+ dry food jar with lid, transparent/white, 2.3 lKORKEN jar with lid, clear glass, 1.8 lVARDAGEN jar with lid, clear glass, 1.9 lIKEA 365+ dry food jar with lid, transparent/white, 1.3 l

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Turning a stairwell into a library

With two readers in the house getting through books at speed, the family solved the clutter problem by building shelving up the stairwell wall. Spot lighting lifts the books from storage into something closer to a display, and the space that would otherwise sit empty above a staircase becomes genuinely useful. In narrower Maltese townhouses, where stair landings often go unused, the same idea works well: shelving that climbs with the stairs can hold books, photographs or well-loved objects without eating into living space below.

LACK wall shelf, white, 110x26 cmKALLAX shelving unit, white, 77x77 cmLACK wall shelf, white stained oak effect, 110x26 cmLACK wall shelf, white, 30x26 cmEKET cabinet, brown walnut effect, 35x35x35 cmLACK wall shelf, black-brown, 110x26 cm

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A bedroom built for slowing down

Sarah describes calm as having only a few things on display, and her bedroom reflects that. Clothes are tucked into custom storage built into an alcove behind the bed, leaving the room itself uncluttered and restful. Bedding in natural fabrics adds warmth without visual noise, making it an easy place to linger on a slow morning with a book. In Malta's warmer months, this kind of pared-back bedroom, with hidden storage and breathable bedding, helps a small room feel cooler and far less chaotic.

SKUBB storage case, white, 90x53x19 cmSKUBB storage case, white, 43x53x19 cmSKUBB box, set of 6, whitePÄRKLA storage case, 55x49x19 cmHEMMAFIXARE storage case, fabric striped/white/grey, 44x51x19 cmSKUBB storage case, dark grey, 43x53x19 cm

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Maltashopper brings pieces like these into Maltese and Gozitan homes, with orders delivered to your door. Small changes to storage and layout can shift how a whole home feels.

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