This Tennessee Home Was Designed for a Big Family – Here’s How the Designer Used an Open Floor Plan and Clever Architectural Details to Make It Feel So Much Larger

The concept of open-plan living has been a constant debate in the interior design world. Recent trends have suggested it's losing its appeal, with many homeowners looking to close off rooms rather than open them up. However, having separate rooms for every occasion relies on the luxury of space, something that designer Amy Peltier, founder of Peltier Interiors, didn't have tons of when working on this project.

The brief was to maximize every inch of the space, which was to be a second home to a big family that wanted plenty of communal spaces to host and relax together. When Amy came to the house, it was a bit of a blank slate, with the architect having created this huge, open room. Technically, it could have been divided, but then the rooms would have felt small and boxy, so instead, Amy chose to work with the space, zoning it into the main rooms of the home.

'The home is located on a beautiful rural property in Thompson's Station, just outside Franklin, Tennessee,' Amy explains. 'The setting absolutely shaped the design. The sweeping views became part of the home's design language, with oversized windows framing the landscape almost like works of art. Creating a seamless connection between the indoors and outdoors became a guiding principle throughout the project.'

'The original brief was to maximize every square foot the family was allowed to build,' she continues. 'The architect established an incredible foundation with an open floor plan and soaring vaulted ceilings that immediately made the home feel larger than its footprint. We embraced that vision rather than trying to divide the spaces.'

But what do you do with a home whose entire ground floor is essentially one room? 'At first, designing one expansive main living area felt like a challenge, but it ultimately became one of the home's greatest strengths, allowing us to create distinct yet connected spaces that feel both generous and intimate.'

You walk straight into this space, too; there's no separate entryway, so to speak. And yet, the simple addition of extending the wooden cladding just slightly into the room creates a space to pause before entering. It also naturally creates a divide between the living areas and the kitchen and dining space.

A big part of the open/closed-plan debate is centered around the dining room, with some designers saying a separate dining room is making a comeback. But closing off this room will always give it a sense of formality and occasion, rather than creating a space to be enjoyed every day. Amy and her clients wanted this home to feel loved and lived in, with nothing saved for special occasions. So the dining space naturally went front and center.

'The moment you walk through the front door, you're greeted by the dining room, which acts as the heart of the home rather than a room tucked away for special occasions,' says Amy. 'We intentionally treated the dining table almost like a grand center table in an entry hall, anchoring the entire open floor plan. Shallow wing walls wrapped in wood paneling subtly define the space without interrupting the flow, while a dramatic chandelier draws your eye upward to the 18-foot vaulted ceilings.'

'The entry and dining room required the most problem-solving. Without careful planning, you would have walked straight into the kitchen and living room, which didn't feel welcoming. We wanted guests to have a true sense of arrival, so creating subtle architectural definition without closing off the space became one of the project's biggest design challenges, and one of its biggest successes. By introducing the four wing walls that connect into the ceiling beams, we created architectural separation without sacrificing the openness of the floor plan.'

'To the left is the living room, centered around a fireplace and framed by soaring floor-to-ceiling windows that capture the surrounding landscape. The furnishings feel warm, inviting, and relaxed while remaining refined,' explains Amy.

'I'd describe it as clean and simple, yet classic and timeless, with a quiet country romance. We wanted the home to feel authentic to its Tennessee setting, where donkeys roam just beyond the windows and nature is part of everyday life. Nothing feels overly modern or overly traditional. Instead, every space is approachable, comfortable, and livable while still feeling elevated and thoughtfully designed.'

This was a big part of Amy's brief, too. The home might be new, but it needed to have a sense of age and warmth, despite the large open space. 'We focused on all the little details,' she notes. 'Mixing warm wood tones, natural stone, textured fabrics, aged brass, and carefully collected accessories gave the home a sense of history from day one. Every finish and furnishing was selected to add warmth, character, and depth, making the house feel as though it had evolved over time rather than being newly constructed. We even elevated everyday selections like baseboards and doors and selected a warm-stained wood finish to take it from basic to unique.'

While the living room and dining space are filled with layers of cool neutrals, the kitchen is somewhat of an unexpected surprise, with a gray-toned blue that feels perfectly balanced on the right side of cool thanks to the ashy wood accents. The whole space has this same sense of balance. It's a fresh color scheme, with blues, crisp whites, and hints of gray, while warmer woods and touches of tan keep it feeling cozy.

'To the right of the main space is the kitchen, where the palette shifts just enough to create its own identity. Rich smoky blue cabinetry and darker countertops define the perimeter, while the island and range wall are wrapped in warm wood and topped with a beautiful natural quartzite with subtle movement. Although each area has its own personality, they all flow together seamlessly as one cohesive living space.'

The color scheme is a restrained one, but it allows all the natural textures to do the talking. The space is bright and light, but there's depth and interest here, too. 'That was exactly our goal,' says Amy, 'creating interest without relying on obvious color. We never wanted the interiors competing with the incredible views outside. The richness comes from the layered materials selected, rather than bold color creating contrast. Natural stone, layered wood tones, subtle brass accents, soft bronzes, textured fabrics, and carefully selected finishes all work together to create depth and warmth without overwhelming the space.'

'It was all the small details like the softly arched openings and repeating the smoky blue cabinetry throughout the home, from the kitchen to the living room and even glimpses inside the butler's pantry, that help create a sense of continuity that makes the entire home feel intentional and cohesive.'

Upstairs, the rooms still have that soaring, arched ceiling, which gives such a sense of space, despite the individual rooms not being huge. The cladding in the main bedroom mirrors the wood used in the living space, and that same cool-toned palette continues here, too. There are lots of details in this space chosen to draw the eye upward, highlighting the huge amount of space above rather than the square footage. The drapes hang inches above the windows themselves and cascade elegantly all the way to the floor. The four-poster bed adds height to the focal point of the room, while even the bedside lamps stand taller than you would usually find.

In the guest bedroom, furniture is kept to a minimum, but the layers make it a welcoming space. Florals mix with stripes, checks, and cowhides, but that thread of blue remains.

The bunk room was a must-have to accommodate the large family. Four full beds are squeezed into this space, but each has its own nook, which makes it feel more like a mini room – perfect for growing with the children and allowing them to personalize their own space.

The powder room was Amy's favorite to design, and the subtly Western theme that can be felt in some way in all of the rooms (look out for fringing, cowboy prints, and 'Howdy' artwork) is the most overt here, with the horseshoe wallpaper from Chasing Paper.

'I think the powder room captures the personality of the entire home,' says Amy. 'It brings together so much of the feeling we wanted to create throughout the home. A nod to Tennessee horse country with the horseshoe wallpaper, warm natural wood, a concrete sink, and elegant brass accents. It's playful, refined, and completely unexpected.'

This home feels easy. There's an effortless flow through the rooms, the calming color scheme doesn't waver, and there's no sense of visual disruption. And in a second home designed for relaxing and resting, that's exactly what you want.

It's a project that's proof that open plan very much still has a place. When family is at the center of the design, it only makes sense to keep the most-used rooms connected – cooking in the kitchen while others relax on the sofa, or enjoying informal dinners that can begin while dinner is still being prepared. Open plan is alive and well in homes designed around connection, family life, and easy living.

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