There is a specific moment in a Perth home renovation consultation that happens regularly. The homeowner walks us through the house — closed kitchen, separate dining, formal lounge that nobody uses, a wall that backs onto the yard. And then they ask: “What would it look like if this wall wasn’t here?”
The answer, in most cases, is transformative. Not just visually — though the visual change is significant. But in terms of how the house feels to live in. The light. The connection between inside and outside. The sense that the family can be in different parts of the space while still being in the same room.
Perth’s climate makes open plan living more valuable here than almost anywhere. 3,200 hours of sunshine a year. Eight months of genuinely outdoor-friendly weather. A house that connects its living spaces to the outdoor entertaining area isn’t just aesthetically appealing — it’s functionally better for the way Perth families actually live.
Before any open plan renovation project proceeds, the wall needs to be assessed. The key question is whether it’s load-bearing — that is, whether it carries structural load from the roof or upper floor.
Internal walls are typically non-load-bearing. The structural load is carried by the external brick walls and the roof trusses. Removing an internal wall in these homes is usually straightforward — the main considerations are services (plumbing, electrical) running through the wall, and the floor and ceiling finish after the wall is removed.
Internal walls are more likely to be load-bearing, as these homes were designed with a different structural approach. A structural engineer assessment is required before any wall removal proceeds. This adds $2,000–$5,000 to the project but is non-negotiable — and when a wall is genuinely structural, the beam and post installation required to remove it safely is a significant piece of work.
House & Co manages structural assessments as part of every open plan renovation. You receive a clear answer before any commitment is made.
Removing the wall between a closed kitchen and the adjacent dining and living rooms. The most common open plan brief in Perth. Creates a single unified space where family members can be in different functional zones while remaining connected.
The kitchen becomes the centre of the house rather than a separate working space. Island bench or peninsula — visible from the living area — replaces the old wall as the visual anchor of the combined space.
Good for: Pre-1980 Perth homes with separate kitchen and dining rooms. Almost any character home.
Creating a visual and physical connection between the living area and the alfresco or garden. Bifold or stacker doors replacing a solid wall or small window. A consistent floor finish running from inside to outside (where possible).
Perth’s climate makes this one of the highest-value modifications to a house. The visual enlargement of the space is significant — the living room appears to extend to the back of the outdoor area, not to the back of the room.
Good for: Any Perth home with an outdoor entertaining area. Particularly valuable in homes where the indoor living space is compact but the outdoor space is generous.
Rather than an open-plan space with no visual definition, a well-designed kitchen island creates zones without creating barriers. The kitchen is defined by its island. The dining area sits adjacent. The living area continues beyond. People in all three zones can see and talk to each other.
The island does multiple jobs: it provides additional preparation and storage space in the kitchen, it creates a visual anchor in the combined space, and it subtly defines the zone transitions without using a wall.
Good for: Open plan spaces where some visual zone definition is desirable. Families with children where sight lines between kitchen and living areas matter.
Not all walls need to be fully removed. A partial opening — a wide doorway, a servery hatch, or removing the top half of a wall — can create connection without full open plan. Useful where full removal isn’t structurally practical, where acoustic separation is valued, or where the home’s character calls for a more gradual approach.
Good for: Character homes where a fully open plan would feel architecturally incongruous. Homes where noise management between kitchen and living is a genuine lifestyle concern.
In an open plan renovation, the floor decision is one of the most impactful choices. A single floor finish running through the combined kitchen, dining, and living space is one of the most effective ways to make the combined space feel like one considered room rather than several rooms with a wall removed.
Open plan living itself is not a trend — it reflects a genuine shift in how Australian families use their homes that has been building for 30 years. The specific material and aesthetic choices within an open plan space do trend. Large-format concrete-look tile was very popular in the 2010s. Warm timber is more dominant now. The open plan itself will still feel right in 20 years.
An open plan renovation is one of the more complex projects in residential renovation — structural assessment, trade coordination, and the design challenge of creating a space that functions as multiple rooms while feeling like one. House & Co manages all of it.
3D design shows you the finished space — with furniture — before any wall comes down. Revisions until it’s right.
Free in-home consultation. 3D design before you commit. Fixed-scope quote. (08) 9480 0408
