Open plan design - the living space

by Kaye
(Berea, Ohio, USA)

I have a ranch home, built 1964. The living dining area w/ a "hallway" that is delineated by the flooring only, are just inside the front door. The space is an irregular "L" shape.

Adjacent to this space is another open space - family room/eating area and kitchen. The space is a giant rectangle.

The kitchen is a long narrow space, what I call a Pullman kitchen, but has no up cabinets and is open to the living space.

I have tried and tried to get these spaces to flow, with little success. The functions are: arriving/mudroom, eating and food storage and preparation, game playing and puzzles and crafts, watching TV, reading and socializing, music playing piano, violin, guitar and performance, office and computer use.

My lighting doesn't work, and the ceiling looks choppy.

I have changed the furniture arrangement and function of the different spaces several times, but can't seem to get it just right.

Right now I have the dining room and music spaces in the "living room," the office, puzzle and entryroom/mudroom spaces in the "dining room," the TV, reading and socializing spaces in the "family room," the craft and art project area in the "kitchen" eating space.

My style is quite eclectic, and when I moved in the plan was to have the different spaces represent the different continents - for example, my one bathroom is Antarctica, with a penguin theme, and the girl bedroom is "Fantasia," with a fairy theme.

HELP!

Any suggestions?