Unlocking opportunities – embrace the surge of ‘broken plan living’ with Direct Trade Windows

7 September 2023 | General

With the rise in popularity of broken plan living, installers can’t waste any time before tapping into this lucrative market. Direct Trade Windows Director AJ Hassanali discusses the trend and how to get the edge…

Before the pandemic, our homes were havens away from the busy workplace – a space to relax in the evenings, and have family and friends over at the weekend.

A lot of effort went into making our homes comfortable, practical and stylish – and one popular trend that’s been around for quite a few years is the idea of open plan living, where larger, combined common spaces are created by removing partition walls.

In March 2020, when the gyms and pubs closed and many people had to work from home, houses became so much more.

These spaces now had to be multifunctional, acting as a workspace, school space, workout area and a place to relax.

Since then, while the pandemic is now thankfully a thing of the past, it’s had a definite impact on the working landscape – according to the Office for National Statistics, 58% of UK workers currently operate on a hybrid working model.

With so many working from home, we’ve seen a growing demand for comfortable and functional home office space – after all, if the hybrid model is here to stay, it’s best to invest in a more permanent setup.

So while the idea of open plan living isn’t exactly new, it’s certainly on the rise in today’s post-pandemic society, and has evolved into the concept of ‘broken plan living’.

As opposed to ‘open plan’ living, ‘broken plan’ living is less about one big space and is more about the clever use of that space, with a focus on using different floor finishes and changes in level and semi-permanent partitions such as bookcases or internal partitions to create distinct areas – or zones – for working, cooking, or relaxing.

From an industry perspective, broken plan living is an extremely lucrative area that installers need to take advantage of – and at Direct Trade Windows, we manufacture and supply the ideal product to help them take the lead.

Versatile system

Manufactured to infuse interiors with a light and airy ambience, the AluSpace Internal Screening system from Smart is perfectly suited for both residential and commercial settings.

Quick and easy to install, this system offers an elegantly slim design, while offering complete flexibility and low maintenance for the end user.

Providing spaces with an open floor plan while still maintaining some separations, these steel-look partitions also help to create spaces that reduce noise, ideal for a home office.

And with a choice of single and double doors, pivot and sliding options, as well as a range of width, glazing, hinge and furniture options, the flexible and versatile system provides almost limitless design possibilities, from traditional to minimalist, and contemporary to industrial.

The key to success

Internal screening systems are ideal for today’s broken plan layouts, creating segmented living spaces that separate the different areas of life.

Being able to work in one room then leaving that room for the day mimics the feeling of leaving work – any work life stress can stay there, enabling people to be able to relax in other parts of the home.

Our slimline aluminium internal screening systems therefore provide internal living spaces with a certain degree of separation, without completely closing off rooms.

At Direct Trade Windows, we have a commitment to helping our trade customers get ahead, providing the highest quality and in-demand products on the market.

Innovation is the key to success, and in a world that’s continually evolving, where our homes have become both havens and workspaces, the broken plan living concept serves as both a solution and an aspiration.

At Direct Trade Windows, we’re not just witnessing the trend – we’re fostering it, one innovative product at a time.