5 Ways To Zone An Open Plan Room
Zoning an open plan space is something of an important topic. It’s not a subject that we have ever discussed on our blog before, but it is becoming more and more necessary to understand the fundamentals before you start renting long-term or start hurtling fast towards owning your very own home. Let’s face it, not everyone has the luxury of living in a large open loft-style home where we need to create small spaces out of large ones, but these tips can also work on a smaller scale in bedsits and studio flats. So, if you find yourself having to make a tight room into a multi-purpose living space, keep reading.
Lifestyle Furniture is here to help once again and this time we have put together 5 of the easiest ways to zone an open plan room and all it takes is a few home accessories and our expertise.
#1 Rugs
An easy way to divide a room into multiple zones without walls is to use rugs. A rug is an effective way to define individual space. For example, if you are creating a kitchen, dining, and living room all in one, place one rug under the dining table and chairs, and another under the sofa and armchairs. This splits the space in a subtle, cohesive, and non-intrusive way. When it comes to choosing the style, size, and design of each rug, we suggest taking a quick look at our guide - 5 Rules For Rugs. In summary, the bigger the better. When picking a rug for each zone remember to purchase a large enough one that will cover enough floor space to hold most of the items of furniture.
#2 Grouping
Whether you happily share your space or wish you had a little more separation there are ways to achieve the zoning of an open plan space without having to call the builders in. Placing items of furniture within close proximity to each other will automatically define them as a group. A sofa should sit next to a coffee table or nest of tables that are slightly pulled out from each other to create their own group within the entire living room group. An armchair or two can then surround the couch on the left or right-side facing inwards. Make sure the sofa and armchairs have their backs to the rest of the room. The finished look should have a clearly defined group of furnishings in a circle or square shape.
#3 Coloring
Coloring is such a powerful tool and most of the time we take it completely for granted. We can achieve so much in the home with the use of color. To easily divide a room, we suggest using colors along with the other tips already mentioned. In one zone i.e., the dining section of the room, try using paired back and neutral tones, think whites, blacks, creams, grays, and stone shades. For the living room, it’s possible to switch things up a bit, in fact, it’s a must to create completely separate zones. Use bold colors such as dark greens or navy paired with light pinks. Remember to include different textures in both zones to create an element of interest in each section. An easy way to do this is by using home accessories such as vases, cushions, throws, and not forgetting a rug.
#4 Lighting
With so much going on in one open space, planning a lighting scheme can be challenging. However, when used to your advantage, lighting has the potential to section off particular areas of a room without the need to construct permanent walls. And it’s actually quite easy to implement. To define the center point of the section, a pendant light is the most appropriate option. For instance, the dining table is usually the focal point of the dining room but when there are so many other large items in one open-plan room, your eye could just be as easily drawn to the TV or sofa. A pendant light hung directly above the dining table will grab your attention and draw your gaze down to the table. Similarly, pendant lighting suspended above the coffee table in the living room section will distract you from the fact that this is a multi-functional room. A pendant light above each zone including the kitchen is an absolute must, and don’t forget to also include a floor lamp here and there to highlight particular items of furniture.
#5 A Non-Permanent Divider
When funds are low, we must explore other alternatives to building. A non-permanent divider is our way of dividing a room in an easy and cost-effective way. Create furniture walls without actually building walls by using pieces of furniture that help to block off one zone from another. A console table or sideboard behind a sofa, for example, could be a visual divider from the living room to the dining space you never knew you needed. Luckily, if you ever get bored with a particular console table or the size of a particular room, simply move or remove this item entirely.
Now you can easily live in one large space having created a sense of three separate rooms. And you can do this in a teenager’s bedroom or in a studio apartment, where you may want to create a desk area and sitting space that is separate from the bed.
For a wide range of furniture selection, come to visit Lifestyle Furniture store at 21 E Shaw Ave, Fresno, CA or browse our website here for shopping online.