6 Ideas for Creating a Cohesive and Cosy Living-Dining Space
An open space can be a challenge to design, but there are ways to merge living and dining rooms into one functional gathering space
Verlaine Marquez
19 April 2016
Houzz Singapore Contributor. Former editor for a home and design magazine for five years, and now a full-time freelance writer for various online and print publications for the past decade and counting. Part-time crafter, wannabe gardener, and breast cancer thriver.
Houzz Singapore Contributor. Former editor for a home and design magazine for five... More
Open-plan layouts for living and dining rooms are common in apartment living. With no walls to delineate the two areas, what are your decorating options? And the notion of a large open space can also be intimidating. How should you arrange the furniture? How can each space have its own identity without looking disjointed?
With careful planning and execution, you can create a seamless and flowing combined space that is cosy for everyday living and ready for entertaining. Here are some creative ideas to get you started.
With careful planning and execution, you can create a seamless and flowing combined space that is cosy for everyday living and ready for entertaining. Here are some creative ideas to get you started.
1. Create a floor transition
Using different flooring materials in your living and dining rooms can create visually distinct areas that can also add dimension to the space. Choose options that are similar in shades to make for a unified look while providing different textures. If you want to make a striking statement, the use of contrasting materials also works.
In this apartment, the flooring in the dining area is Burmese teak parquet, while the living area is in off-white homogenous tiles. The dining hall used to be a bedroom, and after hacking the wall to make way for a bigger living-dining space, interior designer Robin Wong of Posh Home decided to keep both the original flooring, which he says is a risky move because they initially looked “unbalanced”. To tie together the contrasting materials, he built a large picture wall in a colour similar to the teak flooring, and a brick stone wall in the dining area to reflect the tile flooring. The result is a polished, pulled together space.
Using different flooring materials in your living and dining rooms can create visually distinct areas that can also add dimension to the space. Choose options that are similar in shades to make for a unified look while providing different textures. If you want to make a striking statement, the use of contrasting materials also works.
In this apartment, the flooring in the dining area is Burmese teak parquet, while the living area is in off-white homogenous tiles. The dining hall used to be a bedroom, and after hacking the wall to make way for a bigger living-dining space, interior designer Robin Wong of Posh Home decided to keep both the original flooring, which he says is a risky move because they initially looked “unbalanced”. To tie together the contrasting materials, he built a large picture wall in a colour similar to the teak flooring, and a brick stone wall in the dining area to reflect the tile flooring. The result is a polished, pulled together space.
2. Define spaces with focal points
Pay attention to the architectural elements of your space. There may be a beam on the ceiling that can be your starting point to section off the two areas, or a bay window that would be the perfect place to have a banquette seat for your dining area. For this apartment, for example, designer Architology used the change in ceiling height to delineate the living area from the dining area. If you don’t have architectural features to work with, create a distinct focal point for each area – an accent wall, a bevelled mirror, or a large piece of artwork.
Pay attention to the architectural elements of your space. There may be a beam on the ceiling that can be your starting point to section off the two areas, or a bay window that would be the perfect place to have a banquette seat for your dining area. For this apartment, for example, designer Architology used the change in ceiling height to delineate the living area from the dining area. If you don’t have architectural features to work with, create a distinct focal point for each area – an accent wall, a bevelled mirror, or a large piece of artwork.
3. Keep colours coordinated
The easiest way to achieve a cohesive shared space is to have a harmonious colour scheme. A light colour base on the walls makes the space feel larger than it really is and allows the areas to flow seamlessly. Use the same colour throughout the space, or pick two shades from the same colour family for each area. To keep it from looking too monotonous, brighten up both spaces with accessories in the same accent colours. Take your cue from this space painted in Benjamin Moore’s Classic Gray (a pale, neutral grey paint colour with warm undertones) and enlivened by bright raspberry-hued dining chairs and accessories in cool blues.
The easiest way to achieve a cohesive shared space is to have a harmonious colour scheme. A light colour base on the walls makes the space feel larger than it really is and allows the areas to flow seamlessly. Use the same colour throughout the space, or pick two shades from the same colour family for each area. To keep it from looking too monotonous, brighten up both spaces with accessories in the same accent colours. Take your cue from this space painted in Benjamin Moore’s Classic Gray (a pale, neutral grey paint colour with warm undertones) and enlivened by bright raspberry-hued dining chairs and accessories in cool blues.
4. Use a decorative divider
If you’re the type who feels uncomfortable with an open space that has no actual walls to divide areas, a decorative but unobtrusive divider can be a helpful trade-off. It can be in the form of wood slats, metal bars or glass sliding doors. The key is to visually separate the two zones without constricting the space. You can also create a faux wall using a bookcase or double-faced shelving unit, which also provides additional storage space.
Interior designer Cadine Lim of Prozfile took advantage of this loft apartment’s high ceiling and built a gable-like structure in the living area. This designated chill-out zone within a house-shaped frame clearly marks out the living area without being an obstacle to the narrow space.
If you’re the type who feels uncomfortable with an open space that has no actual walls to divide areas, a decorative but unobtrusive divider can be a helpful trade-off. It can be in the form of wood slats, metal bars or glass sliding doors. The key is to visually separate the two zones without constricting the space. You can also create a faux wall using a bookcase or double-faced shelving unit, which also provides additional storage space.
Interior designer Cadine Lim of Prozfile took advantage of this loft apartment’s high ceiling and built a gable-like structure in the living area. This designated chill-out zone within a house-shaped frame clearly marks out the living area without being an obstacle to the narrow space.
5. Go big with rugs
Even though you are working with a small area, steer clear of small rugs. Instead, find a rug large enough to almost cover an entire area. It will form the base for your furniture placement. Plus, a large rug can make your room feel cosier and more spacious.
Even though you are working with a small area, steer clear of small rugs. Instead, find a rug large enough to almost cover an entire area. It will form the base for your furniture placement. Plus, a large rug can make your room feel cosier and more spacious.
6. Distinguish the areas with unique lighting
Lighting can have a huge impact on the mood and setting of a room. A lovely chandelier or a set of pendant lamps over the dining table anchors your dining area while a unique floor lamp or table lamps placed on opposite corners of your living area provide the visual cue that defines your living room space. They do double duty of providing ambient lighting other than what your overhead light fixtures offer.
TELL US
How do you make the most of your living-dining room combo? Share in the Comments below.
MORE
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Lighting can have a huge impact on the mood and setting of a room. A lovely chandelier or a set of pendant lamps over the dining table anchors your dining area while a unique floor lamp or table lamps placed on opposite corners of your living area provide the visual cue that defines your living room space. They do double duty of providing ambient lighting other than what your overhead light fixtures offer.
TELL US
How do you make the most of your living-dining room combo? Share in the Comments below.
MORE
15 Ways to Work With a Tiny Living Room
Room of the Week: A Cat-centric Living Room
Forget Open-Plan – Try ‘Broken Plan’
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I really love the focal point example - it so clearly creates two beautiful distinct spaces
I personally love open living plans but having that divider has given me a new perspective on different zones in the house, that gable-like structure works really well.
Our Living Room / Dining Area is divided by Tiles + Timber Floor, which is a basic way to separate the two rooms. I really like the idea of using different lighting to give each room its own style.