Why Dividing Up a Small Room Can Maximise Space
Often, it seems the obvious way to make a small space feel bigger is to knock down walls, but it’s not the only solution
Kate Burt
11 September 2019
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and various magazines. I'm now excited to part of the editorial team at Houzz UK & Ireland, bringing the best of British and Irish design, interiors and architecture to Houzz.com.
Houzz UK. I'm a journalist and editor, previously for the Independent, Guardian and... More
Airy, open spaces are lovely, but are they right for every home? Not according to the properties below. All have overcome the challenges of compromised floor space, but rather than getting busy with the sledgehammer, the designers have found less obvious ways to make the layouts work, even actually adding walls in some cases, providing owners with extra rooms they hadn’t previously had. Read on to see how they did it.
Become an open-plan part-timer
Open-plan kitchen/living spaces are hugely popular on Houzz. In a small home, though, with just one living area, you could end up feeling as if there was nowhere to get a little me-time.
In this petite urban garden flat, Lisette Voute of Lisette Voute Designs gave the owners the best of both worlds by installing glazed double doors between the two spaces. It means there can be two members of the household doing their own thing, with no arguments over the kitchen radio or living room TV being too loud, and all the intimacy of small-space cosiness.
When a more open layout is desired, the doors into the kitchen can be thrown back to connect the rooms.
Open-plan kitchen/living spaces are hugely popular on Houzz. In a small home, though, with just one living area, you could end up feeling as if there was nowhere to get a little me-time.
In this petite urban garden flat, Lisette Voute of Lisette Voute Designs gave the owners the best of both worlds by installing glazed double doors between the two spaces. It means there can be two members of the household doing their own thing, with no arguments over the kitchen radio or living room TV being too loud, and all the intimacy of small-space cosiness.
When a more open layout is desired, the doors into the kitchen can be thrown back to connect the rooms.
Turn one room into three
In this really clever layout revamp, one room has been turned into three to make better use of the space.
Smart design by Eva Byrne at houseology means it feels anything but cramped – in fact, the whole rejig lets so much more light flow through the property, it actually seems bigger.
Find a local professional to help you maximise your small space
In this really clever layout revamp, one room has been turned into three to make better use of the space.
Smart design by Eva Byrne at houseology means it feels anything but cramped – in fact, the whole rejig lets so much more light flow through the property, it actually seems bigger.
Find a local professional to help you maximise your small space
You can see from the before and after floor plans how space was stolen from the kitchen to create a bathroom and laundry nook. Even though that cut the original kitchen in half, moving the bathroom made way for a good-sized kitchen-diner, with a full-height window giving the seating area a view and the kitchen masses more light.
Browse more kitchen ideas
Browse more kitchen ideas
The old narrow passageway between the living room and kitchen with the original bathroom on the right.
Read more stories about designing for small spaces
Read more stories about designing for small spaces
Let the light in
Opening up rooms is often as much to do with the flow of natural light as the gaining of undivided floor space. This cleverly designed midcentury house tackles the issue ingeniously using a half wall, open shelving, strategic glass and a sliding door.
Rather than creating one big, open downstairs room, R2 Studio Architects worked to keep the kitchen feeling very much like a standalone zone and give the entrance area room to breathe.
The home office (and a tiny adjoining cloakroom, not seen) at the far end of the space can easily be tucked away behind a sliding door. During the daytime, having the door open boosts light levels in both the kitchen-diner and the office, but at night, files and screens can be kept out of sight and mealtimes can be cosy (and unencumbered by work stress).
Opening up rooms is often as much to do with the flow of natural light as the gaining of undivided floor space. This cleverly designed midcentury house tackles the issue ingeniously using a half wall, open shelving, strategic glass and a sliding door.
Rather than creating one big, open downstairs room, R2 Studio Architects worked to keep the kitchen feeling very much like a standalone zone and give the entrance area room to breathe.
The home office (and a tiny adjoining cloakroom, not seen) at the far end of the space can easily be tucked away behind a sliding door. During the daytime, having the door open boosts light levels in both the kitchen-diner and the office, but at night, files and screens can be kept out of sight and mealtimes can be cosy (and unencumbered by work stress).
Build in a ‘secret’ walk-in wardrobe
In a small bedroom, lack of storage can often be an issue – specifically, finding enough wall space for wardrobes. Studio LVA, however, have cleverly solved the problem in this room…
In a small bedroom, lack of storage can often be an issue – specifically, finding enough wall space for wardrobes. Studio LVA, however, have cleverly solved the problem in this room…
Make the not-always-obvious decision to eat into your sleeping zone and, in the right-shaped room, like this one, you could get a mini walk-in wardrobe.
This half wall acts as a headboard and screen, creating two walls for shelves and rails, rather than one, and leaving the bed area calm and uncluttered.
This half wall acts as a headboard and screen, creating two walls for shelves and rails, rather than one, and leaving the bed area calm and uncluttered.
Divvy up your washspace
Although this shower room isn’t struggling for space, it illustrates a neat idea that can work wonders in a smaller bathroom.
Building a wall, or half wall, in a room that’s already petite might not seem sensible. However, when it can serve the double function of giving your loo some privacy and creating a walk-in shower, as here, it’s a no-brainer.
Although this shower room isn’t struggling for space, it illustrates a neat idea that can work wonders in a smaller bathroom.
Building a wall, or half wall, in a room that’s already petite might not seem sensible. However, when it can serve the double function of giving your loo some privacy and creating a walk-in shower, as here, it’s a no-brainer.
Think of the storage
In this flat, knocking through to create a kitchen/living space was an option, but it would have resulted in a rather narrow room and meant storage space was limited.
Instead, Olivier Bourdon at Bambù has ensured that light still flows between the two areas, but that there’s also wall space to put the TV against, heaps of shelving, and concealed storage in the hallway connecting the two rooms.
In this flat, knocking through to create a kitchen/living space was an option, but it would have resulted in a rather narrow room and meant storage space was limited.
Instead, Olivier Bourdon at Bambù has ensured that light still flows between the two areas, but that there’s also wall space to put the TV against, heaps of shelving, and concealed storage in the hallway connecting the two rooms.
This floor plan shows how it all works.
Create the idea of a wall
This slim glass panel barely takes up any floor space, yet it very effectively gives the sense that there’s an entrance area and a dining room without losing any light – no mean feat in a teeny one-bed flat, pulled off by Stephan Bidoux Studio.
He’s refused to lose walls in the rest of the place, too. Instead, sleek pocket doors, even to the kitchen, save space while maintaining distinct rooms.
Tell us
Could any of these ideas offer a solution for your own small space dilemma? Share your thoughts, photos or tips in the Comments section.
This slim glass panel barely takes up any floor space, yet it very effectively gives the sense that there’s an entrance area and a dining room without losing any light – no mean feat in a teeny one-bed flat, pulled off by Stephan Bidoux Studio.
He’s refused to lose walls in the rest of the place, too. Instead, sleek pocket doors, even to the kitchen, save space while maintaining distinct rooms.
Tell us
Could any of these ideas offer a solution for your own small space dilemma? Share your thoughts, photos or tips in the Comments section.
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Well written and excellent ideas! Great examples of maximum space usage in any home.
What an inspiring and informative article. Thanks! R2 Studio Architects’s home is one of my all-times favourites.
As has been mentioned before, open-plan living means you lose privacy, storage space, wall space for furniture placing/to hang pictures and any smells, noise can permeate the entire area. The 1st 'Open-plan part-timer' is one answer and the 'Think of the storage' designed by Olivier is a much better option than knocking through...