One of the most overlooked aspects of interior design is the ability to divide your space. This can refer to large open rooms that consist of multiple purposes, such as studio-style apartments or combined dining and living spaces. To maintain a harmonious order within your interior design, creating designated sections will make a huge difference.
There are plenty of ways to divide your space into individual rooms or purposes. The good news is that many of these methods can look stylish and natural! The classic room divider may work for some small spaces, but if you want to get more creative you can! That's why we've gathered some of our favorite creative ways to section out your living space for a cohesive, organized, and sophisticated structure.
Modular Furniture
Your furniture is one of the biggest influences on the structure of your living space. That being said, when your furniture is easy to arrange and adapt, it will make sectioning your home much easier. Modular mid-century modern sectionals are the perfect example of this method, as they offer a versatile seating option that you can arrange to fit your needs.
To start this process, you should begin by conceptualizing the layout you want to create. If you're going to create a subtle division between spaces (ex. Living room & dining room), start in the middle. This will allow your sofa to create a focal point for your room that can define the area. Not every couch will look natural in the middle of your space, which is why modular furniture options can be helpful. You can use the modular design to create a comfortable structure that gives the space purpose.
On the other hand, if you were to place your furniture around the walls of an open-concept area, there won't be anything separating the designated areas. With modular furniture, you can explore and discover new arrangements that work best for your space.
A classic modular sofa to check out would be the EM Sky Sofa, which will effortlessly fit into any design scheme. If you prefer more of a trendsetter type sofa, check out the Mario Bellini Sofa or the DS 600 Sofa.
Area Defining Rugs
Sometimes, the right area rug is the missing piece of the puzzle in interior design. They bring a comforting aesthetic into the room while also offering personality and visual cues. If you wanted to divide your living space, it wouldn't make sense to put an oversized area rug to cover both sections. Instead, you can use area rugs to define the units of your home. Mid-century modern rugs can provide a sense of character depending on the design you go for, but they also create a contrast.
You may have multiple sections of your living space, all on the same floor, which doesn't offer much direction in designated areas. When you add an area rug, it creates a visual cue that allows you to focus on a certain section of the space. You can try this method by placing a large area rug to bring together a specific section of your space. This allows you to feel like that section is almost on its own island, where it is separate from the rest of your home. You could also use the framing method, which helps you define an area by creating a natural visual barrier between spaces.
Color Blocking
When you are planning out your interior design, it's important to have a color palette. Odds are, you probably won't use the same color palette for every room because they should each have their own personality. So, if you want to get creative, you can use paints and colors to define the areas in your space. This can apply to furniture and decor, or it can even apply to paint colors for your walls or cabinets.
Similar to area rugs, colors can provide a certain visual cue that makes it easier to understand the layout of your home. However, it may be tricky to find the perfect palette that helps distinguish each space while also having a natural style. To make it easier, you might benefit from using accent wall colors or wallpaper to liven up and personalize a specific area.
Open Shelves
One of the most popular and stylish ways to separate open-concept living space is with shelves. There are tons of different open bookshelves that work well to create a noticeable divide between areas without feeling too distracting. You can set up a large open shelving area and fill the empty spaces with lovely decorative items, books, plants, or whatever suits your style. This will provide a pleasant look from both sides of the shelf while creating a barrier where it is needed.
This method can help you explore your creativity, too! You can use these shelves to curate an artsy display that reflects your personality and things that bring you joy. If you have any trinkets or memorabilia lying around that you aren't sure where to put, this might be the perfect place! You'll be combating clutter while also organizing the structure of your living space.
Big Furniture Pieces
If you want to create sections within your space, you need to think big. Incorporating large pieces of furniture will have the most significant impact on your area-dividing needs. A great example of this would be to install a bar in between your kitchen and living room. As long as your stools face the kitchen's direction, it will close off that area in a stylish and functional manner. You could also use large desks, mid-century modern sideboards or consoles behind your couch to get this same effect.
In Conclusion
Your open concept living space doesn't have to feel too open. You can take plenty of creative approaches to section off designated areas within your home, and these are just a few of our favorite ideas. You can find your own unique ways to achieve this structure if you want your space to feel more organized and divided.
The benefit of dividing your space through design techniques is that it promotes an intimate, focused feeling in each part of your home. Plus, you can adapt these design tips to fit your personal style preferences and create your perfect living space.
