MInimize the fireplace by removing the mantel.
Pulling together the design elements for a small L-shaped dining and living room combo requires an eye for creating a cohesive design that uses similar elements to make the space comfortable and usable. Using the same floor covering and paint color in both rooms makes the area seem larger. Removing clutter from the space has the same effect. The rooms don't have to be bland and sterile. Add splashes of color and artwork that reflect your style.
Instructions
1. Minimize a large fireplace's impact on a small room by removing anything that makes it appear more massive, such as an elaborate mantel, a raised hearth or columns. Paint the fireplace white or construct a minimalist false front. Build floor-to-ceiling bookcases on either side of the fireplace to keep clutter off coffee tables and other flat surfaces. If you have a television in the living room, dedicate a shelf to the television, stereo equipment and other electronics.
2. Add a decorative touch to the sliding door by hanging sheer curtains that let in plenty of light. Use the same window treatment in the living room; natural light makes small rooms look larger. If your sliding door is attractive, consider leaving it unadorned or build a long shelf over the door for a few colorful decorative items. Keep the number of items on the shelf to a minimum. If you own a lot of decorative pieces, keep them in storage and rotate them every few months.
3. Use mirrors. Conventional wisdom has it that mirrors make a room seem larger but not everyone is a fan of a mirrored wall. Hang a large mirror in a simple frame on the dining room wall that faces the living room. Lean an oversize rectangular mirror against a living room wall facing the dining room.
4. Use a table in the dining room section of the "L" that's just large enough to seat the people who eat there every night. Invest in a folding table or buy a table with leaves for times when you're entertaining and need more seating at the table. Replace a large sideboard with a console table and place it along the wall under the mirror. Orient the dining table parallel to the console table and hang a simple chandelier over it. Install two or three recessed can lights in the ceiling above the mirror and console table.
5. Keep furniture in the living room to a minimum. Opt for a love seat and a few side chairs arranged around a downsized coffee table, rather than a large sofa or sectional. Install the same style of can lights that you used in the dining room over the fireplace and the built-in bookcases. Use a pole lamp for lighting on the love seat.
Tags: living room, dining room, console table, love seat, room wall, seem larger,