Combination living and dining rooms are popular in open floor plans.
Open concept floor plans are popular today but the wide open spaces featured in this type of architecture can be a challenge to decorate. Dividing one large space into zones that define smaller "rooms" is one way to go. Color choice is one way to delineate the spaces, but if your home has an open concept living and dining room combination, another way to define the living area from the dining area is through furniture placement.
Instructions
1. Draw a floor plan of the space. Measure the space and use graph paper so that you can draw it approximately to scale or simply make a rough drawing.
2. Sketch in your larger pieces of furniture like couches, easy chairs, dining room table and chairs and sideboards, hutches or china cabinets. Make more than one floor plan to get an idea of possible furniture configurations for your space.
3. Plan for traffic patterns. Allow approximately three to four feet for major pathways, two feet between furniture pieces and about eighteen inches between a couch and coffee table.
4. Arrange the living room furniture into a conversation area around a focal point like a fireplace or window with a scenic view. Resist the temptation to push it to the walls; rather, float it in the center of the room.
5. Place a couch parallel to the dining area to delineate it from the living area. Positioning a sideboard or buffet between the two areas will also serve to define the spaces.
6. Hang a chandelier in the middle of the dining area and center the dining table and chairs underneath it. Form a more formal dining space by separating it from the living area with folding privacy screens.
7. Anchor furniture groupings by laying area rugs under them. Ideally, the rugs should be large enough to accommodate all the pieces of furniture in the group.
8. Open up the space for more casual entertaining by arranging a conversation area that faces the dining area. This encourages people to flow between the two unimpeded by furniture pieces.
9. Create extra living space by choosing a drop leaf dining table that can be folded against a wall. Employ dining room chairs as extra seating by placing them around the living room space.
Tags: dining area, dining room, living area, conversation area, dining table, floor plan