How To Divide A Living Room Into Two Areas

How To Divide A Living Room Into Two Areas

According to experienced designers, dividing a large room is the definition of making your home more comfortable. Room divider ideas are most of the time expensive and time-consuming, but that doesn't make them any less beautiful.

That's why we prepared a list of useful tips for dividing a large room, aimed to serve those who want to organize space that way, and even more – to do that properly.

So, how to divide a large living room? Let's check it!

How to break up a large living room

Columns and half-walls to divide a large living room

Image source: Duffy Design Group

A simple, yet great way to distinguish areas in a large living room is to install half-walls using columns. Half-walls are powerful enough to restore the charm lost by building conventional walls to divide space, and it is probably the most modern solution for large and open rooms.

Image source: Peter A. Sellar – Architectural Photographer

Half-walls are supposed to start from the top of a wall's outer side, running down from the ceiling. They can either be plain, or covered with tiles to make the place feel natural and comfortable.

At the same time, you can use them to personalize your room by arranging meaningful family portraits, or elegant details such as personal art collections. Whatever you decide to do with them, half-walls will always look sophisticated.

Use curtains to decorate a large living room

Image source: Adeeni Design Group

As a traditional homeowner, you probably think curtains are meant to do nothing more but to cover windows and doors. Modern interior design, however, prescribes them a different purpose.

Curtains are by far the simplest and easiest means to divide space, and will therefore help you define the area in a snap.

Furthermore, they won't cost a fortune, and you'll count on the fact that you can remove them whenever you decide. At the same time, curtains can be closed to give you some privacy, or wide open to restore space for bigger events.

Metal dividers

Image source: DTDA pty ltd

Dividing a living room is not necessarily a practical solution that will ensure privacy and storage, but also a creative process that will make your room look more elegant.

A popular and modern solution is to divide space with metal dividers, in particular breathtaking trellis and similar artistic designs.

Dividing a room with furniture

Dividing a room looks best when 'spontaneous', namely when space is divided using furniture pieces. Those could be entertainment units, shelving units, a couple of back-to-back sofas with separate coffee tables, or even simple rugs.

Get your free ebook!

Subscribe to receive an awesome ebook filled with interior design inspiration that you can use for your home.

Thank you!

One more step is needed. Please check your inbox for the newsletter confirmation email.

In fact, having more than one visible conversation area is the best way to indicate that a room is arranged to serve multiple purposes.

So, look through IKEA living room sets and see what you can use from there.

Bookshelves

Image source: Robbins Architecture

Instead of investing in new walls, you can separate rooms completely using long, freestanding shelves, or such that are attached to a wall on one side.

You can obtain an even better look by filling the bookshelves with different objects representing both sides.

Natural dividers

Image source: Betty Wasserman

Why not making your home a bit more natural, and using twigs and tree branches to divide space between your living room and dining room? You can either look for creative ideas, or come up with your own DIY project likely to produce an original solution.

Sliding doors

Image source: Jaque Bethke for PURE Design Environments Inc.

Sliding doors are an awesome idea because they offer multiple structuring possibilities, and a chance to obtain multiple looks.

They can be built in the walls, suspended, hidden, staged, etc – it would be enough to close any of them to enclose an area and to define it visually, but they can also be plain or transparent to keep all areas well lit.

Doors are a perfect idea because they come in all colors and materials, and you can easily find ones that suit the needs of your space.

How to use a TV tower to divide a room

Image source: Abramson Teiger Architects

The room divider can easily become the focal point in your room: build a central TV tower, and conceal it with a couple of sliding doors enclosing it from the side. The solution is both handy and fashionable.

Bisect spaces with fireplaces

Image source: jamesthomas Interiors

Who sad that you have to keep to conventional fireplaces? Double-sized floor-to-ceiling fireplaces can easily create two rooms out of one, conveying at the same time a personal and powerful message.

The fire will be beneficial for both sides, but the room will look far more welcoming.

This would most likely be used for luxury living rooms.

Cubby wooden separators

Image source: Rhodes Architecture + Light

Freestanding wooden cubes placed inside metal frames make for the most interesting room dividers, being at the same time a recognizable motif you can repeat through your entire place.

Temporary folding screens

Browsing for a traditional solution will almost certainly lead you to folding screens, available in all styles and designs, and above all – practical.

They can be modified and removed easily, which makes them the ideal choice for creative homeowners who like to do magic with just few pinewood sheets, a bit of paint and fabric.

You can even make few different panels and hinge them together to make the partition perfect.

Cabinets

Image source: Kipnis Architecture + Planning

Another practical way to divide large spaces is to use built-in cabinets, because they're both decorative and very practical.

The most appropriate place for them is a common living/dining room, where you could use them to store glasses and tableware.

Eco-friendly dividers

The truth is that literally every oversized item can play the role of a room divider, meaning that a bit of creativity can give you both: a unique room, and a safe budget.

If lacking ideas, visit a flea market or a garage sale, and you will discover a variety of elements to repurpose and to use as one-of-a-kind room designers.

Reclaimed wooden pallets, window sashes tied with metal hinges, and even vintage doors can add a novel flair to your otherwise contemporary environment, and you can even connect them to replicate freestanding panel partitions.

Old windows, for instance, are cut for rustic and industrial environments, both when the glass is there and when it is not. In addition, you can distress the look by painting the frame with your favorite color.

Sliding panels

Image source: Dillon Kyle Architects (DKA) Casey Dunn Photography

Sliding panels have two distinctive advantages over static ones: they make the space look more open, and they cost less. Installing them is fairly similar to installing sliding doors, but the difference is that you can hang them literally in every part of the room.

All it takes is to install a rail for them to move, and to attach fabric, window-like panels, woven, or even moving mirrors. Replacing them won't cost a fortune, and the looks of the room will be absolutely different.

Built-in storage with extra room for the TV

Room dividers are ideal to mount the TV on, especially if facing a sitting area. In addition, you can install storage elements to keep utilities out of sight.

Decorated floors

Image source: Margaret Donaldson Interiors

Did you consider that dividing a room is also possible without adding physical dividers? At the end of the day, the main point is to make division visible, not necessarily to stumble on columns and misplaced cabinets.

Designers considered this circumstance, and came to the conclusion that decorated floors can make an equally powerful statement, painted differently in distinct activity zones.

All it takes is to define and measure the area, and to apply patchwork on checkerboards different than the rest of the floor.

In fact, you won't even have to mess with the material: adding a simple rug in the defined perimeter will be enough to indicate that the room is divided. Needless to say, it will ensure soft landing for bare feet, something that is far more important than appearance.

If you liked this article on how to break up a large living room, you should check out these as well:

• Small apartment living room ideas on a budget
• Vaulted Ceiling Living Room Design Ideas
• Best Sunken Living Room Designs (41 Conversation Pits)
• Interior Design For Rectangular Living Room

Previous article The Do's and Don'ts When Remodeling Your Kitchen

Next article 4 Innovative Summer Renovations You Should Try

How To Divide A Living Room Into Two Areas

Source: https://www.impressiveinteriordesign.com/tips-for-dividing-a-large-living-room/