Open floor plans with a shared living room and dining room are becoming a common concept for most residential spaces, whether in small apartments or big modern homes. This living room-dining room combo creates a more casual and laid-back atmosphere, which is exactly what we are looking for in a cozy home.
However, creating a home interior design that divides one room for two different purposes can end up in either one of two extremes. Either the design falls apart in a way that one can no longer identify which area is for what purpose, or both designated areas stick out like a sore thumb and lose the cohesiveness of design that a room should still have.
To help you get started, we will show you some interior design inspirations that we have previously worked on in hopes that they give you ideas for your home’s living room-dining room combo interior design.
Smart Tricks for Small Spaces
To start, let’s take a look at the two-bedroom condominium unit we’ve worked on at the Baron Tower in San Juan City. The shared living and dining rooms have a floor space of 26.78 square meters, but the way we have decorated the area will make you believe it’s possible to have two separate rooms in one small space!
How did we make this work? Let’s talk about specifics.
Make space for a walkway
With a limited space and the way the condo unit was built, the smartest way to separate the living and dining rooms is by having a walkway, even for just a few, short steps. This physical space creates a distinct separation between the two rooms.
Be smart about measurements and furniture choices
You’ll want to make sure that everything is placed strategically and symmetrically across the entire space. For a visual example: the couch in the living room does not take up a lot of space as it is measured exactly opposite the placement of the TV. To minimize visual blocks that make rooms appear smaller, a built-in bench was placed against the wall of the dining table for more seating that looks more visually appealing.
Speaking of symmetry, the overall look of the shared living and dining rooms shows balance because we went for a classic theme with emphasis on white, with pink and gold accents all throughout. If you’re in dire need of interior design inspiration, consider this neat trick!
Pulling Off a 2-for-1 in Bigger Homes
Residential spaces with much larger floor space can still find a living room-dining room combo beneficial. For one, it’ll give you much more space for other interior design ideas.
You will see just how far the opportunities can go with two projects that we have previously done, both boasting a three-storey framework with spacious, open floor plans that nestled shared living and dining rooms quite nicely. Ready for the interior design inspirations?
Use a striking element to divide the room
Typically, a large piece of furniture is used to distinctly separate the living and dining rooms in a shared space. In most cases, the living room couch becomes the focal point. However, in the case of this house in Southville, Las Piñas, we used the expanse of the staircase to separate our rooms in question.
The flow of space is not blocked by any doorway and the living room-dining room combo remains easily accessible on both ends of the staircase.
On the other hand, the sleek gray mirror between the shared living and dining rooms in this next house in One Hemady, New Manila becomes the focal point-cum-separating element. It’s a smart design strategy as it stays true to the room’s classic theme of black and white while also allowing for room in the entryway between the two rooms with the aid of a glass door.
Separate spaces with rugs
The simplest home interior design trick in this book—and one of the prettiest, for sure—is the quick incorporation of a rug. Beyond its visual appeal given the varied textures, a rug naturally commands a space as it covers a specific area of a room.
Because of this, you need to consider the size of your rug. It should not extend outside the space that you want it to touch; otherwise, the hack becomes a design flaw that will look overwhelming.
Look at this dining area in the Southville home we worked on. Although it is clearly separated from the living room, the dining table is next to the kitchen. The accurately measured rug placed under the dining area makes the room visually separated from the kitchen.
Apart from the gray mirror in the One Hemady house, the expansive rug in the living area of the shared living and dining rooms also lends the visible separation from the dining area without the need for a traditional room divider.
Let’s Get You Your Own Combo
Regardless of the space you’re working with, the most important trick is to stick with a trusty interior design theme. As seen in all three featured IEO projects, having a singular, consistent vision for your interior design project ensures that there’s balance and coherence across any room, especially for shared rooms like a living room-dining room combo. This also means that the flow of space will be sustained.
Feeling inspired, but not sure how to start? We’d be happy to take a look at your space and exchange notes! We’re always on the lookout for the next project that’s both economical and elegant, so contact us today to learn more.