One of the most difficult obstacles in apartment or small rental home living can be managing different types of living zones in a space with little square footage. Quite often, you will find this obstacle present in your main living space where you attempt to combine a living room and dining room into one physical area.
In my current rental home, we are certainly presented with this obstacle. While I’m a big fan of our “open concept” downstairs area, we basically have one large “L” shaped room to accommodate our kitchen, breakfast nook and living room. With a little space planning and the tips I share below, we’ve made this multi-functional space work for us!
One thing I like about our “L” shaped main room is that it is all painted the same paint color. My family was lucky enough to inherit this paint color when we moved in; while I originally thought the light teal was bright, I now think that the bright color provides for maximum natural light reflection and really opens up the room. By painting the different functional zones the same color, you create a cohesive, large space that doesn’t feel cramped but, instead, large and inviting.
When it comes to choosing a dining table for your multi-functional space, choose a table shape that best fits the layout of your home. For example, we have a somewhat narrow rectangular passage between the kitchen and living room to house our breakfast table. Our rectangular farmhouse table (which is a vintage find, by the way!) fits perfectly in the space as it is narrow and long. If you are planning a dining area in the corner of your room, for example, a circular table might be best to maximize your space.
Also, choose chairs that aren’t too bulky or cumbersome. While you certainly want to be comfortable while dining, you’ll need to pick a style that can be pushed into the table while not in use. I have a collection of white painted hand-me-down chairs that are easy to scoot under the table when we’re not eating. I also set aside my son’s beautiful, chunky wooden highchair temporarily for an inexpensive plastic Ikea highchair. Function is key, sometimes! The Ikea chair can be easily pushed under the table and out of the way in this somewhat tight space.
I like to distinguish each interior zone with a separate area rug. Whether you have hardwood floors or carpet, an area rug helps to define each space without visually creating clutter. We have a large 8’x10’ area rug in our living room, which helps to define that room. My family doesn’t currently have an area rug under our breakfast table, but that’s a result of my messy toddler and not a design scheme! Bringing area rugs into each space certainly helps to create functional zones.
Along the same lines, give each functional space its own lighting. Truly, a dining and living room space each have different lighting purposes. A dining space needs very functional lighting, while a living room typically calls for less function and more mood-setting light. Our breakfast area has a small, practical ceiling light directly overhead that illuminates the table when in use. Our living room, on the other hand, has moodier table and floor lamps that create a comfortable, calm ambiance perfect for a family living room space.
Finally, my last tip is the most difficult one (at least for my family!): keep both spaces clutter free. When you are attempting to combine two major functions like a dining and living room, the addition of any clutter in the tight space would most certainly be a major obstacle. It’s even tougher for us, as our back door (and main entry into our home!) is right next to our breakfast table, which means that it often becomes dumping grounds when we walk in the door. But, we make it a point to keep the table clean and to pick up any clutter that accumulates. This simple task helps to keep the space from feeling crowded!
No matter how small your space may be, you can certainly manage a combination living and dining room with these easy tips.