Don’t want an open floor plan, but you don’t really want to have all the rooms cut off from each other? Well, welcome to your happy medium. Restore walls (with interior windows) or architectural room dividers. I think it was only a matter of time before I got a little tired of the expansive, open-concept homes with no defined spaces. This is because planning furniture can be difficult, especially if you are not an expert.
While I agree that having nothing to disrupt the flow in your home is appealing (especially for kids who like to run around), there’s no denying that many rooms actually work better, or are at least 100% more appealing, when they’re broken down. The important thing is that light passes between rooms and visibility between spaces is ensured. This provides visual and real separation, allowing you to carve out areas with a clear function in mind, but without feeling claustrophobic. Bonus points? Your home might get the Nancy Meyers-style upgrade you’ve always wanted.
If you’re having a hard time imagining what I’m talking about when I say adding a room divider, keep reading because I’m not talking about folding screens. We’ll break down four ways to do just that, and share tons of inspiration to give you a creative jumpstart.
interior windows and window walls
We first mentioned our love for interior windows in this post three years ago. This is my favorite way to partially block off an open concept home. Because the light will still pass through, but you can give yourself a room with personality. You can add doors to entire walls, side dividers in sections to create walkways, or even literally a wall of windows in the middle of the space (see Jean Stoffer’s design below).
Jean Stoffer is a pro at adding this type of architectural room divider. There’s no denying the scale of the homes she works on for clients and herself. Adding a wall may not reduce the square footage much compared to, say, a 1,400 square foot home. But still, I think it’s safe to say that it’s easy to admire or pocket the inspiration from her and her team’s work.
I was particularly intrigued by the idea of having a wall of windows in the center of the room to create a small seating area. It, and the vestibule below it, were common in homes from the 1800s and 1900s to control indoor temperatures in colder climates. Perhaps this already existed, but it still pops into my mind how a wall around the entryway could create a very cozy little entryway.
I had that kitchen and bedroom brian graybill This piece has been in my folder for the better part of two years, and I constantly refer to it and admire the beautiful use of interior windows to separate spaces yet blend with each other. The cafe curtains create a cute atmosphere.
I remember when it was Shelby from Pretty in the Pines She had planned this window partition for her long living room. Click above to see what she looked like when she moved in. She now has a comfortable living room with plenty of space and was able to carve out an attractive breakfast nook and create a separate kitchen space.
Not all built-in room dividers need to be big and fancy. Sometimes just a few partitions can make a difference.
We’re all quick to think of needing to surround a room with solid drywall, but windowed walls (and French doors to boot) keep the room semi-private, yet still visibly part of the living space and main street. Finished with a refreshing mint, it gets an A+ from me.
Even a small portion of a large space can be transformed into a compact but effective office or studio room. Think about it…how many of you have an open loft space or a great room on your second floor that you just can’t figure out? All you need is 5 to 10 feet of unused floor space, which I’m estimating here, to create a bonus area that you can turn into something useful.
If you’ve read this far and are thinking this idea is great but too formal or traditional, don’t worry. There are other ways. Take as inspiration the two images above and below, which lean more towards metal and give a more contemporary feel. The white in the image above is tidy housesurprisingly light and unobtrusive…
…On the other hand, the black finish of the lattice makes a more statement.
There must be something about a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf behind a lattice glass enclosure like this, but wow, this is certainly a way to create a one-room bedroom, right?
I love the works of Columbu StudioAnd the transition in this room with rounded windows is very shocking.
floor-to-ceiling room dividers and furniture
Next up are things that are less luxurious and require less construction: free-standing or installed room dividers and large pieces of furniture. This approach tends to be more modern and was a common strategy in the mid-century. If you like displaying your treasures and books, this might be the one for you.
Rounded edges are perfect for shelving units like this. This allows for a little better flow and limits you from accidentally hitting your ribs on sharp corners.
Reed glass and canning keep the other side semi-private, but still open and airy. I love this approach as it makes the division of the room more decorative and interesting.
This shelving unit appears to be attached (or strung) to both floor and ceiling beams, which is of course safer than something tall and narrow that is freestanding.
By working with a designer or woodworking professional (unless you’re very skilled yourself), you can create useful and beautiful entryway cabinets, slashes, benches, and slash room dividers like the one shown above. Four Block South.
Here’s a lovely vintage room divider (and another one when you flip it over) that’s like a time capsule in the house. Dana and Colin from Un.Flipping.
Note that you don’t need to install everything here. A sturdier, bottom-heavy cabinet like the one above calf design (with hooks on one side and a plant shelf on the other) may be the perfect solution for dividing up your living space right from your front door.
bookshelf and passthrough
Can you believe that Zenia Olivares from Style It Pretty Home built a room divider on herself??You can see some of her previous and process below. this reel she posted on Instagram. amazing!
When I see a transom window anywhere in the house, especially when it’s set into a gorgeous slate blue woodwork opening like the one pictured above, my heart has no choice but to swoon. Timber Trails Home. No one in the family is more devastated than this. This is especially not the case in homes that have been open for a long time.
I love seeing little nooks hidden behind other rooms. block shop textiles Last spring, when we promoted our new fabric line at Sunbrella, our bentwood arches and shelf dividers received top reviews. ::applause::
The work Alice Gaskell has done in a clean, cool, contemporary new home is amazing, and I love this bookshelf room divider she designed. click hereswipe to the second photo to see what it looked like before. Prepare to be surprised and inspired.
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So… how do we feel? If you have a very open floor plan and love it, that’s great. My purpose is not to wage a smear campaign against them. They certainly have their merits, and you may breathe a sigh of relief when you find yourself in such a state. And while open-concept homes may be on the radar for many of us these days on how we live, the ones that aren’t are memorable, at least to me. What is memorable? Beautiful architecture, even if it’s not original. Because not all of us can live in a soulful early 20th century house. Like the beginning of the 21st century. If you’re looking to bring some personality to your home and make better use of your space, we hope this post gets your gears moving.
Until next time, friends…
Opening image credit: Design by Emily Henderson | Photo credit sarah ligoria trump |Source: Mountain House “Reveal”: Dilemmas built into the dining room (+ 3 mistakes we made)
Source: Emily Henderson – stylebyemilyhenderson.com
