dining room
1. Compact ComboDesigner: Dianne Berman of Delo InteriorsLocation: TorontoSize: 320 square feet (about 30 square meters) Year built: 1975; was renovated in the early ’90s, and this recent update was completed in 2015Kitchen seating: Given the small footprint and square shape, designer Dianne Berman knew she had to make every inch count. By grouping the dining space with a large island and connecting the bench seating to it, she created one path of travel around the entire kitchen rather than two. “This layout also created a more intimate feel,” Berman says. “The homeowners can cook and prep while family and friends gather around the table, bar area or island. Everyone faces toward the center of the space, which makes conversations flow.” Homeowners’ request: Clean lines, minimal ornamentation and a calm color palette. Functionally, they wanted space to entertain small and large groups of friends and family. The entrance to the home opens to this space, so storage for coats, boots and shoes was a must. Berman integrated built-in cabinets and drawers beneath the stairway.Why the design works: To make the kitchen feel larger, Berman carried the backsplash to the ceiling. She also kept...
Using translucent materials to add privacy, both visual and auditory, while allowing light in is a great solution for interior spaces requiring privacy and daylight.In this live-work space, the architects have cleverly designed a custom set of sliding doors that can close off their meeting space from the larger room. The striated plastic panels refract and diffuse the light entering the space, offer privacy and natural light, and limit sound transmission. They are a simple solution to competing requirements.
A fixed glass plane defines the circulation zone of this room and doubles as a guardrail for the stair. Glass partitions can be quite expensive, but the trade-off is a clean, modern material that diffuses natural light and helps contain sound. Custom etching the glass partition, as has been done here, can alter the degree to which one feels connected to or separated from the adjacent spaces.
9. Build a central storage unit. This is another example of a hardworking dividing wall creating clearly marked zones and breaking up an open-plan room. By placing the storage wall right in the center of the space, the large room becomes two connected but individual areas. And by building in lots of storage, the dividing wall works hard for its keep, allowing everyday items to be stashed out of sight and keeping the large room clutter-free.MoreOpen Plan Not Your Thing? Try ‘Broken Plan’Design Workshop: How to Separate Space in an Open Floor PlanOpen-Plan Living: Partition Your Way to Comfortable Spaces
5. Bring bifold doors indoors. A popular choice for connecting the indoors to the outside, bifold doors can also be a smart solution if you want to add flexibility to an open-plan ground floor. Here, they offer the option to close off the kitchen-dining area from the rest of the house when required, but they fold back almost invisibly against the wall when not in use.
barstools
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