Designs Refined Tips: Wide Open Spaces

Wide Open Spaces

Most homes are built for easy flow from room to room with few walls as barriers to identify them. We usually love the open space but it can be a decorating dilemma; what to do with all that space?

If you have a large room and want to visually have separate rooms there are a lot of ways to achieve this fairly simply. One idea is to put up a low room divider, preferably one that can be moved; there are tons of room dividers on the market from simple wood frames with rice paper, fabric or wicker to fill in the frame. You can add your own fabric to match your décor or wallpaper for that matter.

Another divider that makes sense is the multiple cube type that can define an entry or divide a room that two children share. The cubes are great for storage of books and other artifacts.

If your room isn’t quite large enough to use a physical divider, use a rug or paint to define a space. An area rug can easily make a conversation area cozy and invites you and your company to sit and enjoy some quiet conversation. Area rugs can set the tone for a play area for the kids if the space is shared with the rest of the family. Add a sofa table and some baskets to stow the toys and a soft rug for the children to play quietly.

Paint color can also visually divide a room especially if it’s a large space but a small alcove that is used for a computer is another way to give the area its own identity. Use a complimentary or just a deeper or lighter shade of the color used in the rest of the room to paint the alcove. Add the accent color around the room with decorative pillows drapery panels or a throw to tie the spaces together.

Posted by Designs Refined Tips at 6/5/2009 1:39 PM