When it comes to designing a dining room living room layout, the space needs to be laid out in a manner that’s functional yet welcoming. Functionality will often come at the sacrifice of that warm welcome that makes a space more enjoyable. In order to achieve such a fine balance, the furniture placement, choice of décor, and overall flow of the two rooms must be carefully considered. Failure to do so will result in a cramped space that will be hinder functionality.
A great method to achieve the right balance in a dining room living room layout is by maximizing the use of space, furniture and appliance placement, and décor selections. Choosing the right selections and placements will maximize the benefits you get from your home living project.
To gain a better understanding of what needs to be done, this narrative will cover some of the aspects of planning your furniture arrangement for a living dining room combo. We’ll go over some geometric aspects along with efficient use of space and appliances. Now let get to the meat and potatoes of the matter.
Striking the Right Symmetry and Lighting
An important item to cover for a dining and living room combo is finding the best symmetry and lighting. You’ll need to be certain on how you go about finding symmetry within the space you occupy. Also, the lighting factor will be a great asset to round out an effective and efficient zoning of your space.
You’ll want to start off by assessing the overall space you have and derive a key conclusion from the assessment. Is the space symmetrical? Living and dining rooms that are symmetrical will be easier to plan and organize, so we’ll keep the focus on a symmetrical space.
Your best starting point is to properly divide the space. The living area will be best served by establishing an anchor. This can be sone with a sectional rug. By using a proper rug, the living space will be clearly defined from the dining space. A well size rug placed in the living room will give way to the transition of a proper dining room table arrangement. The two spaces can then be further enhanced with lighting to ensure symmetry is maintained.
Next up is the lighting aspects. Lighting will go a long way in making your space feel alive and functional. Incorporating pendant lights or a chandelier will establish the focal point in the dining area. The combination of the spaces will be further enhanced by the effective lighting in the living room area. When properly paired with the correct furniture, an additional lamp placed in the living area will help divide the two areas into a space of their own. This will help with establishing good, clean lines to give the space character.
Take the time to really assess your space so you may make the most of your living dining room combo furniture arrangement. A strong assessment with these two living elements will make the arrangement process smoother.
Establishing Good Arrangement and Placement
Moving along, the next elements to consider for your living and dining room space is the arrangement and placement.
You’ll want to arrange your furniture and appliances in a manner that will maximize space while keeping design in mind. Arrangement is the simple part where you decide on the overall set-up of your living and dining room space, but placement will be the tricky part.
The best way to start off the process is by drawing out your arrangement. You read that right. Draw out the arrangement on a blank piece of paper. This will give you a primitive visual of what you want to achieve. It does not need to be a professional architect level type drawing; it just needs capture the essence of the two rooms.
Now you’ll take that drawing an proceed with your placement of furnishings and appliances. As mentioned before, use your rug to zone out the living area. To really carve out some clear lines, get one that has a distinguished boarder. The boarders will serve as a great metric for placing sofas and love seats. Next up will be the kitchen table. Needless to say, the lighting fixtures should be used to determine where the table should be located. Keep the “free space” in mind to decide on the size of table. This will be the space between the walls and furniture, and you’ll need to strike the right balance for functional purposes.
Now that you’ve made that initial placement of your tables, chairs, and sofas, take a good hard step back. Do this from multiple angles within your room. Take in the placement, and start making adjustments. Once you find the right balance, move your living and dining room pieces into the correct place for the most efficient use of space.
Using Appliances and Functional Furniture as a Design Function
Building upon the use of arrangement and placement, one key design function is the appliances you choose to incorporate in your space along with some functional furniture.
The right appliances and functional furniture will make or break a living room dining room combo’s living space appeal. Appliance selection is one of the most defining options anyone can make when designing their interior space. The proper appliances will one, set the tone, and two, round out the cohesiveness of your space.
You’ll want to make sure you select the proper appliances. What this means is that you’ll need the right sizes for refrigerators, stoves, and countertop appliances (microwave, coffee maker, etc.). An oversized refrigerator will potentially cut into your dining space, and you have to compensate it with decreased living space. Also, your countertop space needs careful consideration. Bulky toasters and coffee makers will lead to the same compromise as a large fridge, not so much on cutting space, but taking up table space at times when multiple appliances are being used.
Here is where functional furniture can help. Functional furniture will give you the option of additional storage. For instance, a “compact” buffet cabinet can be carefully placed in an area near the kitchen and designated dining area. You will then be able to use buffet cabinet as storage space. You can store your coffee maker or kettle to make the most of countertop and table top space.
Color Considerations for Living and Dining Areas
The last item to consider is the color coordination of the living and dining room furniture. It is strongly recommended to have this in mind before the arrangement, and you should definitely have them in mind while making your final design plans and purchases.
The typical color palette should follow a harmonious scheme. It will ensure that your two spaces flow through naturally. Neutral tones such as beige and gray will provide some versatility. Also, the use of accent colors will add character to your living room dining room space. Grays work particularly well with stainless steel appliances, and a beige color scheme can be well balanced with proper accent colors such as dark blues and greens.
Rounding Out on the Living and Dining Room Combo
Planning a dining room living room layout may feel like an overwhelming task at times, but it can be done. Always start off with a meaningful assessment of your space. Really examine the area’s layout and take in the minor details that you can use to make the most it. Once you have those details taken to memory or actually drawn out (highly recommended), you can plan your arrangement and placement to make it a fantastic space to enjoy your time off and host family or friends.
Closing out let’s cover the key points. One: find the right symmetry and utilize lighting. Two: work out the arrangement and placement of furnishings and appliances. Three: be conscious of appliance choices and employ functional furniture if possible. Four: use color options to the best advantage when possible. The last point: enjoy your space!
For more tips on managing your space, check out his article on sectional living room layouts.