Small Space Living: 10 Clever Ways to Create Workable Zones
Whether you live in an open-plan studio or a tiny house, subtly dividing the space up into defined areas will make it look and feel better
If you’re scared to partition your little pad into smaller spaces because you think it’ll make it look even tinier, fear not. By employing a few innovative tricks, you can actually make your home appear much larger by separating it into different areas. As the whole place is not on show all of the time, it will look tidier and feel more stylish, too.
Here are 10 inspirational ideas you can use to divide and conquer your home.
Here are 10 inspirational ideas you can use to divide and conquer your home.
Use a two-way fireplace as a subtle boundary
If you have a chimney breast between two small rooms, you can knock through the internal wall, leaving just the fireplace and flue. If you then install a fire with a two-way hearth that you can access from both sides, it will act as a natural dividing point and draw the eye through to the room beyond.
The contemporary wood-burning fireplace with adjoining bookcase seen here separates the dining area from the living room, with both getting the benefit from the heat of the fire. You could also add a fireplace into the middle of an exisiting space to create a similar effect, using a smokeless bioethanol fire that doesn’t require a flue.
Browse ideas for installing a contemporary fireplace in your home
If you have a chimney breast between two small rooms, you can knock through the internal wall, leaving just the fireplace and flue. If you then install a fire with a two-way hearth that you can access from both sides, it will act as a natural dividing point and draw the eye through to the room beyond.
The contemporary wood-burning fireplace with adjoining bookcase seen here separates the dining area from the living room, with both getting the benefit from the heat of the fire. You could also add a fireplace into the middle of an exisiting space to create a similar effect, using a smokeless bioethanol fire that doesn’t require a flue.
Browse ideas for installing a contemporary fireplace in your home
Build a short divide
Use a low-level false wall to zone a small, open-plan space. Here, a partition has been built up slightly higher than the kitchen units behind it so that anyone sitting in the living area can’t see any potential mess in the kitchen. The wall itself is also the perfect height for the mounted TV.
As this half wall ensures you can see from one side of the room to the other, the space doesn’t feel cramped, either.
Use a low-level false wall to zone a small, open-plan space. Here, a partition has been built up slightly higher than the kitchen units behind it so that anyone sitting in the living area can’t see any potential mess in the kitchen. The wall itself is also the perfect height for the mounted TV.
As this half wall ensures you can see from one side of the room to the other, the space doesn’t feel cramped, either.
Erect a false wall
By bringing your bed forwards into the room and installing a partition wall behind it, you may find you have space to create a bathroom or dressing area. If you leave access to it on either side, as seen here, you’ll lead the eye beyond the bed, ensuring the room stays feeling reasonably spacious.
By bringing your bed forwards into the room and installing a partition wall behind it, you may find you have space to create a bathroom or dressing area. If you leave access to it on either side, as seen here, you’ll lead the eye beyond the bed, ensuring the room stays feeling reasonably spacious.
Go for screen time
Whether it’s a vintage dressing room screen, an ornately carved wooden design or a contemporary number bearing a photographic image, there are portable folding screens to suit every room. They can be used in a living space to hide a desk area or the TV and in the bedroom in combination with a clothes rail to create a mini walk-in wardrobe.
Whether it’s a vintage dressing room screen, an ornately carved wooden design or a contemporary number bearing a photographic image, there are portable folding screens to suit every room. They can be used in a living space to hide a desk area or the TV and in the bedroom in combination with a clothes rail to create a mini walk-in wardrobe.
See the benefits of an internal window
When you start dividing up a small space with few windows, you risk making all the little areas feel dark. If you use internal glazing, however, any natural light will be drawn further in instead of being blocked out. Opt for windows that actually open, too, so that during the warmer months you’ll have a constant flow of air circulating into every corner.
When you start dividing up a small space with few windows, you risk making all the little areas feel dark. If you use internal glazing, however, any natural light will be drawn further in instead of being blocked out. Opt for windows that actually open, too, so that during the warmer months you’ll have a constant flow of air circulating into every corner.
Remember that curtains aren’t just for windows
You can divide up small spaces quite effectively with curtains. Use them to screen off the sleeping area in a studio apartment or the dining area from the living zone to make both spaces more intimate when you’re entertaining.
Seen here, a curtain creates a separate utility area, ensuring laundry can be hidden from view. Curtains can run around corners, too – unlike bifolding doors – allowing you to create a soft, curving division between spaces.
Discover more great ideas for utility rooms
You can divide up small spaces quite effectively with curtains. Use them to screen off the sleeping area in a studio apartment or the dining area from the living zone to make both spaces more intimate when you’re entertaining.
Seen here, a curtain creates a separate utility area, ensuring laundry can be hidden from view. Curtains can run around corners, too – unlike bifolding doors – allowing you to create a soft, curving division between spaces.
Discover more great ideas for utility rooms
Install sliding doors
Doors that open outwards or inwards in a small space restrict potential spots for placing furniture. Sliding doors that move back into the wall – pocket doors – or behind each other, however, are much more practical. The doors seen here have been used to create an en suite bathing area on one side of this bedroom.
Explore more clever ways with sliding doors
Doors that open outwards or inwards in a small space restrict potential spots for placing furniture. Sliding doors that move back into the wall – pocket doors – or behind each other, however, are much more practical. The doors seen here have been used to create an en suite bathing area on one side of this bedroom.
Explore more clever ways with sliding doors
Bring in a moveable wall
Internal bifolding doors can be used to section off part of a room when a more intimate space is required. These are perfect if you need to turn your living space into a temporary guest bedroom from time to time. Or you may want to use your room as one big open-plan space on certain occasions – when you’re entertaining, for example. Just open up the doors completely and it’s party time.
Internal bifolding doors can be used to section off part of a room when a more intimate space is required. These are perfect if you need to turn your living space into a temporary guest bedroom from time to time. Or you may want to use your room as one big open-plan space on certain occasions – when you’re entertaining, for example. Just open up the doors completely and it’s party time.
Put a room in a cupboard
Kitchen areas and studies lend themselves to being tucked away behind doors. In this small apartment, the whole kitchen can be concealed within bifold doors when not in use.
It’s also easy to put a desk with shelves above and a stool below inside a cupboard configuration. And, while it requires a little more work to set up and put away, a folding bed could also be hidden like this.
Browse fabulous foldaway designs that maximise space
TELL US…
Have you come up with a great way of dividing a small space? Tell us how and share your photos in the Comments below.
Kitchen areas and studies lend themselves to being tucked away behind doors. In this small apartment, the whole kitchen can be concealed within bifold doors when not in use.
It’s also easy to put a desk with shelves above and a stool below inside a cupboard configuration. And, while it requires a little more work to set up and put away, a folding bed could also be hidden like this.
Browse fabulous foldaway designs that maximise space
TELL US…
Have you come up with a great way of dividing a small space? Tell us how and share your photos in the Comments below.
A tall backless bookcase can be used to display books, ornaments and other treasures and be positioned so it subtly divides a room.
Here, a two-way shelving unit has been used in this small studio to separate the living area from the sleeping quarters. As some of the sections are open, it doesn’t darken the room, either. What’s more, as the shelves draw the eye further into the room, they make the space feel a lot larger, too.