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Reader Question
We are a young couple, we are 30 years old, we live in a two-room apartment, we have no children. We love to receive guests and relax on a comfortable sofa in front of the TV in the evening. Recently, my husband switched to freelancing, and therefore needed a full-time workplace. Please advise where to place it? We don’t want to put a computer in the bedroom, so we are left with an 18-meter living room. How can we arrange a workspace in the living room so that it is not too noticeable and the living room does not turn into a “room with a computer desk”?
Best regards, Alena, Moscow.
Designer's response
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In the photo:
Decorator Zhanna Buzaeva recommended a traditional solution to the “living room - office” problem. Since the space requires two full-fledged zones, we highlight them using zoning with a translucent shelving partition. This allows, on the one hand, to achieve privacy in the office. On the other hand, do not deprive the sofa area of the living room of sunlight.
Since the reader did not indicate the exact dimensions of the room, a typical 18-meter living room was chosen as an example. As a rule, this is a room with a large window and access to a balcony. In many ways, it is the balcony door that dictates the layout - the “route” of movement from the door to the window, and, as a result, the arrangement of furniture along one wall.
View of the "rest area". There is everything you need to have a good time with friends - a large corner sofa, a side table for drinks and a soft carpet. Our selection includes a set of furniture used by the decorator when drawing up a design project.
The decorator chose a calm palette in neutral tones, using different shades of gray and added a few bright spots in the form of a coffee table, work chair, paintings and posters. An important role is played by lighting. The decorator departed from the standard approach and did not place the chandelier in the center of the room, but hung it above the coffee table in the sitting area: after all, the office will have its own table lamp!
TV furniture specifically takes up the entire wall. This is done in order to unite the living room space, and not divide it into two even smaller zones. IN small room A significant amount of space is given over to storage systems that will likely be needed by those working at home.
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To ensure that there are no distractions while working, it is necessary to somehow isolate the workspace from the relaxation area. Living room design with office usually provides for such a division, and it is accomplished using various techniques.
Lighting
When developing, it is necessary to take into account that the presence of good natural lighting for work is one of the main conditions. Therefore, the work area is usually located next to the window.
Shelving
Shelves made of wood or plasterboard will help create a dedicated corner, which will not be completely isolated, and thus will not reduce the volume of the room. These racks are used to store books, folders with papers; they can be decorated with live plants and decorative figures.
Curtains-partitions
IN living room with office You can also use curtains, curtains - both thick and light, portable folding screens. All this will create a working environment in the office area.
Corners and niches
If there are niches or corners in the living room, use them for a work space. Custom-made furniture will make the most of the available space.
Zoning
IN living room design with office The technique of visual division of space is also widely used. As a rule, different floor and ceiling coverings are used in different areas, wallpaper with different patterns or paints of different shades on the walls, or finishing materials of different textures.
Ceilings of different heights
Quite often in office interior in the living room use suspended ceilings of different heights, thus highlighting a home mini-office. These ceilings can be additionally painted in different colors.
Miscellaneous floor covering
If combined, it makes sense to use different floor coverings. In the area where the owners relax, carpet or a wooden floor covering with a fluffy carpet laid on top is appropriate. IN work area The most suitable option would be a laminate or parquet floor.
Podium
Sometimes a home office is raised above the living room level using a specially built podium, the volume under which can be used to store seasonal items, such as skis or boards.
Transfer to the balcony
Another option for creating a work area on the balcony. This solution can be used if the balcony is insulated or combined with the living room.
Colors office interior in the living room should not be conspicuous or distract from work. Calm ones will do pastel colors, shades of beige, gray or white.
Furniture
The furniture in such an office should not be bulky. If there is not enough space, instead desk you can get by with a shelf table or a lifting table top that can be removed when not needed. A small work chair and shelves for books is all that is needed to set up a home mini-office.
Zoning the living room is a pressing problem for most small apartments. And this is not surprising, because in one small room you need to place several zones at once, without limiting the comfort of the owners. But there are often full-size apartments where you simply don’t want to build walls.
An example of this is lofts - ideally zoned “open-space”, in which, using various techniques, designers manage to achieve the integrity of the entire apartment at the same time as privacy zones for all residents of the apartment. Armed with these ideas, we have prepared techniques for competent zoning of living rooms.
The most popular living room zonings:
- Living room and bedroom - the bedroom will always be closer to the window, since, by definition, the sleeping area should be further away from the entrance.
- Living room and kitchen - the placement of both areas is strictly according to your taste, although it is preferable to place the kitchen near the window so that it is convenient for the hostess and there is enough light to prepare food.
- The living room and dining room are two full-fledged units that should have enough space and space in a single room.
- Living room and office - the office can occupy a very small corner, the main thing is to install an additional light source.
- A living room and a children's room is the most unconventional combination, since, as a rule, parents give up their room to the child, but this still happens. In this case, you need to think through everything carefully and it is better to separate the children's part with partitions so that the child has the opportunity to fully rest.
There are several most common living room zoning techniques, which we will discuss in detail below.
Zoning with furniture
This is the simplest and affordable way combine the functions of several functional areas in the living room. A large and comfortable corner sofa will accommodate guests during the day and become a cozy bedroom in the evening. For greater intimacy, you can use screens or mobile partitions. This is especially convenient where, in addition to the sofa, there is also a relaxation area consisting of armchairs and a table, and when someone is tired and wants to sleep, he can safely go to rest, while communication and gatherings can continue at the table. Of course, we are not talking about soundproofing, so those who are awake will have to talk more quietly than usual.
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Zoning with partitions and mobile walls
These techniques are very good for separating a small bedroom from the perimeter of the living room. You can order special mobile structures that will fold and unfold very easily, thereby “shaping” the walls at the right time. The best materials for these purposes are glass, plexiglass and plastic. In order to hide unnecessary things from prying eyes, you can hang light curtains on the partitions.
We included another zoning technique in this category - the use of small island walls. Their length is usually 1.5-2.5 m. As a rule, on one side of such an island there is a TV stand, or another wall structure - a cabinet, rack, shelves, pictures. With the help of such small wall There is a clear zoning of the premises.
Openwork partitions
This group of designs is more of a decorative nature, but nevertheless gives a clear sense of the boundaries of space. Such partitions can be made of wood, metal, plastic and any other materials, and are more like designer small ones architectural forms, but often openwork partitions form an ensemble of beautiful shelves or whatnots.
Niches and cabinets
These furniture elements help to zone the space very well. According to the principle, the higher the cabinet, the more obvious the separation. That is, if you decide to divide the zones using a small niche or cabinet, place some long objects on it - vases with flowers, table lamps or statues. In combination living room-kitchen the best divider would be a bar counter.
Podium
One of the most successful ways to divide space into zones. Of course, it is only suitable for rooms with high ceilings, but where it is present, the boundaries of one and the other zone are immediately clear. If a bed is installed on the podium, you can arrange drawers for storage inside the podium bed linen and various seasonal items, you can also hide ventilation and other communications in the podium. The idea with a podium is very well implemented in large, spacious apartments, where the designer decided to create a single space.
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Different finishing materials
Usage different materials finishing gives a clear idea that we have two different zones. That is why designers often use this technique for zoning, because here, on the principle of stands in a furniture store, two independent parts of one whole - the living room - immediately appear. There is another interesting trick - you can lay the same material in a different direction, but this only applies to tiles and floors made of small components. To further isolate one area from another, place different rugs on the floor.
Zoning with light
Light plays one of the key roles in the final decoration of the interior and that is why the division of light will immediately emphasize the boundaries of the zones. For example, in the evening you sit at a table above which a large chandelier is lit, and at this time the bedroom area is not illuminated, which means you can rest peacefully there. And it’s immediately clear that if you hang only one light source in the living room, it will not be enough for a room in which there are several zones, or there will be not enough light in one part, and there will be an overabundance in another. Spotlights will be a good help when zoning rooms. Hang a chandelier above the main area, and place a composition of spots in the additional area, or vice versa.
False columns
False columns are a convenient attribute for zoning any premises, but most of all they are suitable for the living room - all because of the somewhat solemn significance of these rooms. You can install copies of antique columns, after passing through which the second zone of the room will open to your attention. Or build a large column that will resemble something like a chimney pipe, or a small false wall. In any case, you can win some space, which will give you the opportunity to place another zone.
In the photo below, the technique with a column is successfully used. It is neither big nor small, but precisely the size that allows you to slightly hide the dining area.
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Furniture arrangement
Place furniture from different areas with their backs facing each other. One of the most cost-effective, simple and quick ways The arrangement of zone furniture with backs to each other was and remains to delimit the living room. Or in other words, so that people in different zones sit with their backs to each other. This technique is based on basic knowledge of psychology - “if I don’t see, then it doesn’t exist.” That is, if you don’t see people doing something nearby, you don’t notice them.
In this way, you can place about three different zones in one room. Naturally, distances must be maintained, and there must be boundaries of at least one meter between zones. Arranging furniture with your back is also good for large open spaces in lofts and open-space apartments.
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Additionally, zoning is emphasized by the presence of different floor coverings. Two zones and two different coatings- carpets and laminate.
Zoning gives you the opportunity to turn a small one- or two-room apartment into a full-fledged space for relaxing, receiving guests, and even sleeping.
Many of us have to work from home from time to time, if not regularly. But, unfortunately, not everyone’s living space allows them to allocate a separate room for an office or workshop. Today we’ll talk about how to create a comfortable workspace in the living room without harming its design.
Workplace in the living room - where exactly should it be placed?
To answer this question, decide what time you usually have to work from home.
We work from home during the day
If you work from home primarily daylight hours days, it is better to place the workplace in an area with good natural light. After all sunlight improves mood and increases performance. A traditional approach with obvious advantages is a living room workstation near a window. You will not only “catch” daylight, but you will also probably find a place for shelves with books or documents. In this case, the desktop can be made to order so that its tabletop and window sill form one whole. This not only looks harmonious, but also saves space. In a small room you can do without a table at all; a wide window sill will successfully cope with its role.
You are especially lucky if your living room has a bay window. After all, this multi-faceted glazed “lantern” seems to have been created to create a comfortable work area, the main advantage of which is excellent uniform lighting from all sides. And from direct sun rays will be protected by a curtain or blinds.
If the apartment has an insulated balcony or loggia, a work area can be equipped there. This way, you'll get the most out of all your square footage without taking an inch away from the living room itself. Sometimes it is advisable to combine this area with the living room. In some cases, this can be done simply by removing window unit between the room and the balcony, and fix the tabletop on the rest of the wall partition. With this minimal disruption, you'll maximize your living space and create a workspace with plenty of natural light.
We work at home in the evening
If you have to work at home mainly in the evening, first of all you need to take into account that the living room is a common room. And, as a rule, it is in the evenings that the whole family gathers here to chat or watch TV. Therefore, the work area in the living room should be located so as not to infringe on anyone’s interests: it should be comfortable for some to relax, and for others to work. How to achieve this?
You might like the idea of a neat console table placed close to the back of the sofa. With this arrangement of furniture, the work area and the relaxation area in the living room are outlined, but not completely separated. Sitting down at the table with work or handicrafts, you will be close to your loved ones, you will be able to maintain a general conversation or watch an interesting program out of the corner of your eye.
If classes require concentration and increased attention, you should move your workplace away from the TV. The worker will be less distracted if he sits with his back to the living room. The table can be installed in the gap between the cabinets or between the cabinet and the wall. Such an impromptu niche will create a feeling of isolation from everything that is happening around you and will help you get into a working mood.
Work area in the living room - are partitions needed?
When deciding whether the work area in the living room will be separated by a partition from the rest of the room, take into account the size and shape of the room, the location of the windows, as well as the number of inhabitants of the apartment and the type of your occupation.
The partition is not an end in itself, but a tool that must be used wisely. After all, it can make a small room even more cramped, but it can make it longer rectangular room can give proportionality and comfort.
The photos below show a beautiful living room with a workplace in a small studio apartment. The owners installed a narrow table for two in a shallow niche specially created for this purpose, but did not separate the work area from the rest of the room with a partition. Look how spacious this small yet seamless multifunctional space feels.
And the room in the next photo gives the impression of being too elongated and somewhat dull. Zoning the workplace with a neat partition in this living room would be quite appropriate.
It is not necessary to block the living room if there is only one free artist living in the apartment, because he will not interfere with himself. He can place his workplace absolutely anywhere, even on a console shelf next to the TV. And for family man this will be extremely inconvenient: try to concentrate when football or melodramatic passions are boiling over your ear!
If a large family lives in an apartment, a living room with a work area located behind a partition will be a real salvation for a person engaged in mental work. There are many ways to separate your refuge from the noisy world of the living room: a solid plasterboard “wall” in the spirit of minimalism or a popular design with niche shelves, a bookcase or light translucent plastic, a glass panel with decor or a partition with increased sound insulation made of frosted glass blocks, sliding panels or simply heavy curtains...
The list doesn’t end there, the choice is yours.
The main thing is that in this corner you can concentrate without interference, as well as place work supplies, folders with documents, and even allow yourself some creative chaos. After all, you got not just a workplace in a common living room - you created a piece of your own personal space.
Living room with work space... in the closet
The lucky person whose main work tool is a laptop can afford to work without even getting out of bed. For him, organizing a workplace is more a matter of self-discipline.
It is more difficult for those who deal with many paper documents. And it’s really difficult for needlewomen when they are faced with the need to organize their workplace in a common living room, especially if the room is small. Where can you store kilometers of fabrics and ribbons, kilograms of yarn, mountains of beads, piles of accessories and other treasures without cluttering the room? And so that everything is at hand, otherwise it will take hours to find the right scrap or thread.
Let's turn to the experience of previous generations. They lived long before the advent of digital media in a very “material” world, and therefore they came up with a secretary. What do you prefer: a vintage-style bureau with a hinged lid or modern model with a retractable tabletop? Or you can make a custom-made spacious closet organizer, which will have several folding and pull-out work surfaces.
In the depths of this furniture there is room for a personal office with an extensive paper archive, and for a home workshop with all its tools and consumables. At the right time, the magic wardrobe folds up easily and quickly so as not to disturb the order in the living room. You don’t have to worry that needles or important papers left on the table will fall into the hands of a young fidget, because everything is securely locked. Finally, the psychological moment is also important: open the closet - and you are at work, close it - you can relax and unwind.
Look at the selection of our photographs and make sure that a living room with a workplace arranged in a closet is beautiful and very comfortable.
Design of a living room with a workplace - briefly about the main thing
When thinking about the design of a living room with a workplace, you can go in two ways: either emphasize the work area, or, conversely, make it as invisible as possible. The main thing is that the result is an interior that is comfortable for you and your loved ones.
The work area in the living room is highlighted by contrasting furniture, decorative partitions, color and texture of walls, lighting and multi-level ceilings. You can organize a work area on the podium, using it as a spacious storage system. At the same time, it is important not to forget that the work area and rest area are parts of a single space, and there should be no stylistic dissonance between them.
Choosing furniture
Furniture for a living room with a workplace should not only be comfortable, but also harmoniously selected. The task can be simplified by purchasing a wall with a work desk already provided. Such furniture sets are functional and, as a rule, have a discreet, laconic design. With their help it is easy to create a complete interior of a modern living room.
But for a small room a wall is not best option, it may simply not fit there. In this case, pay special attention choosing a desktop. Hardly anyone will like a living room with a massive office-style desk. Compact narrow tables, possibly foldable, are preferred. Models with two legs that are attached to the wall at the back, as well as tables-shelves and tables-window-sills, save space and make space easier. They can be equipped with a retractable part where you can easily hide writing utensils and even a laptop.
Check out the design of this wonderful living room. At first glance, you might not understand that the photo shows a living room with a workplace. The hostess simply hid her low glass work table behind the back of the sofa. From the outside front door The work area in this bright living room is almost invisible.
Playing with color
To decorate the work area, calm neutral colors are traditionally used: white, light gray, beige. Light light green and shades of blue are also popular. They are believed to promote concentration.
All-out bright reds, deep purples and other intense colors tend to overwhelm you quickly, but they work well as small accents. A chair and a couple of such accessories in the work area will make the design of the room more lively. The main thing is that these color spots find a response in the overall palette of the living room.
