The combination of a guest room and a dining room is an excellent design solution not only for small apartments. A living room with a dining area will allow you to make some bright accents, and will also help guests sit comfortably in the apartment for dinner or just friendly gatherings over a board game.
Combining the dining room with the living room makes it possible to get rid of small cramped spaces and end up with a fairly spacious and comfortable space
Rules for creating an interior in the living-dining room
The decision to make a dining area in the living room will allow you to rationally use the available space. The main thing is to immediately decide on the style and color scheme of the room. The design of the dining room and living room in the apartment should be uniform for a harmonious picture. You can look at a photo of the design of the living room-dining room and choose the option you like as a guide.
The design of the living-dining room largely depends on the available space
How to choose the right living room
Before you start purchasing the contents of the room (furniture), it is important to carefully plan the entire interior in the smallest detail. This process takes a lot of time and effort, especially for non-professionals, so to get rid of the hassle, it is better to contact a design company.
The first stage of planning will be to determine the functionality of the room. To do this, you need to draw on paper a detailed plan of the room, taking into account all window and door openings, niches, bay windows and similar elements. Then determine the purpose of the living room: will it be just a relaxation area, a study or a room for holding parties.
The filling of the room directly depends on this point, for example, for an office you will need a computer desk or a multifunctional bureau, a comfortable chair and several shelves for books and documents. Zoning of space is also quite popular in the design of the living room.
Read: Organizing schoolchildren's meals. How to do everything right?
Most often, this technique is carried out by contrasting painting the walls in colors that are radically different from each other, or by light separation. It is worth noting that this technique is often used in the design of small spaces.
Living room dining room in a small apartment
The small footage and small number of rooms do not allow making a separate dining room, and you have to install it in the living area. This layout is not always bad; you can choose a convenient location for all the furniture and even save space.
Combining a dining area with a seating area in one room provides more opportunities for family communication
If two rooms are located together, then you need to choose light furniture to visually increase the space.
To make a small room functional, you can install a corner wardrobe, a bar counter and a small sofa in front of the TV. This design will be convenient, the living room dining room will be able to fully fulfill its function.
The photo shows an example of the arrangement of a small living-dining room, made in light colors
Purpose and functions of living room tables
When purchasing any furniture, pay attention to the fact that it can carry different functional loads and complement the interior of the room.
The purpose of a table in the interior of a modern living room has become much broader than it was several decades ago.
A low coffee table is a decorative detail of the interior and is designed to decorate and diversify the decor in the living room
They are most often used for the following purposes:
- Stands and storage for magazines, books and newspapers.
- Arrangement of decorative elements - vases, figurines. For example, a vase with fresh or artificial flowers is placed on corner tables.
- Organization of the work area.
- Conducting meetings and negotiations.
- Tea drinking by the sofa.
- Holding celebrations and dinners.
- Interior decorations. This allows you to complete the design of your living room.
In the photo, the coffee table is a small decorative structure on which small objects and printed materials are usually placed
Zoning the space in the room
When zoning a living room combined with a dining room, the size and type of the room are taken into account. In a separate room, you can choose the design of the living room dining room to suit your taste, but in the walk-through room you will have to place furniture in limited places.
When combining zones in one space, it is important to correctly separate the living room and dining area
Zone division options
To divide a room into several zones you can use:
- Partitions – cabinets, cabinets.
- Tabletops and bar counters.
- Arches and beams.
- Color accents in furniture.
In a living room with a dining table, you can create a division even with the help of a sofa and carpet, which will symbolize the guest area, and a table and chairs standing on linoleum or parquet will symbolize the dining area.
The choice of zoning tools depends on the area of the room, and the design style determines the features of the implementation of the same techniques
Materials used for manufacturing
Wooden is a classic natural material. It is environmentally friendly, durable and aesthetically pleasing. This product is a work of art.
Natural wood furniture will add harmony and tranquility to the interior
Recently, glass countertops have become increasingly popular. This is a durable material that is easy to care for. But not the best option for an apartment where small children live. At the same time, the glass surface visually enlarges the room. This technique can be used for a small space.
The table top can be made of transparent, frosted or colored glass
Chipboard involves the use of wood chips. Such products are very aesthetic and easy to care for. But they do not tolerate moisture well. It has less strength than wood.
Furniture made from chipboard is the most affordable
Metal is being used less and less for countertops, although new styles are currently appearing in which the main material for making legs is metal. For example, loft style.
A loft-style dining table traditionally has a metal frame on which a solid wood tabletop is attached
A table in the living room can bring coziness to any interior. And given the huge selection of different shapes, sizes and styles, you can make your home original and unique.
Room decoration
When choosing an interior for the living room and dining room, you need to immediately think about all the details. Choose the type of covering and furniture so that they are in harmony with each other, decide on the color scheme.
When choosing a color palette, use a simple rule - the smaller the room, the lighter the finishing materials should be
Floor finishing
Linoleum, tile and laminate are cheap and durable covering options that are suitable for a combined dining room. Of the more expensive ones, you can take parquet and cover it with carpet in the guest area. You can also use a multi-level floor to separate zones, but this is for those who are not afraid of tripping.
The podium is a convenient and effective way to divide a room into functional zones
Ceiling finishing
An economical and effective option is to make a plasterboard ceiling on two levels. It will be lower in the dining room and higher in the living room to visually enlarge this space. You can also use beams if the room is not three by three meters. In a modern style, contrasting colors are allowed, as long as one of the colors (the largest area) is light.
A two-level ceiling is a convenient option for zoning space, equally well suited for both a cramped room and a spacious room.
Wall decoration
There are no clear criteria or wishes here; a person proceeds from his own budget. The only rule is not to combine two styles and different materials. If in the guest area it is wallpaper with a floral print, then in the dining room there should be no painted walls in the form of a mosaic.
To decorate the walls of a small room, it is better to choose neutral shades from a light color palette
Modern small living room
A small living room in a modern style is, first of all, furniture of simple shapes with a sleek, minimalist finish (no handles). 3-4 colors are currently fashionable. White or gray are often used. This combination looks fantastic with colorful accessories such as pillows, a vase or a pouf.
For a modern living room, we will choose furniture with a lacquered or glass facade or with a glued mirror. Currently, the most fashionable colors for the living room are white, gray, black, pastel colors and natural wood colors.
In a small living room, a sofa in a versatile, bright color (no patterns!) would be great, as long as you make it a main color piece—black, bottle green, or indigo.
Too many additions are certainly not suitable for a small living room, so if you want to add decorative elements to it, let them be items that also have a practical function: airy curtains, pendant lights, statement lamps, a mirror on the wall or unique colorful pillows on the couch.
Creating the necessary lighting in the interior
A living room with a dining area requires good natural and artificial lighting. If there is a choice, then the table is placed closer to the window, and the furniture is forced into a dark corner, where floor lamps or additional lamps can be placed.
Correctly placed lamps automatically become a room zoning tool
It is better to install several lighting systems:
- recessed lamps in the ceiling for intimate light;
- large chandelier for bright lighting;
- a small lamp with soft light in the relaxation area - near the sofa or armchair.
The design of lighting fixtures must correspond to the chosen style direction of the interior
Style directions and colors for the design of the living-dining room
The size of the room and the type of housing do not play a role when choosing a style; it all depends on the taste of the owner of the room.
The atmosphere in the house or apartment depends on the choice of style for the living-dining room. It is important that the interior matches the lifestyle and worldview of the home owners
Modern
The most popular and simple style, which is easy to match with furniture. It has many directions - Art Deco, Provence, Modern, Minimalism. Almost always, the furniture chosen is light, made of plastic, with a minimum of details and small details, everything is modest and stylish. Any color scheme, with bright accents and contrasts.
Modern interiors, such as minimalism or hi-tech, are characterized by simple and laconic forms, a small number of decorative elements
Classical
Often chosen for large rooms and country houses. You can install large soft chairs with a sofa, a massive wooden table and strong chairs with backs. Pastel colors, if contrasts are made, then only in small details. You can make a pattern on the walls, install carved cabinets and even order antique furniture.
Luxurious interior, implemented in a classic style, always looks expensive and elegant
And others
A wide range of styles (Scandinavian, eco-style) makes it difficult to choose furniture and finishing materials. Therefore, if you choose an unusual option, then consultation with a designer is required, who will select everything with taste.
Bright living-dining room in a studio apartment designed in Scandinavian style
Spacious living-dining room with bar counter in eco-style
Nuances of choosing chairs
Modern furniture production produces various variations of chairs for the living room, ranging from classic models to avant-garde products. Today you can find quite unusual options that serve as a decorative component. But still, in most cases, their main function is a comfortable pastime.
Furniture for the hall should be of high quality, presentable, and practical.
Therefore, the choice of this piece of furniture must be approached responsibly, taking into account the following criteria:
- The strength of the structure will ensure a long service life. Pay attention to the attachment points. Also, the parts should be free of cracks, scratches, stains and dents.
- Preference should be given to upholstery material that will not be difficult to care for. It is desirable that it be water-repellent
- You should find out the maximum permissible load in advance.
IMPORTANT! The product must be tested in the store for visible and hidden damage. It should be stable, not wobble or creak.
The most common options are still those with a wooden or metal frame, with a soft seat made of fabric or leatherette. No less popular among connoisseurs of minimalism are folding and stackable chairs made from lightweight materials such as durable plastic.
With such a headset, you can create the most comfortable atmosphere.
Choosing furniture for the interior of the living-dining room
Must be:
- table and chairs;
- sofa or soft chairs;
- small coffee table;
- shelves or cabinet.
All this will not take up much space and will easily fit even into a small apartment. If the space of the room allows, then you can cover the free space with a fluffy carpet, put a chest of drawers or a bookcase. The furniture material is selected based on the style of the room.
The dimensions of the dining room and upholstered furniture are selected relative to the total area and shape of the room
Different sets of furniture look good if the chairs and table are from one set, the sofa and armchairs are from another, but everything is done in the same tone.
Upholstered furniture is often used to zone a room. For example, a sofa will clearly mark the boundary between two territories if you place it with its back to the dining area
Examples of room decoration
You can look at the photo of the dining room combined with the living room to find out the different views. There are now a lot of options and it’s easy to choose even according to a template or take a specific living room as an example of a color scheme. See what details you like, what repels you, and choose the ideal option for yourself.
Carved details, openwork elements, expensive textiles - this decor is suitable for decorating a room in the Baroque, Empire or Art Deco style
Antique objects, vintage lamps, handmade wooden products - suitable decor for a living-dining room in country or Provence style
Photos of successful examples of the interior of a living room combined with a dining room
Connecting the zones is a good solution, which many people are now resorting to. Look how interesting and unusual it looks. A room of any size can be easily furnished so that it does not lose its functionality.
A modern studio apartment in which only conventional elements are used to divide the space
The interior of the dining room-living room, in which minimalism is successfully diluted with loft elements
Spacious living-dining room in loft style
Dining area in the living-dining room, decorated in high-tech style
Now there is no need to sacrifice space and street light, no need to separate guests from the owners of the house while the latter are setting the table. A place for eating and guests in the same room is an ideal solution to a lot of problems.
