Decorating the living room dining room combo
Sometimes it's a matter of size, but often having a dining room and living room combo in the same space is an intentional choice, designed to encourage sharing and conviviality. In order to furnish a small living room dining room combo in a functional yet distinguished way, not only is designing in detail the layout of each individual accessory essential, but so is choosing finishes capable of visually separating each area while at the same time communicating with each other. Here are some tips for optimizing space and furnishing a living room dining room combo floor plan, by benefitting from all the advantages that porcelain tile has to offer.
Optimization of space: how to decorate a small living room dining room combo area
If those already benefitting from large square footage still have to optimize space effectively, others who find themselves designing a small house need a few extra precautions: before delving into the merits of the stylistic alternatives offered by porcelain stoneware, here are 10 smart ideas to create a functional living room and dining room where every inch counts.
1. Don't push all the furniture against the walls
We often think that in order to make a space appear larger we need to leave it empty in the middle, but in reality, placing a small cabinet or a sofa in the middle of the room can better outline spaces and make them more enjoyable.
2. Select furniture with clean lines
Shallow bookcases or with narrow profiles, floor lamps or vases with a minimal design help keep the environment visually light.
3. Opt for a round table for the dining room area
Compared to the rectangular or square option, the round table has a more sinuous shape and is less cumbersome.
4. Choose colors carefully
Even though focusing on monochrome is not necessary, it is advisable to pair no more than two or three shades, and carefully calibrate them when choosing furniture and accessories.
5. Don't underestimate storage furniture
Organization is a small room’s best friend, which is why it’s better to choose sideboard cabinets and storage furniture equipped with closed doors and large drawers.
6. Consider replacing the sofa with armchairs
Equally comfortable but less cumbersome, armchairs are also easier to move providing more space at the table when guests are over for dinner.
7. Focus on a kitchen with an island
Especially if it overlooks the living room area, a kitchen with and island provides you with useful additional counter space, which you can also use as a countertop for quick meals or cocktails with friends.
8. Hang the television on the wall
Choosing to hang the television on the living room wall instead of placing it on the TV cabinet is a space-saving and aesthetically pleasing solution, especially if you choose a slim model with a frame that matches the rest of the house. This small trick will also allow you to watch TV from all corners of the living room and dining room.
9. Make the most of heights
Shelves, bookcases and racks with a minimalist design that brush against the ceiling allow you to find the perfect spot for each item, and optimize space to the maximum.
10. Pay attention to proportions
For creating harmony, it’s important for all the furnishings to be proportionate to each other, rather than being oversized compared to the overall size of the room.
Living room and dining room matching ideas
The design trends in recent years have undoubtedly revolutionized the concept of intended use: if in the past each room was designed for a specific purpose - cooking, watching TV, entertaining guests... - today we prefer focusing on multi-functional spaces that can be enjoyed by all the residents of a home with great flexibility. With this in mind, furnishing a living room and dining room combo requires having a vision of togetherness and thinking about continuity. If, for example, the living room area is inspired by earth tones such as clay, brown or sand, it may be appropriate in the dining room to incorporate these nuances in some accessories, such as table chairs or rugs. If the kitchen also overlooks the same area, you can choose the same finishes both for the floors as well as the facades: marble effect porcelain stoneware, with its precious and delicate veins, turns out to be an excellent common thread for connecting spaces harmoniously.
How to separate the dining room from the living room
Designing and furnishing small living room dining room combo spaces can be a real challenge, and the secret lies in dividing the two areas in a functional way without making them look even smaller.
The first element to consider is the layout: if it is rectangular, an interesting solution may be to place a wall in the center of the room to partially divide the two rooms, but leaving at least a couple feet on each side to ensure space to comfortably move through. Alternatively, you can also opt for elegant glass panels - which are very trendy - or open bookcases, visually airier. In the case of rooms with a square or a very small layout, it’s good to avoid adding busy structures such as walls or columns, but you can play with a strategic arrangement of furniture, imagining drawing a diagonal that divides the space and placing the sofa and table at opposite corners of the room. The second, and yet fundamental, aspect to take into account is lighting: even if the living room and dining room are combined in a very small space, each room must have dedicated lighting. The use of chandeliers and suspended lights over the dining room table has the green light, while the living room corner requires a more intimate and soft ambiance recreated with dimmable floor lamps and table lamps placed next to the sofa.
Classic dining room and living room
The possibility of combining a dining room and living room is not an option reserved only for contemporary homes, but it’s a solution that is also perfectly suited for more traditional homes. To decorate a classic dining room and living room combo it’s useful to draw inspiration from other elements already present, such as exposed beams, iron windows or vintage furniture, and reference the same accents: natural marble effect stoneware such as travertine, with its warm tones embellished by taupe details, recalls an elegance of another era but guarantees all the practicality of a modern and high-tech material. The need to combine contemporary functionality with classic aesthetics is even more evident when old family homes are renovated: in these cases, choosing porcelain stoneware for living room is a particularly interesting solution, because it allows you to create cozy and convivial spaces where you can entertain during the holidays, but designed with a high-performance material, highly resistant and easy to clean.
Modern living room and dining room
Those looking for modern living room and dining room decorating ideas will find endless possibilities with stoneware slabs: the gray stone effect is undoubtedly the finish that over the years has most unleashed the creativity of designers, because it complements every home setting with the vibrant energy of flamed porphyry, traditionally used outdoors. A striking look if used for kitchen counters and as a dining table top, tile resembling real stone becomes even more sophisticated when paired with wood accents and cladding, which soften it and enhance its natural shine. Those who want to decorate the living room and dining room combo in a modern style but prefer warm and neutral tones can opt for the softer nuances of stone effect tiles, which range from ivory to cream, or for cement effect tiles in shades of clay, also perfect for decorating a modern kitchen.
