Multifunctional Spaces
Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes
If you’ve ever turned a den into an extra bedroom, or a dining room into an office, or a basement into a workout room – even if only temporarily – you know that the defined purpose of any given room in the house is never set in stone.
Homeowners have always sought flexibility in their living spaces, but their interest in multifunctional spaces has intensified in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to spend a lot more time at home. That flexibility has also gotten more important as interior spaces have gotten smaller, particularly in urban areas.
When a room has multiple uses, it can be helpful to designate different sections for those different uses, a concept known as zoning. You can accomplish this with physical dividers, but you can also accomplish it through strategic placement of furniture, rugs and even lighting. Among the most common means of marking the different sectors of a multifunctional space are:
- Bookshelves and other shelving units
- Couches and loveseats
- Area rugs with distinctive shapes, colors, patterns and textures
- Flexible partitions, such as curtains and sliding doors
- Decorative screens
- Paint colors, such as on accent walls
- Distinctive ceiling styles and finishes, such as coffered or crown molding
- Light fixtures
Through judicious use of zoning, you can even create a new “room” out of a smaller space such as a closet, nook or butler’s pantry. An Architectural Digest story suggests using this method to create a small space for relaxation with soft flooring, such as rubber, mats or low-pile carpet.
Furniture is a key consideration in making a room more adaptable. When you use smaller furniture, or just less furniture entirely, it’s much easier to differentiate the sections of a room that are used for multiple purposes, per interior design firm Studio McGee. As a knock-on effect, rearranging furniture becomes a much quicker and more convenient endeavor when that furniture is smaller and easy to move around.
On top of that, there’s a variety of specialty and dual-function furniture that can be particularly conducive to efforts to make a room multifunctional. Some of the options you might consider include:
- Sofa and Murphy beds
- Extendable dining tables
- Folding tables for dining, work or study
- Storage ottomans and footstools
- Baskets for throws and cushions
Adjustable lighting can be particularly useful for changing ambience. Dimmable overhead lights make it easier to change the lighting to suit the use of the room, while lighting at different levels – think task lamps for home offices, table lamps for watching TV or entertaining guests, and wall lights and sconces to highlight photos and artwork – highlights different sections of the space, according to home improvement and design website the Spruce.
In order to maximize the use of a room with multiple purposes, it’s important to take full advantage of storage options. Built-in shelving, hidden storage inside furniture or under staircases and organizational bins that can be stowed under tables or in closets stow items easily without sacrificing usable space. Incorporating high-up shelving and cabinetry can free up floor space as well.
Bedrooms are particularly ideal for clever storage solutions. In its blog, design planning platform Planner 5D recommends internal chests or compartments in beds to replace dressers, bed linen storage and even shoe storage, as well as headboards with niches to hold books or décor.
Solid storage options also make it possible to repurpose the kitchen – when it’s not otherwise in use – to act as a temporary workspace or designated homework area. Retractable countertops, mobile islands, custom cabinets with adjustable shelves and hidden drawers are some of the possibilities, per Planner 5D.
According to the Spruce, neutral tones make it easier for the space to evolve with your needs, as well as to add personal touches and decorations. Another option is to paint the room white and use pillows, throws and other accessories to add color, which means you can even change your colors seasonally.
Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes
Wayne Homes
It’s Not Easy Being Green (But it’s Not That Hard, Either)
Biophilic design and the art of bringing the outdoors indoors
Wayne Homes
As the recent proliferation of outdoor kitchens shows, many homeowners are seeing the appeal of melding interior spaces and exterior spaces.
Well-placed outdoor rugs, tables, chairs, ottomans and even heat lamps can make an outdoor area such as a porch or balcony feel like a more intimate indoor area, while shutters and panoramic windows can bring the outdoors into an indoor area.
There’s more to that outdoor appeal than just the convenience of being able to cook for outdoor guests without constantly having to go in and out of the house. Studies have suggested a variety of benefits associated with incorporating the outdoors and other natural elements into indoor spaces.
The prioritization of connectivity to the natural environment is known, in the building industry, as biophilic design. Architecture platform Arch Daily points to a long list of potential benefits of biophilic design, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved attention span, greater productivity and creativity, and even lowered blood pressure.
Naturally (pardon the pun), plants are a key element of biophilic design. Options range from small plants for offices to collections of plants in place of furniture to more ambitious projects, such as living walls with a variety of greenery.
Beyond the foliage, there are plenty of ways to incorporate biophilic design into the home. Soft tones, natural building materials, natural light and natural ventilation are some of the biophilic design elements put forth by Architectural Digest. Even the shapes of furniture and accessories can make a difference; curves, per Arch Daily, appear less threatening to the human subconscious than do sharp edges, making them more relaxing.
Strategically placed mirrors can make green elements even more prominent, especially if the mirrors are wood-framed. Water elements can contribute, too: Think aquariums, fountains and water walls.
Garth Bishop is a contributing editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
