Design Dilemma - Narrow, Open Concept Living Room

When a fellow interior design lover sent in this dilemma, I KNEW I had to tackle this one. In the past few years, open concepts have become extremely popular and there are many, many benefits to them. However, a major downside to open spaces is that they are difficult to anchor. How do you truly make the spaces feel separate? That question is worthy of its own blog post, but for now, let’s take a look at this space:

My Initial Thoughts:

This is a great space. There’s already a sofa, media console, and lamp, so we won’t need to make any major purchases when it comes to furniture. In an ideal world, the sofa would be a bit more shallow, but I want to work with what we already have. Now let’s tackle this design dilemma.

Goal #1: Anchor the Space:

To make the living room feel like a separate entity from the dining area, you could add accent chairs! I fear that this would close up the space a bit too much, so the anchor I’m going to pursue is an area rug. The area rug should be large enough that it extends at least 8” beyond the side of the sofa that is closest to the dining area. It should also be wide enough so that it extends under at least half of the sofa and partway underneath the floating media console.

Based on these photos, this individual likes neutral colors, so I’m going to stay true to that and choose a gray and white rug.

In the dining area, I’m recommending that they add a rug that is distinct in color and design so that the two rooms feel separate.

Goal #2: Storage

Everyone needs storage and right now, this space has none. To combat this, I’m adding two storage ottomans underneath the floating TV stand. Not only do they provide storage, but they offer seating. This way, you don’t close of the flow of traffic with accent chairs.

As for tables, I want to keep the coffee table fairly open so that it doesn’t make the space feel cluttered. Also, I’m picking up organic vibes from the plants and wood tones, so this table is curvy and feels rustic.

The side table is a basic gold metal table. Gold is warm like the floor and tv stand, so the metal pairs well.

Now we need to add a little personality. First, I want to swap out the curtains so that they’re green. This person has lots of green from the plants, so I want to repeat that color. We also need some art on the wall, so I’m going with these spackle art portraits.

That’s all we need to really turn this place around. Check out the before and after below!

BEFORE & AFTER: