Useful tips for zoning the living room. Study in the living room: rational use of space! How to arrange a work area in the living room

How to fit a desktop into the living room interior? We often ask ourselves this question, since many of us are forced to work from home, or take work home, and a well-organized workplace we just need. But in addition to thoughtful functionality, I would like to have a beautiful and harmonious picture of the living room. There are several possible solutions to this issue.

The simplest and most obvious is to organize a small workplace near the window. You can put a desk or an elegant console. In this case, give preference to transparent or mirror surfaces. The table and transparent chair will merge with the interior and will not “fall out” of it.

Often in such cases, the surface of the window sill is used, it is simply enlarged, and we get an impromptu desktop. With an attached and insulated balcony or loggia, the issue of placing a mini-study is even easier and more functional.

If your work requires concentration and attention, it is better working area separated from the entire living room. This can be done with lightweight shelving and partitions.

Thick curtains will also cope with this.

Organizing your mini office, provide for a number of shelves and drawers for storing documents and literature.

In the event that such working jobs do not happen often in your life, then a certain (convenient in height) part of the shelves or racks can be used as a desktop. It will be enough to move a chair or armchair and install a laptop.

It is often a pity to destroy the already established interior of the living room, simply by placing a desk. Organize a workplace in one of the sections of the closet already standing in the living room, use it as a secretary.

Many designers suggest not to hide the work area in the living room, on the contrary, to visually emphasize it. To do this, you can use various floor and ceiling coverings, wallpapers with different patterns, Decoration Materials different invoices.

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There is a long-awaited 3rd room apartment in a block high-rise building (P44 series), mortgage debts, married couple(ca. 30 years old) and one active male child of 4 years old.
The long-awaited apartment has a room of 18 meters with a balcony and sliding doors from which you want to make a living room-study.
The task - to zoning the room into the working and living areas - turned out to be unbearable for us. Therefore, I hope for the help of specialists.
I will try to state all the points that were indicated in the memo on the design of the question to the experts on this forum.
Measurement plan
BTI plan

What is now
Now (after a recent move), the room is furnished according to the residual principle - there is furniture that did not fit or did not fit into other rooms: an old wall (wardrobe, bookcase, secretary, closet for things), a sideboard torn from another wall, a sliding sofa, armchair, 2 computer tables with chairs and a bedside table on which bookshelves a la shelving. You can live, but without much comfort.
Something definitely needs to be done with the table in the left corner, because. Now there is nowhere to put the scanner.
I really want to turn this room into a comfortable living room-study. The furniture will gradually go under replacement, maybe there will be one desktop and a sofa (for the first time). Therefore, they repelled in their plans not from what is, but from what is needed and wanted. Therefore, the ideas are accepted very different, but preferably, not requiring the manufacture of the entire environment to order.
We thought a lot, climbed the Internet, etc. On the one hand, there are many solutions, but somehow they do not fit our tasks and features
Here are some design solutions that I found on the net (may their authors forgive me)
This one looks pretty positive, with storage drawers and open shelves to let the light in. True, in domestic production it will most likely look like in the second picture.
More often I came across zoning options for a bedroom-study, which is not very suitable for us, besides, there is only one workplace.
There was one option - with two desks- symmetrically located in the corners, but again this is more like a bedroom with workplaces and there is no separation of zones.
and three options living room - office
Our solutions to the problem
We are thinking of placing the working area (computer tables) by the window on two sides of balcony door. And try to separate the “office” from the living room with the help of a rack or (less likely) a built partition.
Put on one wall in the living room corner sofa or a sofa with an armchair, there are several low cabinets against the wall opposite. But these are all some general thoughts, and there are no specific design ideas yet.
What do you want to come to
List of functional areas
Working area for 2 workplaces.

Sadly, but the main priority is the work area (“office”), since we spend 70% of our free time at computers. Therefore, I would like to equip the workplace as comfortable and functional as possible.
Features and difficulties
1. desktop computers + additional office equipment = large tables
The common options for using small tables and laptops, unfortunately, do not suit us. You need two full-fledged workstations for stationary computers (two monitors are connected to one computer), a printer and a scanner are connected to the other. In principle, the printer can be hidden under a table or on a shelf, but I use a permanent scanner and I need a place so that the top cover leans back normally. Those. the size of the table is no less than 115-120 cm in length, or additional cabinets (or other horizontal surfaces) are needed for the scanner. is the first difficulty.

2. Lots of books, documents and work folders. Places (boxes, shelves, racks) are needed for storing papers and other things.
3. Balcony door and window.
There must be free access to the balcony and access from the window so that you can open the transom for ventilation. Those. it turns out that you can’t put a wide table right under the window and the corner computer desk is also in question.
Living area
There are no special exotic requirements for the living area. Desirable cozy corner, where you can sit with friends or watch TV, while not being very cluttered with furniture. But there are also pitfalls

Features and difficulties

1. Safe place for a child
Our child is an active being, moves at high speeds and is social, prefers to be in the same place as his parents, moreover, along with his toys. Therefore, it is impossible to strongly isolate the “office” from the “living room”. Moreover, you need a free passage between the "zones" without sharp corners, unstable structures and breakable objects. And it is desirable for mom, sitting at the computer, with one eye to see what is happening in the "living room"

2. Place for receiving guests
We do not have guests very often, but they do happen, and even in the amount of more than 3 people (often with children). Therefore, a place where you can sit in a circle is desirable. Only a corner sofa or sofa and a small chair come to mind. Stationary coffee table under a big question - because the room is narrow, and it takes up a lot of space, interferes with children's running around the room, etc. Maybe there is some kind of mobile option so that it can be removed from the aisle, or some very compact option.

Additional sleeping place.
Sometimes grandmothers come to visit and can stay overnight. Therefore, the sofa in the living room is sliding. And with a new environment, a sliding version of upholstered furniture is desirable.

Place to store things.
From old wall we hope to get rid of it, but, nevertheless, some cabinets or other structures are needed for storing things (many books, albums, computer and photo spare parts and devices that should “live” somewhere). I would like the room to have a lot of air, so we thought about low pedestals along the free wall. At the same time, at least one glass cabinet for dishes is desirable.
The very first option that came to our mind. But there are many doubts and questions.
1. On which wall is it better to put a sofa- on the left, where is a large wall, or on the right - where is the window? In which case there will be more light and space.
2. If you put two built-in wardrobes right at the entrance to the rooms(or a closet) from floor to ceiling with a depth of 45-50 cm - will it eat up a lot of space? Maybe you can somehow come up with something so that they look like columns or something ... Or is it better not to clutter up the entrance?
We figured that we need at least 185 cm for comfortable work, i.e. The “cabinet” is 3.24 by 1.85 cm.
The blue rectangles are supposed to be interior shelving like in the first picture (white shelving unit with orange drawers) going up in steps
The bottom is all closed, however, it is not clear from which side of the rack to climb there, because. everything is packed: on one side there is a table sidewall, on the other - a sofa.
Generally idea with two racks and a passage in the middle I don’t really like it, the room is already narrow and long, and if all the furniture is placed along the long walls and the passage to the “office” is made in the middle, then in general it’s like a subway car. Or am I exaggerating?
My husband liked the option with a partition of horizontal rails (shown in the picture).
It seems to me less functional (you can put things in the rack). I also liked that the passage to the “office” is depicted there on the side.
3. Is it possible, given our dimensions and the need for two workplaces, to make a passage to the office not in the middle of the room, but along one of the walls?
I would be grateful if someone from the experts responds
I have a feeling that, trying to describe the situation with the room as fully as possible, I scared the respected members of the forum with the amount of text
But maybe one of the professionals can still answer three small and specific questions, my last message? I will be very grateful.
Lemur, hello.
I'll try to answer your questions:
1. I see the sofa on the left - without turning your head you see the incoming person.
2. Two built-in wardrobes-columns on the sides of the entrance in this room - already too much, I guess.
3. The passage to the office can be made as on the plan - there the trajectory of movement is not in the middle of the room, but also the workplaces, respectively, are not opposite each other. I don’t know how convenient this option for placing workplaces is for your specific work, but when all office equipment (and everything related to it) is concentrated in one place, it looks more compact.
In general, I wanted to "clean up" your ideas, make them more concise. And I don't like the room divider in the form of shelving (the clutter in the center of the room), so I agree with your husband and vote for a decorative room divider, like the one with slats.
I propose to make the wall on the right one with closed and open shelves, built-in TV.

Dividing the living room into zones is a very common technique that people resort to even unconsciously. For example, they separate a corner with a TV from the rest of the room by placing an armchair or a sofa in the form of a kind of barrier.

Zoning both large rooms and small ones. In addition to the TV corner, you can separate the desktop, thereby turning part of the living room into an office. And you can make a bedroom in the living room. Installing a bed in it and separating it. Even under the children's rooms they manage to allocate part of the living room

In the above example with an armchair or sofa, the easiest way to zoning is described. But there are many more ways to make the living room more functional by highlighting 1-2 zones in it (doing more, not recommended). There is design solutions, which are much more interesting than just fenced off with furniture.

As already mentioned, you can separate a certain area from the common space of the living room with the most different ways. Let's look at a few examples.

Combining the living room and kitchen

Studio apartments have become fashionable for a long time among young people who have not yet created a family or among young couples who do not yet have children. The studio has its advantages, especially if friends often come to visit. And the room becomes much more spacious.

Therefore, even if the apartment is ordinary, that is, the kitchen is located behind the wall, this wall is demolished to combine the two rooms.

Advice: The most common way to separate the kitchen from the living room is the bar counter. It separates the area and serves as additional cabinets, which is not out of place for both a small living room and a kitchen.

Alternatively, you can use different levels floors and ceilings or their different colors. also do different lighting for kitchen and living room.

Combination of living room and bedroom

This method is resorted to when the apartment is two-room and there are children. Parents give them one room, and they themselves move into the living room.

In this case, there are certain rules:

the bed is set far from front door parts of the room, closer to the window;
it can be separated by ordinary curtains or screens ( a budget option) or partitions (more expensive).

In the event that a part of the room is allocated for the bedroom, then curtains, screens or partitions should not reach the ceiling so that it is not dark in the rest of the living room. It must be said that this is not the most the best way, so the bed is most often installed in the corner.

And they are already enclosing a corner, and not part of the room. Glass look great sliding partitions. Glass may be frosted. The option is good, but you have to spend money on the manufacture of such partitions.

Advice: Can be used for separation and shelving with shelves. They look great and let in light.

Another option is to ditch the big bed and use folding sofa. It all depends on the successful choice of such a sofa. He must be good quality, because it will have to be laid out every day, and the mechanism must withstand the load.

Allocation of the working area

If there is a need for a study, but there is no separate room for this, then a table is installed in the living room and separated with a rack. Today, when most people work using a laptop, there is no need to have big table. For cabinet limited to purchase small table and comfortable chair. Provide various racks for working papers and curbstones.

If you decide to make an office, then you must definitely provide for separate lighting. It is better if it is a good table lamp of sufficient brightness. You can work without disturbing the rest of the family.

Allocation of the dining area

It is very convenient to eat not in the kitchen, but in the living room. Yes, and it is convenient to receive guests. The ideal option is to combine the living room and the loggia. They demolish the wall and arrange on the loggia dining area. This is very convenient, because the room is increasing in size.

If there is no loggia, then it all depends on the size of the living room. If it is small, then it would hardly be appropriate to install a large dinner table. It is better to use folding furniture, laying out the table when guests arrive.

You can separate such a zone with a rack with indoor plants. Should provide good lighting. Depending on the chosen design style, these can be sconces, or swivel lamps mounted on the walls and aimed at the table.

Arrangement of a children's room

Perhaps the most difficult option. But if you decide to take part of the living room for a children's room, provide everything you need to make the kids feel comfortable. If there are two children, then it is established bunk bed. On the second tier, a fence is necessarily made so that the child does not fall during sleep. It is best to order such a product in a furniture workshop.

It is best to separate the nursery area with a rack on which children can store their toys. And be sure to provide separate light sources for this zone.

Zoning methods

The main zones are described, under which a part of the living room is allocated. To sum up, one can describe various options separation of the described zones. And you already choose exactly what is most suitable for your living room.

Options:

As you can see, there are plenty of options. It remains only to choose the one that you like best. But it is recommended to zone the living room, regardless of its size and how many rooms you have in your apartment. At least provide a seating area. Without this, the interior of the room loses.

Living room zoning actual 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 often there are such full-sized apartments where you just 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 competently zoning living rooms.

The most popular living room zoning:

Living room and bedroom - the bedroom will always be closer to the window, since by definition the sleeping place should be away from the entrance.
Living room and kitchen - the placement of both zones is strictly according to your taste, although it is preferable to place the kitchen near the window so that the hostess is comfortable and light enough to cook food.
The living room and dining room are two full-fledged units that should have enough space and space in the conditions of one room.
Living room and office - an office can occupy a very small corner, the main thing is to install additional source Sveta.
The living room and children's room is the most unconventional combination, since, as a rule, parents give up their room to a child, but it still happens. In this case, you need to think over everything well and it is better to separate the children's part with partitions so that the child has the opportunity to fully relax.

There are some of the 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 entertain guests during the day and become a cozy bedroom in the evening. For more intimacy, screens or mobile partitions can be used. This is especially convenient where, in addition to the sofa, there is also a seating area of armchairs and a table, and when someone is tired and wants to sleep, he can safely go to rest while at the table you can continue to communicate and get-togethers. Of course, we are not talking about soundproofing, so those who are awake will have to talk more quietly than usual.

Zoning with partitions and mobile walls

These techniques are very good for separating a small bedroom in the perimeter of the living room. You can order special mobile structures that will be very easy to fold and unfold, thereby “forming” walls at the right time. Of the materials for these purposes, glass, plexiglass and plastic are best suited. In order to hide the excess from prying eyes, you can hang light curtains on the partitions.

In the same category, we attributed another zoning technique - the use of small island walls. Their length is usually 1.5-2.5 m. As a rule, a TV cabinet is placed on one side of such an island, or another wall structure - a wardrobe, a rack, shelves, paintings. With the help of such a small wall, there is a clear zoning of the room.

Openwork partitions

This design group is more of a decorative character, 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 look more like designer small architectural forms, but often openwork partitions form an ensemble of beautiful shelves or whatnots.

Niches and cabinets

These pieces of furniture 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 separate the zones using a small niche or cabinet, put some long objects on it - vases with flowers, table lamps or statues. In combination living room - kitchen the best separator would be a bar counter.

Podium

One of the most successful ways to divide the space into zones. Of course, it is only suitable for rooms with high ceilings, but where it is, the boundaries of one and the other zone are immediately clearly understood. If a bed is installed on the podium, the podium can be equipped inside drawers for storing bed linen and various seasonal items, you can also hide ventilation and other communications in the podium. The podium idea is very well implemented in large, spacious apartments, where the designer wanted to create a single space.

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Various finishing materials

Usage different materials finishing gives a clear idea that we have two different zones s. That is why designers often use this technique for zoning, because here, according to the principle of stands in furniture store, immediately appear two independent parts of one whole - the living room. 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 insulate one area from another, place different carpets 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 separation of light will immediately emphasize the border of the zones. For example, in the evening you are sitting at a table above which a large chandelier is lit, and at this time the bedroom area is not lit, which means you can relax there. And it is immediately clear that if only one light source is hung in the living room, it will not be enough for a room in which there are several zones, or there will not be enough light in one part, and an overabundance in the other. Spotlights in the case of zoning rooms will be of great help to you. Hang a chandelier above the main area, place a composition of spots in the additional area, or vice versa.

false columns

False columns are a convenient attribute of zoning any premises, but most of all they are suitable for the living room - all because of the somewhat solemn significance of this room. You can install copies of ancient 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 will be able to win some space, which will give you the opportunity to place another zone.

In the photo below, the reception with the column is successfully applied. It is neither large nor small, but it is of such a size that it allows you to hide the dining area a little.

Furniture arrangement

Place furniture from different areas with their backs to each other. One of the most cost-effective, simple and quick ways to delimit the living room was and remains the arrangement of zonal furniture back to each other. Or in other words, so that people in different zones sit with their backs to each other. This approach is based on basic knowledge psychology - “if I don’t see it, then it doesn’t exist.” That is, if you do not see people who are doing something nearby, you do not notice them.

In this way, you can place about three different zones in one room. Naturally, distances must be observed, and between zones there must be boundaries of at least one meter. Arrangement of furniture with the back is also well suited for large open spaces in lofts and apartments in open spaces.

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 make a full-fledged space for relaxing, receiving guests and even sleeping from a small one- or two-room apartment.