Zoning is a simple, aesthetically pleasing way to truly get the best out of your living spaces without each room feeling chaotic. Zoning rooms can help create distinctive areas for each specific need.

What is zoning?

Zoning is a way of diving spaces without the use of walls, creating dedicated areas to specific uses

The great thing about zoning is that it can be altered very easily so your home can adapt as your needs change. It can be a temporary measure to give meaning to individual areas or a longer term solution if you know your room will stay like that for a while.  Zoning is also a great option if you are renting as most of the solutions do not require permanent changes to the structure of the building.

How to zone

Create a physical divide

There might not be a wall but we can use a physical divide to indicate to the user that they are entering a new space. There are numerous ways of doing this depending on the final look you want to achieve and which areas you are dividing up.

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Furniture

Clever furniture placement can be a great way of creating a divide between two areas. A bookcase situated in the middle of a room can help form a wall of sorts between two areas, albeit one that still allows a flow of light and air through the room. You can vary the degree of privacy by filling the shelves as much or as little as you choose, creating a truly flexible way of dividing up your room.

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Plants

Create a living screen of plants between two areas, giving a feeling of light and flow in the room whilst providing some sense of divide between two areas. Plants can help bring the outdoors in and are natural air purifiers.

Add a different kind of vibe by hanging some of them from the ceiling as well as having some floor plants, varying the heights of each to add visual interest.

Screens

A freestanding screen is a classic and effective way to divide a room and this can be useful if you need a really flexible room set up as it can be very easily moved. There are many different styles available, a paper one can create a really fun japandi vibe.

Works best: In small bedrooms to create workspaces or dressing room areas

Wooden slats

Individual slats of reclaimed wood can be fitted to design a very bespoke room divider to your exact size requirements creating a stylish semi-permanent solution to divide up the room. The slats are a very clear demarcation between rooms but still allow light to filter through.

Use textiles to create a softer divide

Curtains

Add softness to an area with curtains, it is also a more versatile option as you can keep them closed when you want to conceal one area or simply pull the curtains back if you want to open the whole room up. Play with different weight fabrics to create a luxury look with heavy drapery or a more whimsical feel with lighter fabrics.

Tip: In a small space, you always want to hang curtains as high as possible to draw the eye up. A room divider curtain is no exception so try using a ceiling mounted track to visually create more vertical space.

Sofas

Take inspiration from this insider secret; stagers in new build flats often use a sofa to divide up a living space and a kitchen/dining space in what would otherwise be a large open plan living area.

 An L shaped sofa works best for this as the shape naturally creates a linear division which can very clearly apportion space between two areas. A sofa can help achieve a softer cosier feel to a room but be sure to leave breathing space around the sofa and at least 90cm around walkways so it doesn’t start to feel like it’s in the way.

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Demarcate the spaces with flooring

Rugs

Flooring can be used as a subtle and unobtrusive way to separate spaces and can be a really useful tool where you might need something more hard wearing in one area versus the other.

Choose rugs for a flexible flooring option. By laying large rugs in a deliberate way you can help delineate the space and create a clear boundary of where one space ends and the other begins. This can be particularly effective for an area like a playroom. A rug can anchor groups of furniture into one zone, making it clear where things need to be stored and kept, which can be helpful when it comes to tidying up at the end of the day!

Playing with textures can visually indicate the use of a space. A heavier jute rug signifies this is an area for play whereas a softer thicker pile rug makes us think of relaxation.

Works best in: Multi-functional living rooms and open plan areas.

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