Below is a before photo of a beautiful home we have listed at 1015 N 4th Street in Northern Liberties (only $359,900, BTW!). When we first visited this home, the layout had tons of potential but the way the furniture was positioned it really cluttered the space and did not show off the Open Flowing Layout people have come to love these days. As you see in the before photo below, the couch blocks off the dining area. Although this method of dividing rooms can translate very effectively in a huge oversized room, for the narrower rowhome so prevalent in Philadelphia, this method can backfire and give the illusion of a smaller space.
The current popular trend in home design in Philadelphia is for the main living spaces (kitchen living and dining areas) to flow together seamlessly. So we made some suggestions and the transformation was immediate. Below is the after photo. Notice how the room looks bigger, less cluttered and the Open Flowing Layout has been achieved by simply moving the couch that served as a room divider, out of the living room altogether.
To create a separation between rooms that will not effect the Open Flowing Layout that people are looking for, try these 3 tips:
1) One large piece of art or a large mirror on the wall can define a space and create a focal point for a room without taking up floor space.
2) A neutral colored floor rug that blends with the flooring can define a space without blocking the walking path or drawing too much attention through color to one area of the room.
3) Creatively placed soffets, chandeliers, and lighting can serve as an absolutely brilliant room divider without being at eye level or on the floor. This is my personal favorite solution.
Do you think you can implement these ideas into your home to improve flow? Have you done other things to create the same results in your space? I'd love to know.
