The living area

1. The living area: the beating heart of the house

As the English term “living room” indicates, that is, a room that is lived in, the living area is the heart of the house, an area that welcomes and gathers guests and inhabitants. The space that is used most during the day must be carefully designed, with the aim of ensuring comfort and relaxation for those who occupy it.                                    

The first element to take into consideration is the availability and spatial conformation of the environment. This element significantly influences not only the choices of furniture but also and above all the distribution of the environments. In any case, regardless of the choices that are made, it is important to keep in mind some elements that can help to obtain a functional and aesthetically satisfying result.

• SPAZIO
  It is necessary to know the size of the area available to always guarantee freedom of movement even after having inserted the dimensions chosen for the furniture.
  
• FUNCTIONALITY'
  It is a fundamental condition if you want to obtain a practical and perfect environment to live in every day. Choosing functionality does not mean sacrificing aesthetics because today on the market there are solutions capable of reconciling both.
  
• LUCE
  The living room is lived during the day and, even more so, compared to other rooms in the house, it must be bright. Natural light must be exploited to the fullest, through openings that can be adjusted according to need. The room must be fully illuminated, without shadows, limited to its orientation. Where it is not possible to enjoy natural lighting, artificial lighting is used, distributed evenly and where necessary. To this end, it is preferable to choose point sources projected towards work surfaces, spaces dedicated to reading or details that are particularly beautiful to look at. To recreate an ambient, diffused light, the inclusion of a floor lamp is recommended. The lighting parameters, if respected, ensure psycho-physical comfort and make the rooms more livable.

2. Design choice: open space or separate rooms?

Since the beginning, home has been synonymous with shelter, the place where you can find refreshment after a hard day's work, where you can meet and talk. For this reason, the design has always had as its main objective that of satisfying the needs of the users.                  

However, today, important changes in the social structure and lifestyles have caused a slow and progressive structural review of homes that must respond to ever-changing needs. In homes of the past, it was common to find a classic subdivision of the rooms, distinguished according to their intended use. Today, this traditional solution is increasingly being opted for, both for social reasons (interpersonal relationships are more open and informal) and economic reasons (the crisis and the high cost of homes), in favor of unique and multifunctional environments.                                                                     

This is how the living room and kitchen merge into a single space, designed to accommodate the family but also guests, once welcomed in aseptic and little lived-in living rooms. Faced with the dual choice that sees open space versus clearly divided environments, there are advantages and disadvantages that must be taken into consideration. If the single environment with multiple functions makes the most of the space available, on the other hand the division of the environments allows for greater privacy and a clearer distinction of use. It is therefore essential to know your needs and personal tastes in order to best choose the structure to be used for your home before any renovation or new construction.

3. The open space: advantages and disadvantages

If the elements that inspire you when imagining the domestic environment are openness, spatial fluidity, and interconnectivity, the advice is to opt for theopen space. Din English “open space” it is a solution that does not include dividing elements between one room and another, in favor of a single environment.

The fusion mostly concerns the living area and can include the living room and kitchen or the living room and dining room. The spatial availability, as always, significantly influences the final result; in fact, if you are lucky enough to have large spaces, the rooms can follow one after the other in a fluid manner but still ensuring an apparently abstract division. 

Like any design choice, it has some advantages but also several problems that should not be ignored and that can be remedied. Among the reasons why open space is so popular among people today, there is the social aspect: the unique environment would increase the bonds of those who live there. In fact, the open plan is experienced in a free manner, developing exchanges and flows between those who share this type of space. Sharing is a reality that is much debated today and equally useful for the historical period in which we live. For this reason, encouraging relationships and exchange can be a valid solution that is even more successful if it were to start from the domestic walls and from everyday life.                       

From a functional point of view, however, open space can prove to be a useful choice in the case of small spaces: the absence of physical barriers gives a wider and more fluid image with the consequent increase in personal well-being. Finally, if you are lucky enough to live in an aesthetically pleasing context, the living area can be interpreted as a whole with the surrounding environment, increasing the presence of openings that will filter natural light and create a close connection with the outside.
However, as previously announced, there may be some inconveniences that could cause daily problems in the long run. Since one of the rooms in question is the kitchen, it is easy to understand that bad smells are the first to not be appreciated, especially in the winter season when the window surfaces remain closed for most of the day.

An excellent solution is represented by the systems for extracting the vapors produced during food preparation; they will prevent their rapid and unpleasant diffusion into the environment. Another problem encountered in this type of solution is characterized by the restriction of privacy. In fact, the absence of dividing walls limits confidentiality, in favor of total sharing of space and time.  
Despite this, there are various solutions to mitigate the environments with the aim of screening the functions in a non-invasive way. In this regard, you can choose between partitions, pocket doors or simple dividers with a more or less dense texture. These are elements that in addition to being functional provide a good aesthetic result; they can be made of slats or stretched ropes that create an alternation of full and empty spaces, giving plays of light and decorative textures.

Furthermore, there are various measures that allow you to distinguish the rooms according to their function, without having to build walls. One idea could be to place the sofa between the living area and the kitchen area itself. Depending on your needs, you can opt for a classic two-seater sofa, in case of limited space, up to corner sofas and with attached poufs if you are lucky enough to enjoy large spaces.

This is how the sofa serves a dual function, that of a seat and that of a dividing element between distinct functional areas of the house. A valid alternative to the sofa can be characterized by low furniture that separates while still allowing direct contact between one area and another in the open space. Today on the market there is an infinite range of sideboards and storage units or TV stands capable of satisfying the most particular tastes and needs. This is how for the second time the furniture is multifunctional: it divides, contains, supports and enriches the appearance of your room.

If, however, the idea of ​​placing a piece of furniture in the center of the room constitutes a disturbance in the desired spatial organization, there are less cumbersome and equally effective choices.
It is mostly about differentiating the finishes of floors and walls thanks to the use of different materials and colors. In this sense, it can be useful to create a reference between the various environments that constitutes a real fil rouge for the project.
These choices guarantee a great visual impact and this is why it is necessary to carefully study the combination of colors, shapes and materials to achieve a satisfactory result. In case you want to intervene in a slightly more invasive way, the possibility is to create different levels of height between the various rooms.

Differently sized floors will correspond to environments with specific functions, the important thing is to limit yourself to inserting one or two steps at most in order to avoid excessive differences in level.

A very trendy solution in recent years is that of post-industrial glass: it is a semi-transparent surface that in the kitchen, in addition to acting as a screen between different environments, works as an obstacle for the bad smells that are created during cooking.
It is very functional and aesthetically scenographic, it adapts well to all environments giving them a defined identity. Finally, in case of generous spaces for the kitchen, you can choose the island solution, or the bar top that allow you to delimit the space and guarantee large support surfaces and for food preparation.

4. How to furnish the open space

If the open space allows for ample room for choice and organization, furnishing it is not so obvious. First of all, you need to choose the functions to be placed there and calculate how much space to allocate to each of them. Secondly, you need to understand if you need multifunctional furniture that takes up less space but is flexible according to your needs. A good interior design project to be called such must consider various elements such as dimensions, proportions and design, without sacrificing any of them.
The kitchen area will require large and comfortable worktops for food preparation activities.
Even the organization and arrangement of cooking tools is a fundamental prerogative: wall units and drawers scanned inside by practical dividers will be perfect to ensure order.
As for the table, it can be chosen in various shapes and sizes that best fit the environment; furthermore, in case of limited spaces, extendable solutions are available on the market, useful for dinners with friends. Often the kitchen-dining room space merges with the living room, a place dedicated to relaxation and socializing.

In most cases, sofas or storage units are chosen almost to lightly mark the passage from one room to another; these are very often multifunctional solutions that are able to respond to various needs. Some sideboards and bookcases are designed to be used on both sides (the one facing the kitchen/dining room and the one overlooking the living room), becoming the perfect solution capable of combining function and economic savings.

In case the available space is very limited, the best choice is to merge the living area and the sleeping area into a single open space. In any case, it is a rare option but if circumstances force this necessity, it is necessary to find an answer and as is well known, small spaces stimulate creativity and also lead to very satisfying results.

One idea is that of the living area that includes the kitchen and the table with chairs, separated from the living room where the sofa becomes a comfortable bed for the night. In this way during the day you can live the living room, while in the evening with a quick movement you find yourself in a real bedroom. If then between the two environments you choose the aforementioned glass wall in post-industrial style, the game is done! No bad smells coming from the kitchen and maximum functionality in a small space. The sofa bed therefore becomes the fulcrum of the project that combines the living area and the night area in a single open space; it must be chosen with care by analyzing its size, shape and of course comfort without forgetting the extensive use that will be made of it.

As for furnishing accessories, personal taste will guide the choice, but in the case of open spaces, rugs can be very useful more than in any other situation. In fact, they can delimit different spaces, giving them a specific identity; they should be positioned so as not to hinder the passage and in the case in which you choose to place armchairs or tables on them, you should check that they do not protrude to avoid uncomfortable or dangerous positions. Furthermore, textile accessories can be united by a particular color or texture so that there is a clear reference between the environments that will thus be divided but uniform.   

5. Separate kitchen and living room: advantages and disadvantages

Completely different from the choice of open space, the physical subdivision of the spaces through wall elements, constitutes a more traditional alternative. It is a solution that is less flexible but at the same time more recurrent. Naturally it depends on the needs, habits and inclination of the client who will be the only one able to fully understand his needs.
In this case, kitchen, dining room and living room represent three distinct areas but sometimes the kitchen can merge with the dining room. This is because in practical terms the kitchen and dining room are two functions closely linked to each other and often co-present in a single area.
The living area, on the other hand, is clearly separated for reasons of order and decorum, away from unpleasant odors and chaos. However, this aspect is also changing as the living room is increasingly moving away from the idea of ​​an internal environment preserved for guests, in favor of a place lived in daily by the family.
As with any decision, it is necessary to be aware that there will be advantages but also disadvantages. If on the one hand the rooms are practical and divided according to function, on the other the perception of space will be reduced. Furthermore, the walls tend to close and delimit the room in a clear and severe way; in this regard, today they are often interpreted as a starting point for creating original corners enriched with wallpaper inserts (there are infinite types with the most original graphics and colors) or with elements that make them real equipped walls. It is about using the surfaces in a new and creative way.

6. Design choices: some useful rules

But now let's analyze each environment trying to outline some practical advice.

THE KITCHEN

It has always been and will always be the most lived environment by its users; large or small, the kitchen is the place where meals are prepared, where you give free rein to your culinary passions and the space where you really feel at home. If you have a living room entrance onto the kitchen, it is good practice to place it in a more intimate area and perhaps intersperse it with a hallway that acts as a filter with respect to the outside. Once the position has been outlined, it is necessary to choose the best kitchen components to ensure comfort and correct ergonomics.

MEASURES

Ergonomics is the discipline that deals with calculating the relationship between the conformation of spaces and human dimensions in order to guarantee psycho-physical well-being and the correct performance of work.
As far as the kitchen environment is concerned, the primary need is to enjoy a practical and comfortable space since it is a real workplace as well as a domestic hub. For this reason, the key word is functionality first and foremost.

There are some useful parameters to follow even if they are not absolute, since the environment and its furnishings must be modeled on the needs of the users. The usual kitchens available on the market are made up of standard modules that can be assembled according to the case. These are elements measured on multiples of 15 cm but if you have particular constraints and need custom-designed furnishings, the manufacturing companies respond to specific needs.
The standard height of the various compositions can be calculated by adding the measurements of: base, door and worktop. Depending on the material and the solutions chosen, the sum may vary, but the usual measurement is 10+70+5. This measurement is often calibrated on the height of the users to allow them to use it comfortably and “ad personam”. 

Given that the kitchen environment, in addition to being one of the most lived-in areas of the house, is modeled on the principle of functionality, it is necessary to pay close attention to the depth of furniture and worktops. The worktop, in addition to being useful for preparing food, can be used as a temporary support for dishes and kitchen tools. The standard measurement is 60 cm, in fact on this measurement companies produce built-in appliances, but even in this case specific variations are allowed.

Island and peninsula solutions are also highly sought after, but having larger dimensions (usually 80-90 cm), they adapt to larger spaces. As for wall-hung cabinets, they should have a smaller depth than the base, so as not to hinder movement and be used easily. In the case of small dimensions, it will be useful to opt for smaller modules and single sinks so as not to sacrifice too much space for stoves and worktops.

DISTANCES

It is necessary to maintain some distances between the various components of the kitchen; in this case too they can vary but less than the measurements of the individual elements. Depending on the specific choice of bases, the suspended wall units will be directly proportional to them.
An element that must follow standard specifications is the hood; it must be at a minimum distance from the burners without exceeding it to avoid the failure to absorb the vapors. It is generally fixed at 50-60 cm from the base.
As for drawers, appliances and doors, everything must be within reach, convenient and tidy, in order to facilitate movements that are often taken for granted but necessary to live everyday life to the fullest.

FUNCTIONALITY'

Freedom of movement and accessibility are the basis of a successful choice; if the modules are spacious and few, the aesthetic result will be better.
The functions that are linked to each other must be distributed in a coherent manner: the dish drainer above the sink, the dishwasher not far from it, the drawers with the pots and pans near the stove near the pantry. 
All the modules chosen must be equipped with cushioned guides and functional details, for this reason it is also necessary to pay attention to the materials chosen. The handles are better if made of metal, at the expense of plastic and porcelain, the former not very durable and the latter fragile.

And again the kitchen top, better in granite or laminate, more resistant and water-repellent. In addition, to be functional, a kitchen must be equipped with all those tools that favor the rapid performance of activities. Containers and compartments for the arrangement of dishes and textile accessories inside the drawers will be necessary, while pots and pans will be better accommodated by the more capacious bases.
Finally, the space under the sink can be used to store buckets and rubbish, along with detergents and cleaning products.

LIGHTING

As already mentioned, the environment must be properly lit; in the case of the kitchen, diffused light is recommended, reinforced by point light sources directed towards worktops and stoves. Furthermore, it is essential to exploit natural light and, in this regard, where possible, it is advisable to place worktops near the window. Otherwise, light points positioned under the upper wall units will be very effective.

HYGIENE

In the design phase, it is necessary to pay great attention to avoid the presence of residual spaces that are very often too small to be exploited. In fact, they collect dust and are difficult to keep clean.

BEAUTY

Naturally, the choice of kitchen must be made taking into account many factors, not least the aesthetic one since the environment must be stylistically consistent with the rest of the house and must meet the taste of the user.

THE DINING CORNER

Almost completing the kitchen area, the dining room can occupy a more or less extensive area. It usually consists of a table with chairs and sometimes a sideboard where you can store the dishes and glasses essential for eating meals in company.

The table plays a fundamental role in the environment in question because in addition to being a functional hub, it is also the element around which the other furnishings are arranged. It must be placed near the kitchen to ensure the convenience of moving between the stove and the dining area. Size and shape can vary depending on the space available and specific needs: in rectangular environments a table of the same shape is recommended, while in square rooms the choice varies between round and square tables. It is necessary to consider that being a functional element, the table must guarantee the user a comfortable consumption of the meal. To this end, 40 cm of frontal space and 60 cm of lateral space are calculated.

As for the length, if you opt for rectangular tables for six people, up to 150 cm, while with the same size the round table accommodates eight. It is important to remember that the round table takes up more space and therefore it is recommended in fairly large environments. In the case of small spaces, the best solution is represented by the square table, which can be extended in the case of large dinners.

From the point of view of materials, there are many on the market, sometimes combined in a contrasting way. Wooden tops and steel legs, glass tables and PVC details, these are original choices with a strong aesthetic impact but we must not forget the importance of function. If the table is used often, even for activities not related to lunch and dinner, it is preferable to opt for a more resistant and long-lasting material.

THE LIVING ROOM

It is a multifunctional space, where you can relax, meet, study and cultivate your passions. For this reason there are no real rules to follow but it is good to model the space on your tastes and needs. The primary objective is to make the environment warm and welcoming., even more so since the living room has become a much used area in everyday life to the detriment of the aseptic image it has maintained for a long time. The cornerstone of this environment is the sofa: two or three-seater, with a pouf or footrest, the important thing is that it is comfortable and enveloping.

Another important parameter to consider to ensure comfort is the height of the headrest: it must be proportionate to the height of the user to avoid physical discomfort. Once the dimensions have been calibrated to the available space, you can choose the material: leather, eco-leather, fabric, the optimal solution is to be able to wash the lining when necessary.

The sofa is very useful to place next to it. coffee table, strategic support surface for books and herbal teas, there are some with a removable tray. In this case you will have a table, tray and support structure in a single and practical piece of furniture. If the client is a good reader, a living room cannot be missing library in which to store books and magazines in an orderly fashion.

There are all types and sizes available on the market; from classic standardized modules, to sections designed to measure with respect to the spatial conformation, up to equipped walls. Used as dividers, or positioned along the walls, being very flexible elements they will help to optimize the space and also exploit apparently useless corners. It is necessary to pay attention to the performance of the bookcase, choosing it based on its storage capacity, practicality and durability over time. Furthermore, these are furnishings that can also be customized in the finishes so as to obtain a good aesthetic result. Finally, some solutions are also multifunctional, such as those that include useful folding shelves that become support surfaces, or compartments that function as TV stands.

From a lighting point of view, it is important that the environment in question is welcoming, for this reason cold light is strongly discouraged, in favor of light sources with a warm and diffused beam. Floor lamps are also perfect, real pieces of furniture, functional and pleasing to the eye. As for accessories, they must marry personal taste and make the environment personalized and welcoming; carpets will delimit specific and intimate areas, such as those of sofas and armchairs, while curtains and cushions can be chosen with stylistic coherence to avoid the "bazaar effect".

Tags