Make your open-plan living area more conducive to work and play with screen dividers and versatile furniture pieces that draw the line
The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly heightened the importance of our homes—both as a sanctuary and as a multifunctional space where the boundaries between work and leisure continue to blur. If your work-from- home routine is set to become the new normal, consider investing in multifunctional furniture to enhance the flexibility of your living room.
“While working in a shared space with your family is not ideal, sliding doors can help close up a flexible living space when peace and quiet is needed,” says Angela Lim, director of SuMisura. Creative director of Upstairs_ Dennis Cheok concurs on the effectiveness of such moveable partitions. “A living room can feature a reading nook that can be expanded or retracted from the main area with the use of sliding doors or foldable screens.”
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“Make sure you are getting as much out of the space as you can; every piece of furniture needs to have multiple functions,” advises British designer Katharine Pooley. “For example, the coffee table could be durable enough to double as a children’s work table and have some built-in storage under a hinged top; storage is key to keeping chaos at bay.”
You may not even need a desk, if you’re used to working on a laptop. “For laptop users, all that is required are a comfortable seat, a table at an appropriate height, and a power source located within reach,” says Cheok.