How to divide a room with your sofa

Today, our homes are much more than places to eat our meals and rest our heads. We use them to live in, work from, socialise with friends and family, and do anything else that we need. Not only that but with multiple members of the family all occupying the same space, thoughtfully designing our living spaces in a way that allows for all this to take place without the space feeling cramped is more important than ever and undoubtedly an art!

At Cover My Furniture, we love nothing more than a beautiful sofa – that’s why we specialise in fitted sofa covers. While sofas provide us with a comfy place to sit down and relax, drink a cup of tea or even watch a film, they can actually become secret weapons of interior design when it comes to dividing up a room.

Hone in on zoning

When it comes to turning a larger space, like a living room, into smaller functional sections for a specific use, it’s known as zoning. Some common examples of living spaces that use zoning are open-plan living rooms and studio apartments. The space is one open room; it’s the way the furniture is laid in it that gives it the appearance of having designated living and kitchen areas despite there being no walls to separate the rooms. Still, it’s not just for open-plan living and studio apartments; it’s a versatile design technique that can be applied to all spaces.

Zoning is used to organise and maximise the potential of a room’s layout with design, making it more efficient, practical, and, of course, more stylish. You can zone a room if you work from home and need the separation between your work life and your home life if you don’t have the extra space for your own home office. No one wants to feel like they live at work, but that’s just one example. So, if you’re wondering how you can do this in your living room, let’s take a look.

Create space with your corner sofa

Although they’re typically resigned to the far corner of the living room, corner sofas are excellent for creating zones. Place your corner sofa at the edge of the space you want to close off with the back of the sofa facing outward. The walls of your sofa will help create a subtle divide that feels separate without feeling harsh or overwhelming, keeping the space you have for entertaining and enjoying family film night separate from the rest of your room.

What if you don’t have a corner sofa? No problem! The same effect can be achieved with a two-seater and a three-seater sofa; simply arrange them in a way that mimics the shape and structure of a corner sofa, and you’ll be all good to go!

Be spacious with shelving

Shelving is another great way to create a divide between two different zones in your living space. It creates the feel of a wall without permanence, and the bonus is that it’s more storage for you to use! This can be done with standard shelving or even a bookshelf if you’re creating yourself a reading nook.

Get creative in the kitchen

If it’s the living room and the kitchen you’re looking to separate, then there’s no better way to do it than with a freestanding island. With open-plan living, it can be challenging to strike the balance that gives you all the beauty of an open space while still having the traditional feel of distinct areas that your standard walled rooms have. You want to avoid the place where you cook and prepare the food being right next to the area where you relax, so placing a freestanding kitchen island in between is a great half-way point. The area can be used to eat, socialise, and even work, but it still gives you a degree of separation that can be lifted and moved at any time for practicality.

At Cover My Furniture, we’ve been in the furniture design business for over 60 years, so if you have any questions about zoning your room with furniture, don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team of experts. And if you’re thinking of refreshing your living room with some new zones, why not refresh your sofas with some new fitted sofa covers? We have a stunning array of shades, patterns and textures for you to choose from, so we’re positive you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for. Unsure? Why not order yourself a free sample, and we’ll deliver it right to your doorstep!