Don’t dread open-floor plans
New York designer Matthew Patrick Smyth is known for interiors that have a traditional bent and careful attention to detail. He designs everything from romantic beach houses in New England to edgy Tribeca lofts.
Smyth, who designs collections of rugs for Patterson, Flynn Martin and fabrics and wallcoverings for F. Schumacher, joined The Washington Post's Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.
Q: My living room and dining room used to be separate rooms. A previous owner knocked out all but 10 inches on each side of the wall between them, so now they're open to each other but are clearly divided. How differently should the two rooms be decorated? I'd rather not treat them as one, because they're not that big to begin with. Can they have different wall colors and
color schemes, or should it be harmonious? What about curtains?
A: Separate them with colors that work together. Would using two colors be sufficient for you to feel as if they're separate? If so, then keep the treatments the same. If not, try a printed curtain on one window and a solid that blends with it on the other. Add colors to each space to blend the rooms together.
Q: My dining room and living room open to one another in an especially long, rectangular area. What should I do with the "dead space" in between the spaces? There's a
cluster in front of the fireplace and then space.
A: I had the same problem with my open space. I created an alcove for the sofa in the middle, then balanced it on the other side with a console and chairs to create another seating area. I essentially created three separate areas. I painted the alcove a darker color to highlight the different space, and I kept a pathway in the center to keep the flow among the three areas.
Q: I have a big, open kitchen/living room/ dining area that's being used as a learning center for multiple family members. Is there a way to set up individual pods while keeping the room stylish?
A: I recently bought a few canvas folding screens on Amazon. They're four feet high and can be folded up at dinnertime.