{"id":17821,"date":"2022-03-24T09:26:35","date_gmt":"2022-03-24T09:26:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodhomesmagazine.com\/?p=17821"},"modified":"2023-02-08T17:37:06","modified_gmt":"2023-02-08T17:37:06","slug":"flexible-living-spaces-how-to-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodhomesmagazine.com\/inspiration\/flexible-living-spaces-how-to-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to create a flexible living space"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s no doubt that Covid-19 changed the way we use our homes, and the biggest adjustment has been the need for flexible living spaces. Over the last two years, guest bedrooms have become studies, kitchens have become classrooms and living rooms have become gyms.<\/p>\n

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Flexible living spaces<\/a> may have been born out of necessity, but they have made us rethink underused areas of our homes and been a key influence on 2022 interior design trends<\/a>. A seldom-used guest bedroom, for example, could work much harder for its inhabitants \u2013 study, home gym, playroom, cinema, snug. With a little thinking outside the box and some clever furniture, there’s no reason that your spaces can’t support more than one function.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018Covid-19 amplified the need for our spaces to become really agile,\u2019 says John Vary, Futurologist at John Lewis and Partners<\/a>. \u2018So our homes have become more flexible, with multiple configurations. Design and products of the future must align with this agility, providing modular options in effortless ways.\u2019<\/p>\n

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The Flexible Living roomset, recently showcased at Ideal Home Show, demonstrates how a room can be designed for multiple functions without looking crowded, cluttered and confused.<\/p>\n

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The Good Homes Flexible Living roomset at Ideal Home Show. Photo: Media10<\/p><\/div>\n

5 ways to create a flexible living space<\/h2>\n

1. Learn how to create zones<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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Bold colours formed the backdrop to the Flexible Living roomset (shown above), with warm Mediterranean shades coming together to create an inviting yet industrious feel. The sharp, graphic paint scheme divides the space into three almost triangular zones \u2013 a space for working from home, kitchenette for coffee breaks and cocktails, and an area for relaxing with a sofa bed for occasional overnight guests.<\/p>\n

Zoning can help you cope mentally with long periods spent at home, or from winding down after a long day WFH in a small apartment. By moving from the ‘work zone’ to the ‘relaxation zone’, your mind has the chance to switch gears. As well as painting different ‘zones’ in different shades, you can achieve the same with a rug or room dividers. This DIY plant room divider by Furniture and Choice<\/a> is a great way to use the principles of biophilic design to segregate spaces.<\/p>\n\n\t\t