On the Couch With Erika Powell

Break It Up

MHI: How do you deal with combined living and dining rooms?

EMP: Combined living and dining spaces can be tricky. Lighting is the first thing in an empty room that says "dining table goes here," so if you are in a combined dining/living situation, invest in a good light fixture over your dining table.

Then, with properly proportioned furniture (meaning your living room and dining room furniture are similar in scale), a cohesive (but not matchy-matchy) color scheme in both areas, and separate rugs, you’ll be able to differentiate between the spaces.

I would suggest against trying to visually separate the space, such as with screens or drapery panels.