- text by Lidiya Manolova
"We have wifi here, so you might as well not talk to each other". The ironic inscription, seen in a bar, raises the important issue of changing attitudes to communication between people as a result of new technologies. And they are rapidly entering our homes - and changing them.
For years we all dreamed of open-plan living space - kitchen, dining room, living room, workplace - all areas flowing seamlessly into each other, generously lit, with a sense of breadth and communication with family and friends. Removing walls where possible and unifying the space was the first step in the functional layout of a home in any contemporary remodel. Surprise or not, walls have been making a comeback lately, albeit in many variations. The increasing penetration of smart technologies in everyday life has gradually led to the trend of separating separate areas in the interior - a place for playing games and working with the laptop, for listening to music with the iPod, for watching movies and TV, for reading the emails, for solitude with the phone... The dining room table, no matter how big, is not the most comfortable place for the new habits related to the "gadgets" that we cannot do without.
Smart interior planning is known to start with getting to know the lifestyle and needs of the family - from whether they like to cook or eat out, to everyone's favourite activities in the home. Are the children young? How will their room change as they age? What does a teenager need? How does each family's time at home go? Careful analysis of modern lifestyles shows that the desire to socialize does not preclude carving out a private space. And if the functional distribution of interiors has so far mainly followed the idea of more fluidity and maximum unification, architects are now thinking of new ways to preserve the much-valued feeling of light and spaciousness and at the same time provide a clear demarcation of areas in the home and personal space for everyone. Whether working with an architect, an interior designer or deciding the layout of your home yourself according to the new trend towards the broken plan (let's call it "fragmented"), here are some basics to keep in mind. The examples we show here are from several domestic and foreign interiors completed very recently - they illustrate different architectural approaches related to this trend.
In focus - the light
The main concern in any concept for a dwelling with separate zones is to preserve the precious feeling of light - an advantage for which we value the open plan so much. One of the many approaches used recently is to design interior walls of glass - showcases that solve a number of problems - letting in light, providing a visual connection to other areas, isolating noise. Showcases - with metal or wooden frames, sliding or static, are a beautiful interior accent; they can separate the living room from the children's playroom, or the bedroom from the wardrobe area, the kitchen from the dining room, the meeting place from the office workplaces - in general, anywhere where it is necessary to preserve the flow of light and the visual connection between areas.
Visual connection
Dividing space with niches, levels, steps, furniture does not mean losing the sense of connection. Creating private zones with the help of freestanding shelves, bookcases, small gaps in the levels, niches for sitting in front of the window, a ladder to the second level of the dwelling (if the height allows) provides the possibility of undisturbed work with the laptop, conversations on the phone, listening to music, reading, without sacrificing the social aspect of the common space. Many modern furniture pieces are also designed with the idea of serving the new habits associated with technology - high-backed armchairs that envelop the sitter as if in a nest, modular seating systems that provide the opportunity for everyone in the family to engage with their favourite device, moveable furniture that moves with ease when needed.
Structural elements
A fluid (or flexible) functional layout in the living room is often achieved with elements such as multifunctional volumes (library, TV and music at the same time, wine cabinet) that separate the kitchen from the dining and seating areas. The trend in recent years has definitely been towards separating the kitchen from the dining and living areas, even if it is symbolic - a kitchen island, a bar area or even a larger door width between the two areas is enough to be both connected and private. When architectural changes such as walls, sliding doors, levels, stairs are not an option, and it is necessary to find an easier and quicker solution to divide the common space, lightweight double-sided open shelving and modular furniture are the best solution. Even using a different floor covering or painting a wall a different colour can create the feeling of a space with a new function in the home.
The trend
Modern technology is challenging the traditional layout of interiors and we adapt to change relatively quickly, whether we like it or not. Increasingly architects are seeing the requirement for specific media zones - with special acoustics, light, electronic devices. Smartphones and tablets are now driving systems in the home and changing the way people inhabit it. So the recent notion of the perfect home as a loft - wide open, industrial in character - is giving way to the comfort of a fragmented space where everyone can have their own space - and be with others without having to close the door behind them.