Smart Design for Dual-Purpose Rooms

To create a feeling of separation between different zones, think about erecting visual barriers between them. "You don’t need actual walls to delineate spaces," Susanka points out. "You can make a fabric wall by hanging floor-to-ceiling curtains from a hospital track, closing them when you need separation" and sweeping them to the side when you don’t. "Open shelving in the middle of a room is a great way to break up the space without totally closing it off," adds Libby Langdon. Decorative screens, carved wood panels, or even salvaged windows suspended from the ceiling create a similar effect. A long, low cabinet, a sofa or set of chairs, or even a row of tall potted plants create a border between spaces without blocking light or making a room feel carved up. Finally, folding screens act as mobile partitions to hide a messy corner workspace or to obscure the view of your exercise gear, but can be folded flat and set aside when you don’t need them.