9 Space-Smart Ways to Fit Two Rooms in One

The diminutive dimensions of your home may have whittled your design dreams down to size, but there’s one way to make the most of your square footage without tearing out your hair or your walls: Fit two distinct rooms into one living space. Multipurpose rooms break down conventional barriers between distinct spaces like the kitchen, office, bedroom, and dining room to create stylish and effortless integrated living spaces. Reveal the hidden depths in the most cramped quarters with inspiration from these 9 elaborately efficient 2-in-1 rooms.

By Manasa Reddigari | Updated Jun 09, 2016 05:28 PM

Laundry Room/Work Space

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Laundry Room Ideas

Workhorses can toil in comfort in this open-concept launderette that seamlessly transitions from washroom to workroom. A DIY desk or craft table with a desk chair can do double duty as an office or folding area, ideally situated to catch the natural sunlight from a window.


Related: 9 Easy Designs for a DIY Desk

Zillow Digs home in Carmel, CA

Dining Room/Library

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Dining Room Ideas

Give your dinner guests food for thought by crafting a towering home library inside your dining room. Built-ins on the dining room wall—whether just bookshelves or a more elaborate setup with an antique rolling ladder—are sure to occupy dinner conversations without occupying extra space. For a really cozy reading room, add an overstuffed chair in a corner or a cushioned window seat set off from the dining area.


Related: 10 Insanely Creative Shelves You Can DIY

Design: Rasmussen/Su; Photo: Jeffrey Totaro

Gym/Playroom

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Playroom Ideas

Entertaining your children while you work out is as easy as child’s play when you carve out a kids' zone in your home gym. Children are bound to be transfixed by vivid wallpaper, cushy mats, and fun, chalkboard-painted cabinets that conceal gym equipment like free weights, yoga mats, or exercise balls.


Related: Hanging by a Thread—9 Inventive Ways to Hang Pendant Lights

S.M. Contracting, Inc.

Living Room/Dining Room

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Family Room

Break with dinner table etiquette and usher your guests into the comfort of a flexible space that's ideal for both dining and reclining. Zones with similarly styled rugs and furniture keep the dining and living areas distinct while affording an open and inviting ambience from all vantages.


Related: The 7 Room Layout Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes

ikea.com

Office/Spare Bedroom

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Small Home Office Ideas

A spare bedroom meets the office, combining hospitality and practicality in a truly multifunctional space. Homey accents like a storage-smart daybed, a family photo gallery, and an end table turned desk add warmth and comfort to what could have been merely a utilitarian study area.

Related: 10 Inventive Ways to Display Family Photos

katelynjamesblog.com

Guest Room/Library

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Guest Room Ideas

A stunning mix of opulent wood, subdued tones, and space-smart choices distinguish this bed-and-book nook. The crowning achievement of this regal room is a sophisticated Murphy bed that when tucked away focuses attention on an expansive collection of books, and opens up to allow for a restful night’s sleep.

Related: 10 Space-Saving Solutions for Tiny Bedrooms

organizedinteriors.com

Laundry Room/Kitchen

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Kitchen Inspiration

Find domestic bliss in this side-by-side laundromat and kitchen, where the washer, dryer, and refrigerator sit in companionable peace, completely integrated into the cabinetry. Quartzite countertops lend contemporary charm, while glass-fronted cupboards and ceiling-high cabinets make the sky the limit for this hardworking multipurpose room.


Related: 8 (Nearly) Invisible Laundry Rooms

blog.sweeten.com

Home Office/Guest Room

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Spare Room

An unused area of the guest bedroom quickly morphs into a home office in this transformational space. The quaint charms of oversize, country-red closet doors and delicate white linens gel harmoniously with the chic and modern L-shaped desk in the work space.


Related: Under $50—10 Must-Haves for an Organized Desk

theletteredcottage.net

Bedroom/Dining Room

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Apartment Design Ideas

A convertible couch makes this space both a guest room and dining area. By choosing furnishings with a similar look, you can seamlessly blur the boundary between day and night, between private and family space. Cotton curtains sport a botanical print that's as at home in the bedroom as the dining room, sure to greet your guests each morning with a tapestry of springtime cheer.


Related: The New Neutrals—9 Colors You Can Trust for Today's Home

ikea.com

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