Has anyone tried built-in shelving or bookcases for this? I swear, loading up a wall with books can change the whole vibe and cut down on noise.
I get what you mean about bookshelves—loading up a wall with books definitely helps with echo and makes the space feel cozier. But honestly, I’ve found built-ins can sometimes look too bulky in a big open layout, especially if you’re trying to keep that airy vibe. I’ve seen folks go for plants or even hanging fabric panels instead, which can soften sound without taking up as much visual space. Just depends on the look you’re after, I guess.
I totally get the concern about built-ins feeling bulky. When we knocked out our dining room wall, I was all for a giant bookshelf, but halfway through, I worried it’d eat up too much space. Ended up doing a half-wall shelf—just waist-high—which still gave me storage for books and plants without making the room feel boxed in.
Plants worked great for us too, especially big ones like fiddle leaf figs. Kept the space open but less echo-y.“I’ve seen folks go for plants or even hanging fabric panels instead, which can soften sound without taking up as much visual space.”
Totally relate to that hesitation about built-ins. They look great in theory but sometimes just feel like you’re shrinking the room, not adding to it. Half-wall shelves are such a smart compromise—gives you storage and display without feeling boxed in. I’m with you on the big plants too; we’ve got a monstera that basically acts as a “soft wall” between our living and dining areas. It’s wild how much difference greenery makes for both sound and vibe.
Half-wall shelves are such a smart compromise—gives you storage and display without feeling boxed in.
That’s exactly the route we ended up taking after living with our “one big room” for a while. We tried to keep the original plaster archways, but the open space just felt too echoey and undefined. Half-walls with built-in bookshelves gave us a spot for all the random stuff (and honestly, a place to hide the router and some ugly cords).
I get what you mean about built-ins sometimes making things feel smaller, though. In our 1920s place, anything that hugs the wall too tightly can make it feel like you’re closing off the original flow. Plants help a ton—our old ficus is basically a privacy screen at this point. I will say, though, big plants can be a pain if you don’t have enough light or if your floors aren’t totally level... ours likes to migrate slowly across the room.
Funny how much these little tweaks change the whole vibe. Sometimes I miss having actual walls, but I don’t miss how dark those rooms used to be.
Half-wall shelves really do hit that sweet spot. I totally relate to this:
We tried a similar thing with a monstera, but it just kept leaning toward the window and looked kind of lopsided... Still, I agree, plants soften the space so much. It’s wild how just breaking up the room a bit makes it feel less like you’re living in a gymnasium. And yeah, I do miss the coziness of real walls sometimes, but not the cave-like darkness. Trade-offs, right?Plants help a ton—our old ficus is basically a privacy screen at this point.