Category: Bespoke Wooden Furniture, News
The great wall knock-through has become an obsession.
From Victorian terraces to suburban semis, dividing walls are coming down everywhere as families seek connected spaces that bring in more light and enable better togetherness.
But once that wall is gone, new challenges emerge. How do you stop everything from blurring into one massive room? Where do you put all the stuff that used to live in built-in cupboards?
This is where thoughtfully designed wooden furniture and joinery truly make a difference.
Dividing Without Walls
Without solid partitions, you need other ways to mark different areas of your home.
Carefully placed joinery creates natural boundaries while keeping the benefits of openness:
- Half-height cabinets that don’t block light or sightlines but clearly separate cooking from relaxing
- Strategically positioned bookcases forming natural breaks between dining and living zones
- Breakfast bars and islands that define kitchen boundaries without cutting off conversation
- Built-in seating that marks out dining areas while hiding storage underneath
Each piece can reflect your home’s personality, whether that’s traditional detailing on a period property or clean, minimal lines in a modern space.
Where Did All My Storage Go?
Knocking through often means losing valuable storage – those hallway cupboards, alcove shelving and built-in wardrobes that swallowed clutter and kept homes tidy.
Custom joinery replaces and often improves this lost storage situation:
- Media walls that hide entertainment equipment while displaying books and treasures
- Window seats concealing toys, extra bedding, or seasonal items
- Under-stair cabinets, turning dead space into useful storage
- Floor-to-ceiling units that use every available inch
Top-quality made-to-measure furniture pieces work with your specific space constraints and storage needs, unlike standard furniture that tends to waste precious space.
Tying It All Together
Big open spaces risk feeling like a hodgepodge without some visual connectors. Excellent joinery creates rhythm and harmony:
- Repeated elements like matching shelving details in different zones
- Consistent wood types and finishes connecting separate pieces
- Proportions that respect your room’s dimensions rather than fighting them
- Architectural features carried through from built-ins to freestanding pieces
The goal is to create a harmonious space, making open-plan feel intentional rather than accidental.
A Few Ideas
Theory is fine, but what actually works in real homes? Here are some ideas:
- A divider unit serving both living and dining areas, with display shelving facing the sofa and crockery storage facing the table
- A multi-function kitchen island hosting cooking prep, casual meals, homework sessions and storage all in one piece
- Corner cabinetry flowing around walls, providing continuous storage while helping define separate areas
- A clever TV cabinet with a rotating centre allowing viewing from both the kitchen and lounge areas
Making It Happen
Outstanding joinery starts with understanding your daily life – morning routines, how you entertain, and where clutter tends to gather. At Tucker Joinery, we listen first, measuring not just your space but how you use it.
After careful planning and design, we build each piece in our Andover workshop, crafted by hand using traditional techniques and high-quality materials.
If your open-plan space needs a boost – or you’re in the midst of planning one – visit our showroom or contact us.
With four decades of creating bespoke wooden furniture, we transform challenging spaces into something all the more beautiful.
