The Wall Street Journal

The Antidote to Open-Plan Layouts

Written by: Karen Bruno | Original Article

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For homeowners who can’t decide between an open-plan layout or one with separate rooms, there’s a compromise: steel-and-glass partitions that define interior spaces while maximizing light and transparency. Once primarily used to create an industrial look, the partitions can add a sense of timelessness—and a graphic punch—to more traditional residential interiors..

Cut the Noise

For a TV room that connects to a living room, a steel-and-glass bi-fold partition provides both visual and acoustical separation. Though not completely soundproof, the noise is significantly reduced when the doors, which lie flat against the walls when open, are closed. “They look beautiful both open and closed,” says designer Mark Cravotta, of Austin-based Cravotta Interiors. Price:About $15,000, installed, for a model made by a local metalsmith.