He Put a Dramatically Large Planter in His Loft and It Works as a Room Divider

A loft’s best feature is the spaciousness the layout provides: Everything is connected, yet it feels expansive. Alternatively, though, this spatiality can sometimes pose challenges, too. Creating designated, distinguishable areas in a home is a natural way to make sense of the place, but using traditional room dividers runs the risk of cutting off natural light.

However, in his industrial Chicago loft, Charles Andre Thomas used an unexpected yet dramatic item to separate the kitchen from the dining area: an oversized planter. It works because it delineates the two spaces without blocking the natural light from the rest of the home. Plus, it looks so seamless in the space that it breaks it up without being too obvious.

When Charles moved into the 3,000-square-foot loft, he was excited about the prospect of making the space his own. “It came to me bare bones, so I took on the bedroom, the living areas, the kitchen, and the bathroom,” he explained at the time of the House Tour. “Because it was one open floor, I also had to create the zones and dividers that turn a loft into actual rooms.”

While Charles spent a good amount on creating “actual rooms” by building DIY dividers and using rugs and furniture to separate spaces, it was important for him to keep the budget down. (He accomplished this by taking on most of the renovation himself.) But, whether he knew it or not, he was also creating a space divider with his thoughtful planter placement. 

What makes the planter feel like a room divider is not only the expert location (right on the corner of the island) but also its dramatic size. Because it’s so large and, at times, likely hard to see around depending on where a person is standing, it cuts the room in two — leaving a little mystery behind it. Plus, if you wanted to move it around, it’s (obviously) more flexible and renter-friendly than installing a wall to separate spaces. 

Since he’s a visual artist who works from home, natural light is paramount to Charles’ work (you can spot his photoshoot area behind the living room) and the planter doesn’t take away from that. Charles doesn’t have curtains covering his windows and that light also likely helps the plant to thrive, too. 

And while I’m not sure exactly where Charles bought his gorgeous planter, there’s a similarly-sized, black option for sale at Macy’s. It’s made from plastic, but that’s deceiving because it looks like industrial ceramic. However, if you’re having to carry it up flights of stairs, you’ll be grateful for lightness.

If you want to carve out separate zones in an open floor plan without sacrificing light or building a wall, consider an oversized planter. You not only get a distinction between two areas, but gorgeous greenery, too. Want more tips on loft living? Visit the full House Tour to see more of Charles’ home.