Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson's clever design trick instantly gives the illusion of a bigger home

Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson's home is one which we frequent for interior design inspiration. For good reason, too, considering they've dedicated an entire Instagram page to highlighting their home reno journey. Our current obsession is their clever use of glass partition walls, which lends itself to curating a multi-functional space and subsequently giving the illusion of a bigger home.

We caught a glimpse of the pair's open-plan living space sporting the coveted glass wall design idea in a recent video posted by Zara, and we were instantly drawn to the way the partition wall works to make a home look bigger.

Considering space is often at a premium in many homes, architectural designer and RIBA associate, Sumele Adelana at SketchUp notes that 'using simple devices such as a thoughtfully placed glazed partition can deliver a multitude of effects'. Especially if achieving a sense of openness and flow is at the top of your priority list for making a small living room look bigger – and the couple have nailed just that.

@zaramcdermott

♬ original sound - Monica Gross

Glazing – both internal and external – is becoming an increasingly popular home renovation trend many are looking to employ. Given the many benefits of natural light in a home, it's unsurprising that glass partition walls alike are on the up and up again. Glass partitions will reflect light

John Cutts, glass expert at Me and My Glass explains that what makes these partitions so effective is their contemporary appearance. 'They're a stylish and eye-catching way to section off a home without disrupting the flow.'

Glass partition walls can be used to create 'zones' within your home that may otherwise not be present if you've got an open-plan living room, for example, without the fear of losing inches of space in a room.

'Unlike more traditional room dividers like half walls, glass dividers and internal glazing are a seamless way to divide rooms without sacrificing the open, airy feel that you get with an open-plan style home,' assures Chris Edwardson, director at House of Windows.

But of course, as attractive as these glass partitions are, as with any home renovation addition they come with some considerations. Tom Butler at My Glazing warns, 'Switching from a solid partition wall to a glass partition can affect interior acoustics and heating characteristics.'

This can become a problem if you've been working hard to keep your house warm in winter as installing a glass partition may result in colder rooms due to loss of insulation. On that note, these space-enhancing partitions may also prove not as effective if your main priority is soundproofing a room as acoustics may also be affected. However, rest assured these aren't as crucial a factor given you go to a qualified and approved installer.

Nevertheless, the appeal of glass wall partitions continues to be a highly favoured design feature within contemporary homes. Tom praises the way this use of internal glazing fits in well with a 'vast array of interior styles, meaning they are versatile and appealing to many homeowners'.

Zara McDermott and Sam Thompson's home is the perfect ensemble of lived-in minimalist peppered with warm accents throughout – something we've seen them nail in adding wood panelling to their all-white kitchen. So, any opportunity to talk more about their genius design choices is always a welcome topic of discussion. 

Especially if learning how to make a small space work harder lies at the very core of it, just like this smart home reno feature of theirs for best utilising glass partition walls.