When you first move into a new home with a great room, the emptiness can be a bit overwhelming. Some of the best aspects of the great room are its openness and flow into other entertainment areas like the kitchen and the dining room, but there’s no doubt that these features can pose a challenge. How can you fill your space without overloading it? What will make the room feel inviting? Here are seven tips for creating a great room that is lovely and amiable:
- Create spaces. Some great rooms are spacious enough to create several sections. Perhaps yours can accommodate a writing desk or bistro table for placing snacks during football parties or movie nights. Transform an empty corner into a reading nook with a comfy chaise lounge. Place a chess table with two chairs behind the sectional.
- Put down rugs. Area rugs help ground a room and (as mentioned above) define areas within a larger room. If your great room has a “floating” space where you’ll place a sectional or set of couches, a rug underneath can help the room feel more intimate, while giving visual separation from other zones in the room (like a writing or reading nook or a game table next to a window).
- Add plenty of lighting. One problem with great rooms is figuring out how to light them properly. During daytime hours, windows obviously help this issue, but don’t rely on one ceiling light to brighten a room at night. Select two or three table and floor lamps to light the conversation area and another lamp or two for other spaces with desks or tables. To maintain a cohesive look, go for similar shades or metals, but mixing and matching a little can liven up a room. Or, consider installing task lighting or recessed lighting.
- Introduce some element of consistency. Working from a color palette is a good way to unify a room so it doesn’t feel cluttered or haphazard. Start with the rug and wall color. Throw pillows and art work let you add pops of color without overpowering a room. Try repeating fabrics in various places, like furniture or floor pillows.
- Make sure there’s plenty of seating. It should go without saying, but the great room is meant to feel welcoming for you and your guests. Don’t make the mistake of furnishing it with a couch and loveseat that only accommodate a few people. Sectionals are perfect for great rooms where homeowners intend to watch movies and play games, but don’t stop there. Bring in a few accent chairs, stools, and ottomans to close your seating circle and offer up several different choices when you’re entertaining more than a handful of people.
- Two words: pillows and blankets. Throw pillows, blankets, and overstuffed floor pillows are a fabulous way to give a room personality and warmth. And as a bonus, these décor items add texture and color to your room. Choose a few colors and select coordinating patterns to bring things together.
- Add finishing touches. When fashioning your perfect great room, think cozy! Stand back from the room once rugs, furniture, and main wall décor are in place and look for bare spots. Do you have a built-in bookshelf that could use some TLC? Is there a big space behind a couch where a console and a pair of matching lamps on either end could warm things up? Are there places where you could add decorative objects that have the same hues as your throw pillows? Have a little fun accenting and decorating with the little things that make a house a home!
If you’re planning your move to Trilogy® soon, be sure to ask your New Home Advisor about the Design Center. Trilogy’s team of talented consultants are happy to help you select the finishes that will make your home gorgeous, and they’re able to advise you on everything from paint colors to décor! Your home is your sanctuary, after all. Make it your own!