The highlight of any custom home is its great room. For most homes, the great room is the gathering space for friends and family. It’s a communal area where you can entertain guests, watch TV, read a book, enjoy a cozy fire, or just relax after a busy day at work. The great room truly is the heart of the home and can be utilized in many different ways which means it’s important to design your custom great room to have adequate space that fits your needs while accenting your personal style, fostering an atmosphere that is uniquely yours. Here are Bosch Construction’s tips on designing your modern great room.
How big do you want your great room?
The first thing to take into consideration during the design process is the size of your great room. A few simple questions that help determine that include:
- Do you or would you like to have large family gatherings in your home?
- How many people use the great room on a daily basis?
- How large is your family?
- Do you prefer sectionals, sofas, chairs or a mixture?
- Are there additional pieces of furniture you would like to include in the great room?
- Is your family planning on growing in the future?
These are all important questions to ask when designing the great room in your custom home. The beauty of the modern great room is that has the potential to be incredibly versatile. A small family might enjoy a quite cozy great room with a nice fireplace and entertainment center where they can unwind and watch a movie after a long day. On the other hand, families that enjoy entertaining large amounts of guests might opt for a great room that can accommodate 10 or more people at a time. The larger concept great rooms often benefit from an open concept, free-flowing design with a floor plan that ties together the kitchen and dining room with the great room which makes for great socializing!
How do you want to style your great room?
After you’ve decided on the perfect size for your great room it’s time to think about the styling! The most important style tip for your great room is to make sure it flows with the rest of the home. Because the great room is the focal point of the home it sets the tone for the design and feel for the rest of the custom house.
Design factors include colors, family makeup, pets, furniture preference, and more. Think about who will be spending the most time in the room. Is it mostly kids, adults, or both? Does your family have pets? It’s important to use furniture that’s both beautiful and functional for your family. A modern contemporary couch might not work the best with children and pets. Do you want your great room to give off the rustic and cozy vibe? Opt for a dark leather couch with exposed ceiling beams and stone fireplace! Interested in a more modern look? Go with a linen sofa surrounded by light colored walls and a brick fireplace. Finally, paint and stain will round off the room solidifying the overall feel. For a rich and bold space opt for darker colors, for a soft and airy feel go with lighter colors.
How high do you want your ceilings?
Another important design factor of the modern great room is the ceiling height. Is there an amazing view in your backyard you would love to showcase? A great option would be a two-story cathedral ceiling with an expansive window wall will do the trick. This will definitely open up the great room, making your space feel grand and open bringing in nature and the great outdoors. Check out our recent two-story loft build for an idea of what two story ceilings will look like in your home! Want to go down the cozier route? Opt for a lower ceiling height and incorporate a nice patio door or bay window to lighten the space. The ceiling height is the great equalizer and an important design consideration for your great room in your custom home.
Don’t forget storage!
Finally, an often overlooked design aspect of a modern great room is storage! These days you’re likely to have a TV, electronics, sound system, tv equipment, DVD’s, gaming systems, and more in your great room and they’ll all need a cozy storage system in place to keep them organized. Cabinets on the entertainment system do the trick with electronics but what about the other things in the room? It’s always a good idea to add plenty of closet space to a great room for things like blankets, books, pillows, family games, and bigger items like a vacuum.
Designing a modern great room is a fun process and with Bosch Construction it’s truly fully customizable! For more information on designing and building your custom home, drop us a line at 414-426-5200 or fill out our contact form today!
