How to Create a Great Room that Wows Your Guests
Traditionally, a front room or living room was a formal space to welcome guests. It typically included furniture that was nice to look at but uncomfortable to sit in. These rooms were rarely used and usually closed off to the rest of the house.
Today’s modern home has little use for a single-purpose, overly formal, and uncomfortable space.
As open-concept designs and a focus on functional comfort grew in popularity, so did the idea of the great room. This area of your home serves as the hub of a great party or a place to relax after a long day. It should feel welcoming and set the tone for the rest of your interior design.
Bring the “wow factor” to your great room by creating a space that flows well with the rest of your home, has amazing views, and includes intentional design details throughout the space.
What is a Great Room?
A great room combines a living room, dining room, and sometimes bar or kitchen, and is typically designed to be multifunctional. After the entryway, it is the first space in your home that your guests will see. It’s larger than a typical living room and an open-concept design brings a spacious and welcoming feeling.
Great rooms also provide easy access to the rest of your home. If the kitchen isn’t incorporated into your great room, it is typically an open doorway away. This space often opens out to a patio or backyard for easy hosting.
Because of the size of the space and its central location, the great room is the perfect place to showcase what makes your luxury Arizona home special. Include these design tips as you plan your own great room.
Consider the Views Into and Out of the Great Room
Chances are, the views outside of your Scottsdale home are inspiring. Whether it’s a lush golf course, majestic rock formations, or serene saguaros, you’ll want to enjoy these views from every room in the home. When designing your great room, be intentional about the first impression you and your guests have when stepping into this space. Think through what you want your guests to see when they walk into your great room. In addition to the amazing views outside, maybe you want the focal point to be a custom painting that you found on a recent excursion. Or perhaps you want to have an intricate and sculptural fireplace to draw your guests’ attention. Once you decide on the focal point, you can address the larger design.
You’ll want to have lots of natural light in your great room. Not only does that help with creating a welcoming atmosphere, but floor-to-ceiling windows will also help you frame those amazing outdoor views. The Shade Villa home, for example, features curved floor-to-ceiling windows that greet guests with stunning scenes of the mountains. The great room opens up to the outdoor firepit, and niches throughout the space hold commissioned artwork from the homeowner’s collection.
Create Space to Entertain
While your great room is an excellent place to relax with your partner after a long day, the large area and access to other rooms make it the perfect place to entertain. Your great room layout should be ready for any kind of guest, from book clubs to family reunions to holiday parties.
Bring in a variety of seating options, all with a focus on luxurious comfort. For example, include comfortable overstuffed armchairs for an intimate conversation and a supple leather sofa for small group mingling. Make sure there are end tables and coffee tables within arm’s reach for drinks and small plates.
You’ll also want a high-end home entertainment system along with layered lighting options so you have adequate lighting no matter the time of day. Include table and floor lamps as well as wall sconces and overhead options so you can include as much or as little light as you need, all managed by an integrated home automation system.
Display your favorite artwork from local artists throughout your great room. These are great discussion pieces and conversation starters, and they will make you happy every time you are in the space.
Be Intentional About Flow
With the open floor plan, you need to be clear about how you want people to move through your space. You get to create the delineations that separate one area from another and establish a natural flow.
Floating furniture allows for easy maneuverability throughout the room and into other areas of the space. Pull sofas and chairs away from the walls to make a more intimate conversation nook. Add area rugs to define each section of your great room.
If it’s not already incorporated, your great room should connect to your kitchen for easy access to food and drinks. Include organic lines and visual cues, such as multiple pieces of related artwork, to show guests a clear path. Remove any obstacles to the rooms you want your guests to access by using arched doorways or sliding glass doors.
Don’t Forget the Ceiling Design
Give your guests a visual treat when they look up. The vaulted ceilings in a great room provide a canvas for a creative element that adds interest and helps with acoustics.
Include natural elements such as exposed wooden beams, which can also create a visual separation between areas in your great room. Decorative or coffered moldings add an elegant touch to your ceiling, while also mitigating any echoing. You can also include recessed and dimmable lighting to help with ambiance.
The Water Way home in Scottsdale uses ceiling and material changes throughout the open floor plan to identify changes in functionality, from the sitting area to the bar to the kitchen. The great room features a coffered ceiling design and recessed lighting, which add to the grand and luxurious atmosphere.
Lighting fixtures and chandeliers can also draw eyes up to the ceiling while doubling as a work of art. From simple strings of light to intricate geometrical shapes, find a piece that matches the design of the room and provides another option for lighting.
Luxury Home Designs That Impress
Whether you love the idea of wowing your friends and family with your Arizona luxury house, or you want a space that makes you smile every time you walk in the door, work with an architect who understands your goals. At UDA, Ltd., we take pride in truly listening to our clients and creating a design that is perfect for you to both relax and entertain, in the ways that you enjoy.
If you are thinking about building your luxury home, contact the Scottsdale architects who know how to make your dreams come to life. Tell us about your project today!