3 Tips For Styling Your Great Room

In the last decade, great rooms have become a staple in most new homes. Large living spaces allow for comfortable entertaining and an open layout. However, styling these great rooms can be slightly daunting to some. With proper styling tips and tricks, you can maximize the usefulness of your great room without compromising on its overall look and feel. Below you will find 3 ways that you can accomplish the perfect style in your great room.

Decorative planters are your friend

When you have a large space, especially one with a vaulted or high ceiling, filling that space can be hard. Your first order of business is to think big. Tiny potted plants will look even smaller in a room with a lot of space to fill. Large indoor decorative planters are your friend and can easily fill the space without taking it over. These decorative planters can be placed in empty corners or can flank large windows. Buying plants that fill the vertical space in the room adds color and substance without adding bulk.

You can feel these decorative planters with artificial greenery or you can visit your local nursery to see what live plants will thrive in your home. Take note of the amount of light your great room gets on a daily basis. This will help pick the perfect plant for your decorative planter.

Create zones

The concept behind great rooms is to be multi-functioning. When setting your furniture layout, don't be afraid to sketch out a few options first. This will help you maximize the space and usefulness of the room without moving furniture around ten different times. Once you know what furniture you will be using in your great room, take a minute to map out on paper how to best fit everything. For example:

• If you need to have a functional work and living space in your great room, set up the furniture you will need for your living space is 1/2 or 2/3 of the room. Divide the space with a couch or console. On the other side of the room, set up your work space.
• If you have a busy family that will need to use the great room for school work, dining, conversation and relaxing you can do this by:
  • Creating a study nook in the quietest corner of the room. This can be a built in desk or a desk that fits easily into the corner.
  • Setting up a comfortable sitting and entertainment area that will satisfy media and conversational needs. Have your couches positioned for easy TV viewing and easy conversation.
  • With the space that is left, add your dining set with a buffet table behind the couch. This allows for storage and easy entertaining when you have guests over.

Color makes all the difference

Even if you are a minimalist who enjoys white walls and clean lines, pops of color go a long way in a large space. Painting walls is the best way to warm up a large space. If you don't want to tackle that kind of job, add color through pillows, artwork, a large rug and/or knickknacks. Don't be afraid to mix patterns and color pallets. You can find color pallets that blend well through a simple internet search.

Don't be intimidated by the size of your great room. By following these styling tips, you can decorate your room without overfilling the space. You can also maximize the effectiveness of your great room with proper layout planning. Fill in the spaces between your large pieces of furniture with colorful knickknacks and houseplants to draw your eye around the space. Once you've done this, your great room will look like it has been styled and designed by a professional.