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Getting Down to What Really Matters:
Tips for Creating a Meaningful Great Room
Using an example from the world of design to which I can definitely relate, Grant McCracken points out the "hundreds of millions spent on 'great rooms' for the American home over the last three decades", as an example of what really drives consumer behavior. So what's the magic answer? What really drives us? It's not extravagance, luxury or indulgence but more likely, it is "Americans reinventing family life in the face of new realities." 
When you think about it, the great room helps us do what we desire most - create meaningful relationships and memories with our families, our communities, our friends and our loved ones. "These forces and imperatives are always at work, even in extreme economic circumstances says McCracken. We couldn't agree more. Just because we might find ourselves having to tighten our belts doesn't mean that we no longer desire deep and meaningful relationships or that we no longer want to be a part of something bigger than our own little world. After all, belonging to a "clan" is ingrained in us from thousands of years of learning and yearning to survive.
With all of that said, is YOUR great room, family room or living room well-designed for entertaining, family togetherness, meaningful conversations and creating memories? If you need a little help, here are some tips to get you started:
Tips for Creating a Meaningful Great Room
for Your Clan
- Select a focal point for your room and orient your largest piece of furniture opposite it, at a distance of about 10 feet. If you have a fireplace then that just made this step a whole lot easier and THAT will be your focal point. If no fireplace, then it might be bookshelves, built-ins or a stellar view.
- Angle your other seating in the room towards the focal point, but please refrain from arranging EVERY piece of furniture towards this focal point - we're not designing the IMAX here. In instances where there is no clear focal point, another fabulous option is to "float" the furniture in the middle of the room.
- Set up cozy conversation areas "rooms within the room" so that when you entertain, people can be seated and chat rather than having to stand. Examples would include two chairs separated by a low table, or two love seats facing each other. Remember, you're not setting up a space for a job interview or a theatrical production (unless you're playing Pictionary), you're setting it up for comfortable conversation!
- Overhead lighting is best suited for schools, stores and stuffy conference rooms. Remember, we're creating a cozy environment which facilitates conversations, not interrogations. Use ambient lighting vs. overhead lighting by placing table or floor lamps in the corners of the room. Add accent lighting by each reading or accent chair. Vary the scale of the lamps and be sure to use lamps which are more substantial in size next to the larger pieces of furniture in the room.
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Accessorize the room with photos, art and accessories which have personal meaning for you and have a story associated with them. These are often great conversation starters.
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Show your guests that they are truly welcome and their presence is a special event by splurging on a bouquet of fresh flowers, lighting a few candles or even adding fresh greenery from your own backyard.
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