Great Rooms

A great room is a multi-purpose room that is often a focus of the home's design. The style of the room should reflect what else is going on in the house, such as making use of the woodwork in this Victorian great room.
Height

Many great rooms have cathedral, tray or vaulted ceilings to bring some height to the room. This room makes great use of this by extending the windows and the fireplace straight up to the high ceilings. The furniture grouping helps keep the design grounded.
Contemporary Great Room

A sunken area sets apart the living room furniture in this contemporary great room. Tall ceilings and neutral colors help keep the lines clean and light.
Light

Make use of any large windows or doors in the great room to let in the light. This room amplifies the light with a warm, golden color palette.
Elegant Great Room

This elegant great room takes advantage of the light coming through the wall of windows. The simple furniture and bold rug bring the room to life.
Colors Make It Fun

Neutral colors make a great background for these multi-purpose rooms. Adding a little pop of color, like this bold lime green, makes the room accessible and playful as well.
Copper Ceiling

The high ceilings in a great room can often make the room feel too open and too cold. Adding some detail to the ceiling, like this punched copper paneling, brings instant warmth and style to the space.
Rustic Great Room

Exposed wood beams and a stunning stone fireplace add a rustic appeal to this great room. Using natural touches can help to soften the style of the room and give it a cozy feeling.
Accent Wall

Draw the eye and everyone's attention to one section of the room with an accent wall. This bold red wall works perfectly with the charcoal gray of the furniture, and adds some personality to this modern room.
Greens

Never overlook the power of some plants and greens in a great room. The amount of plants in this room balance the slate floor leading into the rest of the house and help to create a cohesive design.
Hard and Soft

A tile floor and fireplace add a clean, crisp look to this room. Softening it, and making it more accessible is the large gray rug that adds a depth of color and warmth to the floor of the room.
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Cozy Seating

If your great room is dark, consider placing a conversation area right in front of the windows. This cozy seating area captures the light, which sets it apart from the rest of the room.
Built-Ins

Built-in cabinetry in this room helps to add some extra functionality to the space. Store your books, games and other items you use in the great room behind beautiful cabinet doors.
Separate Areas

Because great rooms are often multi-purpose, they may contain both a living and dining area. This room makes separate areas by positioning the couch to block a portion of the room.
Close and Cozy

With the high ceilings of many great rooms, make sure you keep your conversation areas close and cozy to keep the room from feeling too spacious.
Great rooms and living rooms often have some overlap; check out these pictures of living room designs to get more inspiration.