You are considering a new home and are stuck trying to figure out what style of living area will best work for you, your family, and the way that you live. Well ponder no further. The House Plan Company has prepared this helpful guide to the three main types of living areas and how they live.
The Vintage Layout: Separated Family and Entertaining Spaces
Formally defined spaces and separation between family and gathering spaces is the traditional approach to arranging the living area of a home. As showcased in the New Haven design 33225 the formal living and dining rooms are front and center while the casual family gathering spaces are at the back of the home.
“A family room is where you and your family gather with friends, watch TV, relax and play games. The living room’s purpose is more formal,” says Rick McAlexander CEO of Associated Designs, Inc. “The same can be applied to the dining spaces. A nook makes a great space for regular family meals while the formal dining room gives the homeowner the opportunity for more elaborate entertaining.”
The Contemporary Layout: Great Rooms
The pinnacle in relaxed living is the great room, a seamless blending of the three core living areas in one open space. The Bandon plan 33318 showcases this style of living area with a fully open great room at its core.
“The great room is about allowing movement in a house so that you aren’t confining living rooms and family rooms and kitchens to specific spaces. They are all connected in some way. A true great room can be a combination of several types of spaces, and that’s what this design does,” said McAlexander. “You have a centralized living space where everything happens.”
The Modern Layout: Open Living Style Great Rooms
“The open living style great room takes the grandness of the room and redefines it with slight separation. It’s still a great room, as all the rooms flow together, but there are clear delineations for each area’s purpose,” says Rick.
Take the Clarendon plan 14996. The center of the home is filled with the living and dining room along with the kitchen. The L-shaped staircase is the only separation between the dining room and family room, while the kitchen is separated from the family room by the generous sized island. The main gathering areas are all open to other areas of the home while still having some sense of separation.
Every man’s home is his castle, or so the saying goes, which means the central living area can be utilized and designed in any way that suits your family, your lifestyle or your personality. It is important that your home reflects the way you live not just the latest trend. So ask yourself and be honest. What type of living area best fits me, my family and the way we live?
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