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Great rooms and open floor plans are a popular choice in today's homes. Great rooms are a practical use of space, but can present some design challenges. Placing the right furniture pieces in well planned groupings is the key to mastering defined spaces with a great flow. When the furniture groupings work, the remaining design challenges fall into place. Make your great room your personal space with taste.

See your space

First, you need to begin with the great room cleared of all objects and freshly painted in a warm neutral tone. If the area tends to be more on the small side, remember that 'less is more'. Avoid crowding the space with too much furniture. It is much better to use a loveseat and a chair or two in a smaller living space than a sectional or two couches. The larger pieces end up looking too chunky and take over the room.

When thinking about furniture placement, you need to visualize the groupings. If it is hard for you to see where to place items, a good tip is to use an object such as a paper plate and literally layout your groupings. It may sound silly, but placing paper plates where you want to place a loveseat and two chairs is much easier than hauling heavy furniture.

Another consideration regarding space is to define the percentage of space designated for each purpose. Depending on your personal needs and lifestyle, maybe you don't need much room for dining. If the bar area is sufficient for eating, then don't use a dining table. Only you know how to use the space best to suit your needs. After you decide where you will place furniture groupings, step back and review the room. Make a mental image. Have you allowed space for an end table and lamp? Did you leave space to easily walk through the room without obstacles? If you have mentally succeeded in placing furniture, it's time to bring it on.

Designating Purpose and Function

Ask yourself how many people are involved in the activity you do the most. If you like to entertain, you should consider multi-purpose groupings. For example, you might use a desk with a chair for an office area, but the chair should have wheels to the other side of the room for seating as needed. Consider using an ottoman for a coffee table to place in front of your loveseat. When you need more seating, simple pull it to the side and fit a couple guests on the ottoman. Built in bookcases or custom shelving is an efficient and attractive way to display personal items as well as solve

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