Having an open concept home or a spacious home with grand ceilings and lots of space can sometimes overwhelm a homeowner. This is especially true for homeowners who like to work hand-in-hand with interior designers to create their ideal home space.
With so much space available, finding the right balance between a home’s comfort and its elegance may lie in how inviting and well-defined these spaces are.
What makes a home feel like a place where family and friends can gather to celebrate events, socialize at parties, or just kick back and watch the game together is the amount of coziness it boasts. It is not unusual for homeowners to initially select a more austere tone in their home design, a feeling which is difficult to maintain as the family settles in and more home items, furnishings, and family needs naturally accrue.
Since room size is not an issue in mansions and luxury homes, do not make the common mistake of simply adding furniture and items to space just as one would in a small room. A grand room, living room, hall, or other social space can benefit from a more intimate approach to decorating. This kind of intimacy draws people in and invites them to feel perfectly at home in your house.
Designing with coziness in mind can bring focus to any space, no matter how cavernous, and will give you the best of both worlds as a homeowner.
Choose a Focal Point (or Two)
Depending on the size of the room and the features within it, having one or two focal points that draw the eye and provides a gathering point can make a vast space seem warm. Some room elements like a great fireplace, picture window, or art-worthy gallery wall can be the perfect focal point from which to build an intimate space around.
Define Walls with Color
The right colors and textures of a wall or an entire room can provide a space with warmth and rich detail that can transform vast spaces into comfy ones. Southern Arizona’s favorite color palette of warm reds, oranges, and yellows are the perfect choice for rooms that want to retain a spacious feel while still being cozy.
Dark blue or green walls will shorten tall ceilings and can be the perfect complement to rich wood features like thick, exposed ceiling beams and evoke the same atmosphere as great hunting lodges, libraries, and other intimate spaces.
Similarly, textured and patterned wallpapers with rich details can make expansive walls feel less intimidating and can double as the focal point for the entire room.
Include Organic Shapes
Crisp, sharp edges of furniture, whether dining tables, picture frames, couches, or floor tiles have lines that draw the eye in forward, helping to elongate the room. To contradict these edges, providing natural, organic shapes and materials like raw-edge slab tables, sculptures, or soft edge sofas with smooth, rounded edges will balance the room’s design.
Bring Color into the Room
Gone are the days when black and white rooms resembling cold museums were the height of interior design style. Today homeowners want to add rich, supple textures, ornate details, and perky patterns to their homes, and for a luxury home there is no better place to begin than with upholstery.
A pair of jewel-toned chairs, a plush velvet upholstered couch, and thick, lavish curtains will give any room an immediate feeling of intimacy and invite guests to cozy up and enjoy the openness and welcoming nature of your home.
