We promise we’re not tooting our own trumpets when we say that this ⬆️is a great room!

A great room, as opposed to a lounge room or living room, is a combo of open-plan lounge, dining and living areas, usually next to the kitchen so there’s room for the whole fam to hang out in different areas of the space. Great rooms are far more casual than traditional living rooms and are meant to be used every day, which is exactly what we intended for this room in our Three Birds Dream Home.

If you’re designing an open-plan floorplan for your home, a well thought out ‘great room’ is a must. Try these tips to create a great room that’s, well, really great:

MAKE IT LIGHT & BRIGHT

Light, bright and airy is always a good vision for your great room. Lots of windows for loads of natural light will make your open plan room feel bigger and even more open. Take the time to consider your window placement to maximise the amount of light you’ll get into the room.

Window coverings are important to ensure you can filter the light as you wish and account for privacy and insulation if required. We’re in love with the amount of sunshine that floods in through the double-height windows in our Dream Home but we added gorgeous, whimsy Luxaflex curtains that can be drawn if you choose to shade the TV for Gladys’ 11am presser or block the direct sunshine for a Sunday arvo kip on the couch. The windows to the side patio have a Luxaflex Silhouette Shading tucked away at the top that can be raised and lowered as required.

Woodcut engineered timber boards are always our go-to flooring for a room like this, for so many reasons. Its durability makes it perfect for busy, high-traffic space as well as looking gorgeous. The colour in this Dream Home is ‘White Oiled’ - a light European Oak that brings all the light and bright feels, trimmed with Intrim skirting around the perimeter. Did you know that skirting not only hides joins and gives a premium finished look but also protects walls from the general wear and tear of family life? We like to use the same profile board for our architraves, just in a lesser width.

INTEGRATE THE ENTERTAINMENT

A TV is a must in most family homes but you have to do it right. Sure, you want it to be in easy view of the sofa for the nightly news and Netflix marathons so, it’s important to consider where the TV can be mounted and how the cords can be concealed so that they don’t become a feature in themselves.

In the Three Birds Dream Home, we chose a big 55 inch LG OLED TV for its sleek profile which allows it to mount snugly to the wall above the fireplace, like a piece of art. This was made possible by the fabulous optional extra of the Lopi fireplace - a CoolSmart wall kit that safely pulls the heat away to the wall-mounted vent above your television or artwork. Pretty cool, huh? #excusethepun

The LG TV hangs above the LOPI gas fireplace, made possible by the LOPI CoolSmart Wall Kit above the TV.

FLEXIBLE FURNISHING

In a great room, different zones for different activities is key. In this one, we’ve combined the lounge, dining and bar areas. Some people may choose to include a built-in study area, it’s totally up to you and how your family operates.

When you’re furnishing a traditional dining room, it’s probably going to be used just for just that - dining. In the great room of a family home, the dining table is more likely to be a multi-functional place for eating, crafting, homework and games night #allthethings so, you’ll want to pick your furniture with that in mind. Those gorgeous upholstered dining chairs you might choose for a dining room might not be so practical when there’s glue, glitter or the dreaded slime-making in the mix.

The OZ Design dining chairs are perfect for both dining and family activities

We’ve styled this lounge space with a sofa to curl up and watch TV on, two occasional chairs to kick back and enjoy a wine in front of the fire and, Erin’s fave, the leather chair from Freedom which swivels to enjoy the view of the pool and garden or to join the conversation from the kitchen. Different pieces for different occasions make for a flexible great room.