Today's home builders are continuing to embrace the idea of the great room and an open floor plan. Here are some of the reasons why the great room remains a popular design choice with today's home builders and owners.
1. Great Rooms Make Good Use of Natural Light
When you eliminate walls between the living room, dining room, and kitchen, the natural light from your home's windows is able to flood the space. The walls no longer block the light and it can flow freely through the home, coming in all angles no matter the time of day.
2. Large Spaces Encourage Togetherness
When you have a great room in your home it encourages everyone to spend more time together. While cooking you can still be close to those doing homework at the dining table or relaxing together in the living room. This means that even doing your everyday living tasks you're spending time together.
3. Great Rooms Are Ideal For Entertaining
If you love to host holidays or throw big parties a great room is perfect. You will be able to interact with your guests, keep food readily available and have a larger number of people over when you have a large open space. You don't have to relegate your guests into different areas of the home because you can encourage everyone to intermingle while they enjoy your hospitality.
4. Homes with Great Rooms Feel Larger
Great rooms can make a home feel as though it has more square footage than it does. Open spaces feel larger than life and many great rooms have tall ceilings that add to that feeling. In a smaller home, the great room concept can help you maximize the space you have.
5. Multi-Function Rooms Are Useful
A great room is, by its very nature, a multi-function space. While it is a dining room, it is also a living room. It can be a home office and a study. In today's world where schooling and work often happen from home, a multi-function space is just a good idea.
6. Great Rooms Improve Real Estate Value
A great room is almost always appealing to buyers. Just by having an open floorplan rather than a traditional layout you can boost the resale value of your home.
When you make the decision to build your own home, you get to choose everything, including the floor plan. If you are deciding between different floor plans, consider the the benefits of great room for improved value and improved function.
About the Author
Ryan Mandigo
Ryan Mandigo is an award-winning professional broker associate with Omni Real Estate. Originally a native of New Hampshire, his love of real estate began 30+ years ago while swinging a hammer on a framing crew. He has always had a strong passion for helping people, whether it be assisting a couple in purchasing their first home, finding a home that fits a growing family's needs, or downsizing for those with an empty nest. He strives to build strong personal and professional relationships with being a true believer in the power of positive thinking and always willing to lend a helping hand.
He is also a co-founder and board member of the Swing Fore the Kids organization. A local charity that is 100% nonprofit and their sole purpose is to help needy children and young adults within Horry County communities. He finds great satisfaction and pleasure in seeing how working hard for a great cause and raising funds can help others in need. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Waccamaw Youth Center in Conway, where their mission is to provide at-risk youth "A Place To Call Home"
When he is not working, he enjoys music, working around the home, spending time with family and friends, turning wrenches on vintage vehicles, getting some wind therapy on the Harley or chilling with their dogs.
Some quotes he lives by - "Do what you like and like what you do" - "You have to be odd to be number one" - "Dreams don't work unless you do" And one of his favorites. "Positive and enthusiastic thinking in all you do"
