Great Rooms That Say: Welcome Home

Relax, chill out, and stay awhile. Today, great rooms are rivaling their predecessor, the kitchen, as a home's favorite place to hang out. And no wonder. For sheer comfort, it's a great idea whose time has definitely come.

Filled with sunshine, this great room is eclectic styling at its finest. A seemingly random assortment of fabrics, furniture from antique to contemporary or country casual, and mementoes that span generations all coexist quite comfortably. Miniature carousel ponies appear to gallop below the coffee table's glass top, and whimsical blue clouds float "outside" a matched pair of faux windows above the fireplace. It all adds up to a space that just feels like home from the moment you step through the door.

Conversation is celebrated here. An abundance of seating -- all arranged into cozy, groupings -- makes it as simple to chat with the chef as indulge in a private tete-a-tete. And there's nothing square about this room's use of angles. An inlaid backsplash echoes the slate floor's diamond pattern, interlocking ceiling beams add a dramatic touch, and potted greenery makes it seems as if this room were an open patio.

A hint of cowboy romance fills this rich, rustic great room -- the allure of the open plains, the joy of returning home to family. Leather armchairs, a towering stone fireplace, gaily colored blankets in geometric patterns seem to await only a master storyteller willing to share tales of adventure. Naturally, the kitchen is state-of-the-art with stainless steel and plenty of space for preparing the grand feasts that are part of all cowboy legend.

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