The Perfect Living Room

By Darren Bond

Ah, the centrepiece of the home: you need to get this right or there’s no point in going on.

Let’s see. What do experts say.

Too big and people avoid a room. They want something more intimate. Too small and you can’t have company over. Is it part of a single open kitchen/dining/living area? What about a working space/office: is it part of this or separate?

Numerically, we’re thinking that it should sit six comfortably with some room to add in extra chairs when the Christmas crowd is over.

Clearly, the view plays a central role and so the exposure to the water is important. We won’t be right on the water, but just up a slope and will be able to see above and between two summer homes.

A patio or a deck or a verandah? It depends how high up in the air it is. Since we’re on a hill it remains to be seen how the overall placement of the house turns out. Given the amphitheatre / bowl shape to the property, there could be the intriguing placement of rooms at slightly different levels (but then we’re dealing with the dreaded issues of stairs, again).

Assuming some space outside beyond the living room, how big should it be? How many people should it support? Is there where the BBQ should be, or is that perhaps better placed closer to the kitchen? Presumably Michael McNamara will have the appropriate proportions for all this. Even in the summer here, there can be a slightly chilly breeze coming in off the water, so some kind of windbreak would be nice, although we think an area in the back may help serve the purpose for having a protected area for entertaining depending on the direction of the wind.

Window treatments is a puzzlement; an overhang help protect from direct light but makes it bit darker than desirable in the winter months. Awnings are quite a rarity but perhaps they have their place. We’ve seen retractable models in magazines but that seems like overkill and possibly out of our price range.

I want a piano and acoustically the room needs to be able to take it to avoid people having to resort to pillows to muffle the forte bits. Maybe I’ll give recitals (after I’ve practiced for a few years to try to recover any technique I once had). John can serve hors d’oeuvres and chilled martinis. Will the assembled guests spill out onto the deck? Will they spill on the carpet?

The ceiling could well be somewhat domed given the kind of curved “green” roofs that Michael often does. This would help dissipate the sound, but we’re cognizant that what can seem impressive can be cold. People are apparently attracted to cozier, more intimate spaces. Plus, given that it will be just the two of us most often, it needs to be a room in constant use rather than the Eagles Hall.

Ah, the flooring. We’re thinking tile throughout. With radiant heating. Maybe a carpet here or there, but I’m keen to avoid materials that invite creatures that invite my mild asthma. Grey? Probably. Grout? No (or minimal if necessary). Shade: medium, I’m thinking. It would be nice to use local material, if possible.

Living at about the 50-degree North latitude mark, fireplaces are pretty much required, and who doesn’t like a fireplace. Once derided as evil ecologically, they now come very well regarded in this respect. However, will it look a little too hermetically sealed and defeat the whole purpose?

Also, since we will likely combine the kitchen, dining room and living room into one long room, perhaps the fireplace can be a two-sided design and act as a separator. We would need to be careful, though, not to have it too close to the dining room and having some poor soul melting through their Baked Alaska.

Now, to the issue of the office. Is it actually part of the living room or separate? Not so long ago it would be an easy answer: separate. We had books and desks and shelves and hardware. Over time, though, with digital this and digital that, we’ve gotten rid of our CDs, DVDs, files, books and just about everything except for a laptop, an iPad and a phone. So, rather than creating a whole separate room, why not integrate it into the common living area rather than being banished?

One thought that’s come to us is a kind of “around the corner” spot with something like a half-wall or screen – almost in a Frank Lloyd Wright kind of way – that combines the best of both. On the other hand, there might still be good reasons to have a space that’s completely shut off.

This, then, introduces another room, and a topic for another post, on the “second bedroom.” Can it be a single room with dual function, or is neither a satisfactory solution. You’re either sleeping in an office or working in a bedroom.

Anyway, as with all rooms, much to think about. I’m sure I’ve missed some important considerations. Lighting, for example. Wall space for artwork. TV? (We don’t subscribe, but we do have a flat screen for watching movies. Can it be hidden or integrated somehow in a clever way?)

What does your experience tell you? Tell us.