Ah, the Great Room. Since the early 1980’s they’ve found themselves sitting majestically at the center of many, many new homes – their multi-use function and way-up-there ceilings providing a sense of grandeur to the modern family’s home.

But are Great Rooms really so great? Two years ago Money magazine listed the Great Room as one of the “5 Dumbest Renovation Fads” (their words, not ours), and they make a sound financial case for it.  Great Rooms are large and expensive to heat and cool, and constructing them can cost twice as much per square foot as building their “normal” sized companions. Money also noted that the sound quality of a Great Room is often comparable to an echo chamber, and that design-wise, the rows of stacked windows often look more hotel-lobby than cozy-home.

We’ve noticed a trend away from Great Rooms, ourselves – one based more on emotion and psychology than dollars and cents. It seems to us that since the past two years’ economic tribulations, people are hunkering down more at home. And at home, people are hunkering down in cozy nooks and comfy corners, not so much in formal arrangements. We think of the many articles we’ve read about reading nooks and home offices, pillow-strewn floors and snug dining rooms – all of which work well in achieving homey-ness because they are separate and distinct. And we're not psychologists, but we remember the comfort of childhood forts, long mornings spent under the covers, curling up on the couch for movie night with our sweetie -- and 20 foot ceillings weren't involved in any of those situations.

Obviously the size of one’s living area is a subjective choice, but if you’re feeling like you just don’t need all that un-used vertical space, or you’d really like a wall between you’re work and your kids cartoons, you’re not alone. Because small(er) is also great.

[Image: dollylovespink via flicker]

[Main image: 1399castlehill.com]