Having a home built for entertaining can be a luxurious experience. It blurs the line between form and function to create a comfortable, enriching space for socializing with family and friends.
At UDesign, we make staying in stylish by incorporating VIP seating, sunken cinema areas and professional gaming areas into your entertainment design. Here are some tips to get you started.
Comfortable Seating
In entertainment spaces, comfortable seating is a must. Whether it’s a plush sectional for a laid-back media room or a collection of big, cushy lounge chairs for a home theater, seating options should encourage guests to stay put and socialize.
If a family room is also a movie-watching space, consider a comfortable L-shaped arrangement with a central coffee table for easy reach of drinks and snacks. Or opt for a more theatrical look with stadium seating and multiple banks of theater-style chairs.
Small rooms benefit from simple setups that minimize clutter and maximize use of space. For example, a bijou theater could benefit from a pair of solo recliners that sit closer to the television than a sofa would and don’t require a dedicated storage area. Build-in shelving can also accommodate a wide array of DVDs, video games and oversized art books without overwhelming the space.
Multiple Seating Arrangements
When designing your entertainment space, choose seating arrangements that encourage chatting. Position sofas and chairs so that they face each other or are close enough that people can talk without straining their necks. This ensures that everyone can see and hear each other easily without yelling across the room.
Consider a mix of seating types to suit a range of uses – plush sofas, comfortable chairs and stools work well in a variety of settings. Then, use large rugs and other visual boundaries to separate the different seating areas.
For example, Studio KT created a cozy nook for conversation near the fireplace and TV wall by positioning a long comfy sofa perpendicular to them. A pair of wooden chairs flanking the hearth add extra seating and complete the intimate area. Large rugs also help to create an even walkway, so that guests don’t have to walk around the furniture to get to another part of the room.
Multiple Purposes
Evaluate the kind of entertaining you’re likely to host at your home and design spaces accordingly. For example, choose a television that fits the room and is easily visible from seating areas. It might even be a good idea to set up a projector for video games or long movie nights.
If you want to make the space a little more fun and festive, you can use lighting to change the mood of the room. Subtle, dimmable lighting can make your entertainment area feel more relaxed while keeping it functional for everyday use.
At the same time, it’s important that your entertainment space doesn’t feel separate or isolated from other parts of your home. To create fluidity, consider using sliding doors that open up and out of the way to connect interior and outdoor spaces. UDesign has even incorporated dance floors and DJ booths into entertainment spaces to bring the party home!
Fluidity
If you plan to host more than one type of event within your entertainment space, you need to design the area with fluidity in mind. This ensures the transition between the new entertainment space and other areas of your home will be seamless and natural. It also makes it easier to adapt your entertainment space as trends change. For example, using large rugs on the floor that can be moved easily will allow you to change the appearance of your entertainment space in seconds.
This concept of fluidity can be seen in the Heyder Aliyev centre in Baku, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects. The building’s curved façade seamlessly blends the interior and exterior spaces by encapsulating specific Center operations.
