The Great Room

The Great Room is centrally located in the home.  Its dimensions are thirty-five feet by twenty-six feet (35' x 26'), plus piano alcove (with a total square footage of just under 1000 square feet).  The piano alcove is elevated six-inches (6") from the main floor to add definition to the space (perfect for a nine-foot Steinway concert grand piano). 

The ceiling is twenty-three feet (23') high, and the detail within the ceiling is meant to reflect the grandeur of the room.  Recessed lighting gives the impression of a "starry night."   The stars are reflected in the opposing ten-foot mirrors adorning two massive fireplaces on opposite ends of the room. 

The two round windows give the great room somewhat of a "nautical" feel, perfect for an ocean side landscape.  Beneath these, two sets of french doors provide access to exterior entertaining, and flank the piano alcove.

The room is lavishly appointed with strong trim accents (fluted pilasters), appropriate for the scale of the room.  The fireplaces are trimmed with luxurious black granite, and the floor is composed of a polished limestone.

Entry to the room is via three large doorways, leading from the central gallery.  Curved balconies of with wrought iron balusters allow a bird's-eye-view of the room from the second floor central gallery.

 

The Great Room - Fireplaces

What mansion would be complete without fireplaces.  In fact, the Great Room has two!

These are no ordinary fireplaces.  The mantel ledge sits at five-feet, four-inches tall (5'4"), with an overall width of eight-feet, four-inches (8'4").  A set of fluted pilasters sit atop the fireplace, topped with a rounded lintel, transforming the fireplace ensemble into a two story structure.  A large mirror (which itself is over 10 feet tall!) reflects light, contributing to the sense of vastness of this room.

When designing fireplaces, it is important to consider the scale of the room.  Fireplaces that are too small make the room look awkward and paradoxically "stick out like a sore thumb."  The great room, with its thirty-five-foot width (35') requires a large fireplace as a complement.  In fact, this room is on such a large scale that two fireplaces (one at each end of the room) have been included. 

The days of using fireplaces as a primary source of heat may be gone, but preserved is the function of providing a venue for engaging conversation.