Heidan Construction is here with our fourth installment of our contemporary remodel guide. Now that we’ve covered the specifics of the living room, it’s time to move on to the more personal communal space – the den. Check out how you can turn your den into a contemporary dream.
Entertainment Space
The living room is for more proper hosting. However, the den is meant for family entertainment or entertaining friends on movie night. Because this space is meant to be comfortable and fun for the whole family, it’s important to design with your everyday needs in mind.
To start, you’ll need some seating. For many families, one couch is sufficient, but for bigger families two may be necessary. However, because seating in a den is usually focused on the TV, there’s a better alternative to two couches. Placing one couch facing the TV and adding an armchair or recliner on either side of it, angled toward the TV is a great choice.
Armchairs are a great way to make your den contemporary, even when it’s comfortable. They provide seating and they add a little class as an addition to your, undoubtedly, cozier couch. Use your armchairs as an opportunity for color. A throw placed at an angle over the back or a pillow placed on the seat looks great and is functional too.
Open Concept
In contemporary styles, open concept is important. It allows a kind of openness and flow into a room that, otherwise, would feel stifling. If your den is placed in the basement, this usually isn’t an issue. Basement dens tend to take up most of the floor, excepting, perhaps, a bathroom or bedroom. Whereas, if your den is on the same floor as your living room or is in the bottom half of a split-level, you might want some adjustments.
When having a home renovation done, it’s completely possible to remove dividing walls if they don’t contain necessary supports. Of course, if your den and living room are on the same floor, you won’t want to remove any dividing walls between them. However, allowing the den to open up to the kitchen is always a great move. Having a breakfast bar between your kitchen and den is both more functional and more spacious.
Entertainment
Aside from the bones of the den, the potential for entertainment is also important. A great choice for a contemporary remodel is having built-in shelving put in for your TV and accessories. If one, main wall is given 3 columns of built-in shelving, the TV can be centered and surrounded on both sides by entertainment. If you want an especially contemporary style choice, use glass shelf panes for your built-in shelving. Glass shelving is unmistakably contemporary and it looks fantastic.
Den shelving is best outfitted in books, games, movies, consoles, and TV accessories. Just remember, leave at least a small part of the space looking more open. Densely packed shelves go against the general aesthetic of contemporary interior design. Leaving one or two shelves open for small pieces of sparsely-placed decor will help break up the intensity of your movie collection.
Contemporary Remodel Time
When you’re ready to move your home from the 1960s to the 20-teens with a contemporary remodel, give us a call. Heidan Construction has almost 2 decades of experience in remodeling homes for Toronto. We look forward to doing the same for you.
