DESIGN RULES - Social spaces

Martin Hulbert and Jay Grierson of Martin Hulbert Design on inviting rooms for entertaining

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THE most important thing when you’re creating a space where you want to entertain is to design somewhere that has the right atmosphere, where everyone feels comfortable. When we entertain, we both like to make things as informal as possible. When you have people around to your home, it’s about having fun, relaxing, enjoying each other. You don’t want to create an interior that’s stark and stiff and pretentious.

One of the first things to consider with the room’s layout is seating. Even if we’re designing a hotel or a restaurant, we like to think about how a big country house drawing room might be laid out. Different types of furniture, from sofas and formal chairs to stools of different heights, help break the space into different zones, and allow people to move around freely. A small table the height of a dining table in one corner can be a good place for people to perch. We often have stools that live underneath the coffee table, which prevents the room looking like a sea of chairs.

Sound is an important thing to consider when you’re designing a room that will be filled with people. Having enough soft furnishings is essential to prevent that tinny sound, which guests might not consciously notice, but it will leave them feeling strange.