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The Den Makes a Comeback
Cozy up in a small room with wood paneling, fireplace and furniture meant for reading and conversation
Rebekah Zaveloff, owner and principal designer of KitchenLab, co-founder of Design in a Bag.com and Houzz contributor. I'm a self-professed tile nut and believer in good design for all! You can also visit me at: http://kitchenlabdesign.com and http://designinabag.com
Rebekah Zaveloff, owner and principal designer of KitchenLab, co-founder... More »
Over the past few years, I've noticed that many of my clients are less interested in great rooms and huge family rooms, and they're embracing the idea of the den again. Granted, I do a lot of remodeling of older homes with smaller rooms, so that may account for what I'm seeing.
The den is pretty much like a family room, except it's smaller and compartmentalized — not open to a kitchen or other space. I grew up in an era of dens, and somewhere along the line the den turned into the family room or media room and got a lot bigger. I am thrilled to see their return, with or without a television. Here are some examples that fit into my nostalgic walk down memory lane and illustrate the den's classic elements.
More: 7 Stately Study Essentials
The den is pretty much like a family room, except it's smaller and compartmentalized — not open to a kitchen or other space. I grew up in an era of dens, and somewhere along the line the den turned into the family room or media room and got a lot bigger. I am thrilled to see their return, with or without a television. Here are some examples that fit into my nostalgic walk down memory lane and illustrate the den's classic elements.
More: 7 Stately Study Essentials
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Leather: If the sofa isn't leather, having one leather chair can create the den feel, and if it's studded or tufted even better.
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by Stonewood, LLC
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| Wood paneling: Warm wood walls are iconic. It doesn't matter whether they're original Old-World panels or '70s remakes — I think they're fabulous either way. This dark moody room feels like a library but might double as the TV room. |
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| Stuffed and cozy: In lieu of leather, a den might have casual slipcovered furniture. It can be smaller than family rooms, and the furniture can be larger and feel almost over-stuffed. That creates a wonderful sense of coziness and intimacy. |
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| Sofa and chairs: Opt for a sofa and chairs in lieu of a sectional. A sectional is designed for television viewing, whereas a separate sofa and chairs can be easily arranged for conversation rather than TV. Mixing up the types and styles of chairs is a good way to achieve the look. |
Or go for chairs and ottomans only for a den that's all about reading and reflecting.
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| A fireplace. A den with a fireplace makes a cozy room even cozier. There's something about having a fireplace in the room, even in summer when you're not using it. |
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Small rooms: Many older homes have awkward small rooms — maybe it's a small dining room or unoccupied first-floor bedroom. Transform it into a grown-up den.
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| Bookshelves: If you have a larger space, break up the room into two spaces: one area for bookshelves, a game table and a reading nook, and the other for the den. |
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Office den: Turn your home office into something more by creating a den-like feel with dark walls, layered rugs, and a cozy spot to curl up with a book.
Next: More ideas for dens
Next: More ideas for dens
Comments
typingmonkey Fab! Love every room, especially the small ones. My little bungalow was built in '24 so my rooms are tiny. Love seeing real-life, small room ideas.
19 months ago · Like
Frisson I'm thrilled to see the return of the den, too. I love the intimacy and coziness. Great IB!
19 months ago · Like
Holly Marder Lovely ideabook!
19 months ago · Like
Bright Bold and Beautiful I love cozy dens, especially with a real fireplace!
19 months ago · Like
nancypeterson10 hurrah! a favorite.....snuggle down with a good book, display interesting finds, get out that old globe(even if the countries have been re-named since you acquired it). dens are rooms of interest and hibernation. really bored with "openness"!
19 months ago · Like
Anna Baskin Lattimore Design Great article! My family of five used to crowd into a tiny den when I was a kid. We never used our "great room". I would love to see more stories about designing rooms with wood paneling too.
19 months ago · Like
Jennifer Johnson I like the idea of an open great room but with a separate cozy library. A lot of these spaces would work well as a library or a den.
19 months ago · Like
harmon43 We have a summer cottage where the main living area is open concept. The TV may be on, someone is in the kitchen cooking, card games at the table and the noise level can get out of control at times. It works great because there is constant milling around and going in and out of screen doors. But at home the rest of the year we enjoy the privacy and the intimacy and the quiet of our smaller rooms. No "across-the-room conversations" or annoying sounds of pots and pans or water running.
19 months ago · Like
ambiadecorator love the den! not really a fan of the openness of great rooms!
19 months ago · Like
Rebekah Zaveloff Thanks everyone - glad to know I'm not alone in being a fan of this small and cozy room!! Thanks for the comments!
19 months ago · Like
jenny1963 Sarah Susanka sometimes refers to it as an "away room." Great ideabook!
19 months ago · Like
Samantha Jayne Gorgeous - What us English would call a study or sitting room...
17 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Nov. 2, 2011.
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