Mansion - The "modern" Mansion

The "modern" Mansion

Mansions built during the last and present centuries usually have specially designed rooms meant to accommodate leisure activities of a particular kind. Many will have a conservatory or greenhouse, while others will have an infinity pool or a home theatre. Some have all of these features. The relative importance of these specially designed rooms changes with the times: At the beginning of the 20th century no true mansion would have been built without a room to house a private library or office, while at the beginning of the 21st century the presence of a room designed for a home theatre or cinema is a must. Most recently, mansions have been built with integrated domotics.

A modern mansion today may not necessarily be limited to a single house standing alone. Compounds, or a grouping of larger houses have become more popular. The Kennedy Compound is an example of one family building surrounded by large houses on a single plot. There is no single accepted size where a big house would instead be called a "mansion". As the word itself derives from the Latin word mansiō ("act of remaining or staying"), many city villas suitable for receiving guests are operated as bed and breakfasts, like Valencia Mansion in Spain.