Do you have a living room that you want to be super stylish… but also family friendly? And do you also happen to have a loving spouse that has completely different taste in interior design schemes? Welcome to the dilemma of approximately 100 million households across America.
Aside from the kitchen, the living or family room is the place where your family most likely congregates for some quality time whether that means doing homework, working on your favorite hobby or just sitting down as a family to enjoy a good TV show.
The key to a good living room design is to embrace your style but amplify the functionality at every turn. Building on open-plan living, find creative ways to utilize space without filling it up with large amounts of furniture. It’s normal for budget conscious families to try to use all the furniture they have amassed over the life of their family- this can frequently result in the space feeling disjointed with no real rhyme or reason to the design. Chaotic color choices may bring more confusion to the space. Solutions can range from innovative storage to just plain ‘ole decluttering.
Always determine your focal point which may be a really great fireplace, a large picture window overlooking your lake view or just a really great piece of furniture. Make sure all the items in the room complement that focal point even if they are not an exact match.
Choose a paint color that belies your personality. If you have warring sentiments for color choices with part of your family gravitating toward bright reds and yellows while others favor soft grays – choose a darker neutral. You can always add brightly colored accessories but it is much harder to change a paint color.
Make room for everyone- the larger your family, the more challenging it can be to infuse the space with touches that speak to everyone. Obviously you want to encourage a layout that promotes quality family time. Make sure there is enough seating to accommodate everyone in your family- this could be accomplished by sofas and chairs but could also incorporate comfy-but-cute pouch ottomans or cozy bean bag chairs for kids and teens. Find a coffee table that also has storage beneath that can keep games on hand for a little family fun.
Light up the room with various types of lighting- pendants for decorative flair, floor lamps for muted ambiance, and standard ceiling lights when you need to light up the room. Having different types of lighting is an easy way to adjust the feel of the room based on your mood.
Finally…furniture. If you are trying to make the most of your money you may be recycling your current sofa or sectional. Add bright pillows or a nice throw. You may be able to invest in some fun accent chairs which are functional but also add a little pizazz. End tables and coffee tables that have drawers or storage are great for adding hidden storage.
If your home does not have the open floor plan that makes family living flow you may want to consider taking out some of the dividing walls. The key to that is making sure you engage a licensed and insured general contractor that can evaluate the structural aspects as well as provide interior design guidance to insure your investment creates the perfect space!
