Along with the kitchen, the family room is one of the most important social spots of the home. It’s where your family gathers to spend time together, and often the spot where our guests spend time too. The perfect family room is designed to give ample space for family and visitors alike. Because it’s such an important area, being intentional about your design choices is paramount to having a fully functional and inviting family room. Here are five tips from our expert designers on how to take this space to the next level.
1. Plan Your Space
Many people find themselves falling in love with a specific decorating style only to discover that it doesn’t work in their space. Rest assured, with a bit of planning, you can make a small space seem more spacious or add intimate details to bring warmth and coziness to a large one. A good place to start planning your perfect family room is to list all of the functions the space serves for your family, as well as any additional purposes you have in mind for the room. This will inform your choices as far as selecting family room furniture, the placement of walkthroughs, or even the designation of a portion of the room for other purposes, such as a desk area if you do not have a home office in another part of the house.
2. Super Seating and Fab Fabrics
Seating arrangement is an important consideration as you seek to elevate your space. If your family room is frequently a conversation area, you will want seating options that face each other. If the room is primarily used for television watching, you will want seating that provides a clear view of the television. Fabric choice is equally as important as furniture arrangement as you reimagine your space. If children or pets are regularly in the family room, consider easy-to-clean options.
For an added family room upgrade, explore home theater and power reclining seating options. Motion furniture offers extra comfort for movie nights and often allows for each person to customize their reclining position. If you want to go the extra mile, shop for seating with power features such as USB ports for charging your electronics, therapeutic heating and power lumbar support.
3. A Space for Movie Nights
Family rooms are commonly used for TV watching and movie nights. Often, the placement of the television and entertainment components are at the forefront of family room design as they need to have space where there are ample outlets and no window glare. Invest in a cabinet-style tv stand to stow away unsightly cords and electronics. Alternatively, cut down on cluttered floor space with wall-mounted options, narrow entertainment centers, or even floating shelves to act as storage.
4. Multi-Functional Living Room Tables
The term “occasional table” refers to small tables that do not have a specific use. This doesn’t mean they’re irrelevant! On the contrary, living room tables are essential in a family room. Within the family of occasional tables, you’ll find coffee tables, lamp tables, cocktail tables and ottomans. Overall, these living room tables provide space for television watchers to set their drink and, if you’ll allow it, rest their feet. Ideally, place a table near each sitting area, allowing ample room for family and friends to navigate the room without bumping into furniture!
Star’s pro tip: Choose a coffee table that can do double duty as a casual dining table for movie and pizza nights. It’s a great tradition!
5. Accents and Accessories
Accessories and accent pieces such as mirrors, lamps, rugs, artwork, or decorative pillows are where color preferences and style choices make an entrance to complete the look of your room. A good method to use when determining the decor of your family room is to think of the room in layers, planning the main statement piece (such as an area rug or a piece of artwork) first, and then designing the other elements of the room around those pieces.
Step Up Your Family Room at Star Furniture
Your family room should be a comfortable, functional reflection of your own design preferences. It should provide a space for family members and guests to gather, unwind and enjoy cozy movie nights. If you’re in need of some inspiration for how to step up your family room design game, visit Star Furniture! Our designers are here to provide the inside scoop on the latest and greatest in family room furnishings.
If you enjoyed this blog, read this one about how to work with a big sofa in a small space.