How to Design a Family Room That Suits the Whole Family
It’s not called a “family room” for no reason. This important space in the home is dedicated to serving as a retreat for everyone in the home whenever they feel the need to chill out, play, and just hang with loved ones. Based on this description of what a family room is and should be, it needs to be designed and decorated accordingly. High-quality family time should be the main focus when coming up with design strategies and blueprints that will create the perfect ambiance and functionality while still reflecting your personal tastes and style.
Keep the following tips in mind when designing a family room that the whole crew will love.
Choose Pieces With Relaxation in Mind
Take a moment to think about exactly what you and your family members will be doing in your newly-designed family room; namely, hanging out, relaxing and playing. With that in mind, consider the types of furniture that would be conducive to such leisurely activity.
Outfit the space with casual, comfortable sofas and chairs that don’t show stains very readily. Choose plush upholstery that won’t start feeling too stiff after just a few minutes of sitting on it. Ramp up the comfort factor with plush throw pillows and blankets, and don’t forget to add a coffee table or end tables where you can conveniently set your drinks or snacks down without having to get out of your seat.
Have Fun With Color, Textiles, and Textures
You want to have a family room with pieces that camouflage any fingerprints, spills, and crayon marks. The colors you choose can do wonders at masking these inevitable remnants of mishaps, so a white velvet couch is probably not ideal.
Go for colors that either stimulate energy or entice relaxation, such as reds or blues, respectively. Add some fun texture and textiles that will add some personality to the space. If you’re a little hesitant about adding bold colors and patterns to your space, start small by dedicating them only to understated accessories.
Let in Light
Ample light is crucial in every room in the home, and the family room is no exception. The more natural light you can let in, the better, so be sure to maximize the natural light coming in from your family room’s windows by hanging sheer shades that won’t block in light while still creating some privacy. You can also add darker, heavier shades on top that can be easily opened and closed as the need for additional privacy arises.
Add dimmer switches to allow you to adjust the ambiance in the room to suit your desired mood. Be sure to also include task lighting for things such as reading or homework as well.
Leave Enough Space For Play
Don’t overload your family room with furniture and decor – you’ll leave little room for some much-needed floor play, especially for younger tots. Dedicated areas for the kids to do the things they love without you being worried about them bumping into anything or knocking things over. Add just enough furnishings that will provide ample seating without covering almost every square inch of floor space. If your family regularly plays games, consider setting up a game table and chairs if the space permits.
Add a Personal Touch
Don’t be afraid to showcase who lives in your home, and the best way to do that is to hang family photos, the kids’ artwork, and other family artifacts. Out of all the rooms in the home, the family room is the ideal place to put items such as these on display to complement other accessories that decorate the space.
Don’t Forget About Traffic and Flow
The family room rivals spaces like kitchens and bathrooms in terms of foot traffic. Not only will you and your immediate family be in and out of the family room day in and day out, so will friends and other family members. Taking that into consideration, make sure that the flooring material of the space accommodates a lot of foot traffic. Hardwood floors are solid choices as they are easy to keep clean. You can always soften it up with an area rug that will also add a little flair to the floor.
Wall-to-wall carpeting is also a good choice in terms of adding warmth and comfort – just keep in mind that it’s a lot harder to keep clean compared to wood flooring and might not do much for the resale value of your home should you decide to sell sometime in the near future.
The Bottom Line
When designing a comfy, cozy, stylish family room in your home, be sure to consider exactly how the space will be used by each family member while still sticking to your tastes and style needs. If necessary, consider enlisting the help of a seasoned interior designer who can put you on the right path to the perfect design. At the very least, you can probably get some useful tips just from the consultation alone.
