Family Living

The living room is that wonderful place that families spend time together.  Creating a space that is warm and inviting versus fancy and off limits can still be beautiful and designed for everyone to use.

Reflecting on your lifestyle and how you want to use that space is a great starting point to designing a room that can be enjoyed everyday. 

Regardless if it’s a new build or you are wanting to freshen up and revamp what you already have, the function of the room will help in creating the overall design.

These are some things to consider…

• Will there be a television?  
• Fireplace –  either fixed or placed?
• Specifically how much seating are you looking for?  Daily family use and social gatherings?
• What type of storage do you require?  
• Is what you are storing aesthetically pleasing or do the items need to be tucked away?
• Where are your outlets and switches located?  
• What is the lighting situation?  Is it sufficient?  Do you require more? 
• Is the space directly connected to other rooms or is there division?  

Once you are able to make some decisions spend some time in your living room and pay attention to the lighting and how it changes throughout the day. 

If you are choosing to repaint you will want to buy or make large paint samples and place them on the walls to see how the light reflects at different times of day.  Determine if that is the mood you are wanting to create with your selections. 

Next think of the larger items that you want to include within the space as a base to begin the layout.  Keep in mind how the traffic will flow, you want to make sure you have sufficient room to comfortably walk around furniture, coffee tables, and such. 

If your living room is larger, creating multiple seating spaces for different activities is a good way maximize the use of the space and gives you a different experience depending on where you sit. 

Think tall when you are working with small.  Emphasizing the vertical proportions of the room will trick the eye and make the room look bigger than it is.

Only bring items that are necessary into the room to avoid clutter.  Be creative with storage solutions.  Personalizing your living room with family photos or older pieces helps create a story within the space.  

Some rooms are gifted with character and others it is something you will have to create.  Don’t be afraid to add some glam!  Just because it is for a family to use doesn’t mean it can’t feel elegant.  Although there is structure to designing a room you can break rules and have some fun! 

Creating a living room that is aligned with your lifestyle and surrounded by your favourite things and the people that you love is surely something to be enjoyed for years to come!