After years of saving up, you’ve finally purchased the house of your dreams. It’s spacious and has not only a living room but a family room as well.
While you’re ecstatic to have both rooms in your new home, you’re a bit confused about how exactly you should go about furnishing these rooms. You’re tempted to select a similar layout for both, but your gut is telling you that there’s more to selecting furniture for them than that.
Further still, this whole living room vs. family room debate you’re having in your head is making it hard to believe that there’s any room left for your own personal interior decorating style.
So…what are these conventions? And are they as limiting as you think?
Let’s find out.
Living Room Furniture
Your living room is the center of your home, and there is a very traditional layout that is associated with living rooms. They typically include a sofa or two, an entertainment system, some tables, and some storage. Some even have a desktop computer, which is a modern twenty-first-century addition to the room.
When selecting furniture for your living room, style should be your priority. The living room isn’t designed for much play, which is what allows homeowners to play up the design elements of their living rooms.
The furniture you choose should be more formal than the furniture you choose for your family room since the living room is often used to entertain for formal events. We also recommend situating your furniture in a way that maximizes the light that enters the living room so that the center of your home can be nice and bright.
Family Room Furniture
Family rooms have a purpose that differs from that of the living rooms. If play rather than work is what a member of your family is looking for, the family is definitely the more suitable place for it.
As a result, family rooms are all about function and less about style. They’re usually equipped with expansive entertainment systems that include video games and stereo systems. You’re also more likely to see cozy pieces such as recliners in these rooms.
All in all, the furniture should be all about comfort. That said, it’s not unreasonable to think that the furniture in your family room will be less expensive or less formal than the furniture for your living room.
Living Room Vs. Family Room: The Major Distinction
So…living room vs. family room furniture. What’s the major distinction?
The occasion, as it turns out.
Having said this, don’t be too concerned about following the “rules.” It’s your home, and you should do what’s good for you and your family.
Because the only rules that matter in your household are the ones that you set.
In any case, we’d love to hear from you, so feel free to contribute to the discussion in the comment section below. How do you go about choosing your living room and family room furniture?