Family Room Decorating

Who said, “The more things change, the more they stay the same?" The family rooms of today certainly aren’t the “front rooms” of yesteryear.

To most of us, the family room is truly a fun room. It’s a room for lively conversation, family fun, playing games, watching TV, or simply reading and relaxing. So when thinking about decorating your family room, think about stylish and casual furnishings that aren’t pretentious, but more easy going in style and feeling.

Seating can be anything you want—from a deeply seated sectional sofa, to a gently curved sofa, with accompanying side chairs and ottoman…..consider your furniture selections to be comfortable before all else.

Since family rooms focus on entertaining, consider adding game tables to encourage those late night family games. Storage is  also be a consideration. It’s important for games, Wii accessories and video game consoles to all have their own special “hiding” place, yet be accessible.

If you have a fireplace, make it one of the room’s focal points by decorating the mantel with seasonal decorations. Using a large mirror or art sculpture above the fireplace also adds architectural interest. During the warmer months set it with a flower arrangement or candles to keep the look fresh.

Don’t forget to create a cozy nook for reading. A comfortable chair and good lighting is all that is required. A small side table for your coffee or tea completes the space!

Lighting your family room is another key element in a successful overall design plan. Task lighting is a definite consideration, whether accomplished with decorative lamps or an overhead fixture. In a large room use both floor and table lamps to provide soft lighting for each area.