For most families, the lounge or living room is the place where they spend most of their time together. Some families eat in this room, play together, crowd around the TV for family movie nights, chat on the sofa, read stories, dance and even, nowadays, do family workouts with the help of YouTube. Unlike bedrooms, which are designed to suit their occupier’s taste, and kitchens and bathrooms which are built with practicality in mind, our lounges need to be more.
A family lounge needs to appeal to the whole family. It needs to give you all space to enjoy your hobbies and interests. It needs to be relaxing and ideally, it needs to be cosy, warming and comforting. It should be for the whole family, and so it can be much harder to design. Here are some ideas to help you to create a comforting lounge that appeals to everyone.
Add a Fireplace
Perhaps the easiest way to add a cosy atmosphere to any room in your home is by adding a fireplace. Victorian fireplaces from stonewoods.co.uk are trendy, warming and always cosy. They look fantastic, they are efficient, and they add a bold look to your décor. A fireplace adds a focal point to gather around, and it’s normally easy to childproof the area if your children are still young.
Include More Seating Than You Need
Your lounge should have enough comfortable seating for your whole household to be able to sit together. But ideally, if you have the space, it should have more than enough to give you options and a chance to stretch out and relax while you are watching a movie. You don’t want everyone squashed together or to find that someone must sit on the floor if you have guests over.
Don’t Forget Tables
A large coffee table can be great for storage and décor. But smaller side tables can also be ideal for drinks, snacks, and books.
Create Zones
In smaller lounges, it can be hard to create zones, and so you might prefer to move larger items of furniture to the edges so that you’ve got a bigger open space to enjoy. But if you have got plenty of room, creating zones can be an effective way to bring in everything your family needs and wants. Group seating together so that you are facing each other to encourage open conversation away from screens, and add a play zone for toys and games.
Add Texture
Soft textures create comfort and add depth to your décor. They also give options. A soft rug on the floor and cushions on the sofa mean that everyone can get comfy on the floor with a board game. Throws mean that it’s easy to snuggle up for books and films. You can also use soft furnishings and textiles to add colour to your room.
Include Storage
Easy storage options like shelves and drawers give the room flexibility and help to keep things tidy. This is essential in any multipurpose room.
Above all, your lounge needs to be hardwearing. With every purchase, make sure you buy things that are built to last and that can withstand the rigours of family life. Then you’ll have a lounge that the whole family can enjoy.
