As the place we watch TV, relax after a hard day at work, and spend time with family, it’s fair to say the living room plays an important role in our lives. Since we spend so much time in this room, we believe it needs to reflect our position in life, personality, and other character traits.

 

Despite this idealistic view, we understand that living rooms can quickly become storage spaces and children’s playrooms. Rather than relaxing and forgetting the stressful day, we find ourselves walking through an obstacle course full of toy cars and play phones.

 

Let’s take back the living room!

 

Step 1: Consider Your Lifestyle

 

Firstly, we recommend asking yourself some questions to uncover who you are and where you are in life right now. For example, are you single and like to spend time at home? Do you have friends over frequently? Are you and your partner never home because of work commitments and travel? Is there a group of you and the living room is the main shared area? Do you have interests that are considered unique or eclectic?

 

 

Step 2: Think About Floor Space

 

Next up, we like to move onto floor space because this is more important than you might think. For those with an infant, they need space to explore and play on a blanket. If you like to practice yoga, you need space for a mat. After considering your lifestyle, the floor space is often the best starting place because it may require a reduction in furniture.

 

Step 3: Build YOUR Living Room

 

From here, it’s time to create a living room that reflects your lifestyle and allows for exactly what YOU need. While it’s great to read ideas online, you need to be able to relax in your own way. Here are three examples;

 

 

• Readers - For those who like nothing better than to sit on a rainy Sunday afternoon and lose themselves in a gripping novel, perhaps the most important feature is a comfortable lounge chair. Then, you might add a bookshelf, lamp, coffee table, and these sorts of additions.

 

• Entertainers - Friday comes around and everybody looks to you for a plan? Whether it’s a wine tasting or a simple gathering to watch sport, the focus here should be seating, a big TV, surfaces for drinks/snacks, and maybe even a freestanding bar (if the budget stretches!).

 

• Parents - If you have children, it’s important to manage clutter otherwise you’ll be back reading this guide again in no time. Therefore, look at storage and consider fun bean bag chairs and floor pillows.

 

Even after these examples, you might have hobbies that require a certain layout. Do you like to play video games, complete puzzles, or keep cats? It’s time to break away from the mold and choose a living room design that matches your lifestyle and your needs!