image via Viscsi Elson Interior Design
The family room. This is where we can kick back and just be ourselves. We don’t have to sit up straight and cross our legs at the ankles. It’s truly a family-friendly space and should be treated as such. This is not the place for family heirlooms and expensive antiques, Picasso, Cezanne and Eduard Manet are all better suited for the dining room or the formal living room. The family room is for a casual, comfortable and almost irreverent attitude. The family room is not a play room. Children may not jump on or off (or on and off) of furniture. Footballs aren’t to be tossed around and creative young ones are best keeping their paints and indelible markers elsewhere. But the family room is just that – a family room – where we sometimes also entertain dear friends for casual get togethers. Games will be played in this room – from Parcheesi to Sorry to Charades and perhaps even a little bit of Hide and Go Seek. Food and drink will be enjoyed in this space. Perhaps a family pizza night, or a bowl of popcorn enjoyed while curled up in blankets as we watch a family movie on a chilly fall night. Likely beverages will spill and pizza and popcorn will fall despite our greatest efforts. Teenagers will make great use of this room whether watching movies, playing video games or just hanging out with bags of chips and cans of soda (or pop – depending on where you live!) This is certainly not the room for your finest silks and linens. Durable, darker and patterned fabrics are best for those families with young children. This is a room not to fret over. This is a room to be enjoyed by everyone.
This room is the room that best represents your family’s personality. It should be durable yet pleasant enough to relax in. A well designed family room is child friendly without feeling like a nursery or children’s room. Large pieces of furniture such as armoires are ideal for storing large and often unsightly plastic toys and games, art supplies and any other child-related paraphernalia. Bright, colorful pillows add a sense of comfort and casual elegance to your room and may very well end up as very important fort construction material. Artwork can add a sense of your family’s style and personality to your space. This is a great room to display collected sea shells, driftwood and other holiday memorabilia. A great family room is one that is welcoming, comfortable and relaxing while being energizing.
And then there is football season… This season where boys of all ages gather and take over this room to scream and cheer their teams on… Go Pats… Giants… Steelers… Broncos… Go Cowboys, Raiders and 69ers… Go Bears, Bills, Saints… Go Texans and Dolphins… And your family room must be able to accommodate such cheers and jeers… as well as a few beers!
Traditional Family Room by Los Angeles Interior Designers & Decorators Timothy Corrigan, Inc.