do you need two living rooms

It was great for parties, but day-to-day we never went over to the fireplace side. Owls4me do you ever wish for a quiet space? It’s also known as a front room. Before making your decision, look at the ceiling height to determine how that will affect the feel of the rooms. Both the living room and the family room are two important areas in a house. It has a big L-shaped sectional and more seating in the form of stools and armchairs. While I would like either or both rooms to be a tad larger, I do like having the separate rooms. That way you could make it one large space for entertaining and two for daily use. On the right side by the fireplace we had a love seat and two chairs. Home Decor. That was fine until one day, in order to be in the kitchen with me my BIL and SIL squeezed themselves onto two chairs at the wall that were shoved between my dishwasher and the dining table. I would open the two with good sized French doors, maybe with sidelights, if you can come up with a good furniture arrangement for that. It was a different time, without floating furniture, but was very odd, like people were on distant islands as we visited. Do All the Rooms in a Home Need to Have the Same Color Scheme?. Check out chas architects for more inspiration and inspiring projects. My vote is for a big room, you can do so much with it as far as re-arranging furniture, and people won't feel so crowded. We have two seating areas..sorta. A hobby room, an office space, a library, children’s play area, a billiard room and a bar, an exercise room and a craft room are few of the options available. Shelves can be built in along the front wall and DR entrance wall. We have an extra bedroom for our office, and an extra bedroom where the big TV and SS are.). ;). My large space is tied in with the kitchen area so it is unavailable for showing until around Thanksgiving when I hope to be close enough to complete to post pictures. ;). Because of their informal look, they often seem more comfortable. Arranging two couches in one living room may be standard fare if you frequently entertain or if the room is large. We have one larger room. Two loveseats. Another option — especially if you don’t have a TV in your living room — is to use two … The most basic and functional living room furniture layout is to … Nothing says summer like a hammock — and it's easier to have one in your yard, or even an indoor room, than you may think, Seven Houzz users show off their clever solutions to having two — but not too many — cooks in the kitchen, Take your dining table from fall to winter with one basic setup and natural decor you may already have, Juice up a small garden with one of these easier-care or worth-the-effort fruit trees for a mild climate, Get an edible that’s long on flavor even if you’re short on space, with a long-time gardener’s favorite picks, An architect discusses the pros and cons of double vs. solo sinks and offers advice for both, Subdividing a Melbourne backyard opens up space to build a second home on this family's property, Choose your style slant: classic or glam. It is however a part of an open floor plan area and the sofa table acts as a divider. Across from the couch, we put a small TV in the base cabinet on the peninsula, so that we can watch the news with our breakfast and coffee before work, but it's behind a door where visitors do not see it. The two living spaces are divided by a galley kitchen in the middle. As for the accent details, they are often decorated with artwork and other less-personalized elements. It has a pocket door. But, I like two separate rooms. It gives so much more room for everyone. They say that the first thing a visitor sees when they enter your house should immediately tell them something about who lives there. In your case I would open up the medium sized kitchen into the dining room, if you can, to make one large space. My cabinets arrived yesterday! We've all been there before: standing in the middle of an empty room, scratching our heads to figure out how to best place the furniture. We have two living rooms (had teenagers when building). This is part of a home designed by Charles Todd Helton Architect. I'm having trouble understanding the setup you have, looking at the photos. Sorry for the ramble - guess I'm full of words this morning. Sometimes it’s connected to the dining room. Carve out a cozy tete-a-tete area where two people can have a quiet chat and not feel totally exposed to the whole room. A family room is more informal and often serves as a multipurpose space. I am a huge fan of the formal dining room. Seriously, when one of the first things you see is a dining table set up for eight, and a hand-carved (my hands!) The biggest problem right now is the furniture we have in it and that is being worked on. Have a main area for the most people to sit and visit, but then carve out those destination spaces, too. "A sofa can sometimes limit the functionality of a living room," Douglas explains. One thing I realized a long time ago is how design tastes vary by region. I have two living rooms and two dining areas plus one in the kitchen so we have space. On the right side we had the TV, a sofa a chair/ottoman and another small side chair. Jul 27, 2015 - Long living room features two separate sitting areas. Those of you with kiddos, if one room were dark, but close to the kitchen and the other lighter, but disconnected from kitchen - what room would you make for playing? Hi - We are trying to decide if we should take down the wall between our 2 living rooms, to make it 30x16. Ok. As the price of sound systems and televisions went down, they appeared in several rooms and no longer did the family need to gather in the living room for entertainment. What is your experience in this way? In this case, I would pull the two chairs and table in to complete the seating arrangement with the couch, put a coffee table in the middle, and put all of that under one large area rug (larger than 5x7). While there are many living rooms with a fireplace, there are many without a fireplace.A fireplace is definitely not a prerequisite for a living room.In fact, many new homes these days use only gas fireplaces if they put one in at all. Having a plan for the arrangement is a good idea, too, as it looks like you're considering, since you might use this remodeling time to add a FP or window if needed. It was a huge room. I struggle with what the focal point(s) should be: fireplace, TV, lovely view, all of these? Maybe get a game table for one of the corners. If you have the luxury of two living areas, one is usually a formal living room or lounge room, reserved for reading, relaxing and entertaining. Just something to consider. According to Joan DeJean, writing for the New York Times, living rooms started out as formal display spaces for welcoming guests in the 17th century, but slowly morphed into the more casual gathering spaces that we know today. Generally, the family room is adjacent to the kitchen and, in some cases, it becomes a part of the kitchen itself. We have French doors that can shut off the living room, which we planned to insure some extra peace and quiet from the tv and the kids when needed. If you plan to use it in a space where two rooms connect—such as a living room and dining room with an open arch—treat the two rooms as one, as the air will … It can be a bit of a challenge to make the space feel warm. Not helpful, I know. Copyright © 2008-2021 - All Rights Reserved. I like two separate living areas in a room, and I like "floating" furniture. The terms “living room” and “drawing room” were often used interchangeably in the world of interior design, but now there are even more terms for the social spaces of a home: “family room,” “den,” “study” and “great room” have sprung up … We tore out the wall between the kitchen and the living room and made it one big room. We have one living space here -- and we use the third bedroom for our home office/guest room. Now when you enter the house the first thing you see is this wide open great room, about 20 x 25 with windows on two sides to the back. But I could never get anyone to sit in the living room. The room was supposed to be a substitute for a basement play/fun area, but then our architect came back with the drawings and there was a large playroom upstairs for the kids. Designer Kyle Schuneman puts everything together for you with Houzz Products picks, Faced with a room that’s more than twice as long as it is wide, a designer divides and conquers. That already sets a casual atmosphere and allows both these spaces to look and feel bigger and more airy than they would have as individual separate rooms. This is probably … But we could have done that in the bedroom. We love orderly home as much as the next person, but there is such a thing as … Contemporary Home Office We do have other spaces if someone must watch TV that others don't want to hear (even though there's a TV that's kept in a cabinet in the "great room"). We have a 3 year old and visiting grandparents. Gosh, the kids have their own rooms, a ‘play room’ AND they need to play on the living room coffee table?! Having Rock Band in one room and Wii in the other is also quite useful for parties. One of the doors goes outside which leads me to think - hard flooring - not so good for floor play? They’re beautiful, elegant and they create a separate space for intimate gatherings or fun, frivolous celebrations. Also, what activities do older kids like to do in your home that need a separate same from the family - besides TV and Video games? {{!gwi}}From house plans{{!gwi}}From house plans{{!gwi}}From house plans. Along with the kitchen, the living room is the main common space in most family homes, but the exact nature of how to use it has been mysterious for a long time.. Figure out what furniture would work best and do you currently own this or will you need to figure this into the remodel?That said I love my big space for entertaining and my family of 4 never feels crowded. This family room designed by Element Home Builders has a beach-style décor which helps to make it look and feel bright and airy even though it’s not particularly large. We are actually days away from making 2 separate rooms, and doing a whole house remodel. Also, there’s no TV in here. I like having two. I think you also need to consider how you would use the room(s) in the future. Before the remodel, I had to hide the remote! If You Have Room for Only One Summer Crop ... Should You Have One Sink or Two in Your Master Bathroom? A similar fireplace and TV combo can also be seen in this elegant living room by studio Royal Oaks Design. It’s Too Symmetrical. Whether you’re opting for a classic living room or for a family room the design in both cases should be we welcoming and as comfortable as possible. To this end, you'll want to measure the room in your house where you're going to put the device and calculate the square footage. It's just wasted space. The kids are grown, so it's just my dh and myself. Once the furniture is in place, it's important to think about where to place the accessories. We also have a combo small den/office in a bedroom that wasn't being used, which is a nice *get-away* space, plus a large sunroom that we probably use as much as our living room. from the other room, if it's on at night and I'm reading, I still feel as though the reading/writing/thinking space is more serene. I'm in the mist of a major kitchen/laundry (mud) room renovation and I'm the GC. I want our home to be a place the kids feel comfortable bringing their friends without being cramped...which is what we are now. :0) We have a great room upstairs then a family room down stairs....no children .....so it's a workout room downstairs. I also like Pal's idea of pocket doors, so you can just close off a messy playroom on short notice. My uncle had a huuuge (formal) living room, but wider than half its length. Keep the look between the two rooms smooth and safe by ensure that proper transitions are installed between the spaces. And a rocker off to the side so I can rock my grandbabies. Need floor tile help for odd shaped bathroom!! I think having a den and a living room is very functional, esp with kids playing. Sometimes we wished we had built a second room but those times are generally fleeting. I do wish for quiet as my hardworking DH enjoys watching sports of all kinds during our long winters. It all depends on how you live. I hope to add on to my living room (now 15 X 20), so it will someday be 15 X 35. But they also have plenty of storage and a more or less classical layout. We like to entertain and wanted a comfortable room for us to enjoy hanging out with family and friends. A high ceiling is usually desirable, especially for a living room. And I look back and think we missed some great family times being in our own living rooms. A spacious living room with two large end tables on opposite sides of the room and a third smaller one tucked into the corner near the built-ins. I, personally, cannot stand to see a TV in a socializing area. When my six kids were younger, I needed two living rooms. We ended up with something no designer or pro-decorator would ever come up with: FIVE recliners in one room! Most homeowners who have formal living and dining rooms rarely use them (Thanksgiving and Christmas are but two days of the year). I have the living room set up for tv viewing/movie watching/reading and playing Rock Band on the PS3. ((tiny TV stored in armoire), BUT when we had long-term guests -- it would have been nice to have a reading/library-type space AND a TV/entertainment-type space (if they were far enough apart!). Living room décor usually focuses more on design and style and less on function. :). Your email address will not be published. Empty walls are a sign of an incomplete room. We enjoyed, it too when the kids were small. In this living room, the unusual combination of a daybed and two armless chairs face each other over a narrow coffee table. Will you want a separate space to relax when your 3 year old is a bit older? So right then I had to remodel. I wouldn't like the loss of privacy, esp if your family grows. When any family member has visitors, they go in there without having to 'uproot' other family members in family living room which is a more casual area and where you will find newspaper on coffee table or children playing with their toys- so formal room offers a quieter area too. As you start browsing furniture, decorating and wall ideas for your room, think about the space's desired purpose and focus on a few staple items, such as a comfortable sofa and a coffee table, then choose the rest of the accent furniture and wall decor accordingly. Posted in How To, Tips, and Advice on November 27, 2020, Your email address will not be published. At 30 x 16, the room might feel like a long bowling alley. If you have family/friends over often and the guys like their football or other sports it's oh so nice to have a place where the ladies, that don't care for watching and/or all the yelling, to sit and visit.If you prefer everyone to be in the same room and it works, I'd open the two up. With kids, though, I'd for sure want a separate room for them to hang out with friends and tv!Lynn. Start with a great sofa, then place a pair of chairs across from it. Is there one solid wall between the two rooms? LOL. Although there is no fireplace in this living room, the TV wall does have a beautiful stone texture on it and that contributes to creating a warm and cozy ambiance. This one has a wood surround that really suits the style of the room. Maybe in that corner put one of those stand-alone bars, if your games are accompanied by liquor! In fact, that was our plan as soon as we saw the two small rooms. Then you won’t be cramming a small table in the kitchen but would easily get a table and settee in the new opened up room. I figured the french doors would allow privacy, but not too much - thinking of those testosterone filled years. On the other hand, the first thing the family who bought our previous house did was to tear down the wall between the family room and living room. As you can see, this room also has large windows and a really nice view of the trees and the greenery outside. The living room is the most spacious room of the house and is usually at the heart of the house, occupying the front portion. Our home is split bedrooms, so even with guests there is a guestroom and bathroom on the other end of the house from the master suite. Our LR/DR is currently full of uncomfortable furniture so it is wasted real estate. The two rooms are 15x16 now. The living room is the space where we entertain guests and welcome friends and relatives. They will still be two separate rooms, but we'll have the option of keeping the doors open or closed. The family room also has the tv and it's leather furniture makes it very kid friendly.Our living room has our stereo system and has beautiful mountain and mesa views. In a family room, it’s customary to see framed family portraits, heirlooms and photos. I likle one big room. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home! The small family room is filled with the kids' toys and games, our computer and the Wii. The only furniture in that room are two desk chairs. A successful living room design is inviting, has enough seating for the whole clan – a comfortable couch is a must – and encourages conversation. I like having the larger room when we have company. I don't get it why we need so many living rooms, especially why the formal living if we already have family room downstairs and game room upstairs. Other interesting architectural features that can make a living room or family stand out include arched windows and doorways. So, go with what feels right for you and your family. It was a narrow room, given its length. Having fewer large furniture pieces will also streamline the look of the space, offering a cleaner aesthetic that feels less cluttered (even though it accommodates more guests). On the other hand, family rooms have to be flexible and versatile. I have a small sitting room off the LR but I don't use it, but it's there if a few people want to sit in there and chat. Stefan is the owner of Homedit.com – he started the site back in November 2008, from his passion for interior design and decorations and since then the site went from being a simple blog to one of the most popular home design websites on the web right now. I am wondering how you all use your formal living rooms. I don't need furniture to hold up my walls - they stay up on their own! I think when your kids are kids you may think two rooms are great, but when they're grown, you will wish you had spent every minute together. Furthermore, the bay windows allow a sitting nook to be added here, a place where the view can be admired from. Pushing the envelope can be invigorating, while crossing the line can be disastrous. In one large room you will lose a certain amount of wallspace for furniture, and will end up floating a lot of it. The room was original to the 1926 home, with 4 sets of French doors along one long wall that opened onto a patio, and the entrance from the hall in the center of the other long side. The entire living room would be SO much better without that coffee table (even using the trunk as the coffee table with a nice tray on it), losing the awkward Target chairs and the misfit chaise, plus, ditch the credenza…too many ;clunky’ bits ‘n’ bobs. Pick the chair you'd like to have in your living room! A faux-marble coffee table with a hidden storage option, so you'll have the perfect place to stash the … Our piano is also in this space and DD2 plays about an hour each day. Adapting the design to take advantage of this architectural feature can be challenging. This is where we go to listen to music, read, entertain or just relax in the quiet. The space would feel larger and more open, and be connected for entertaining or family time but also provide more privacy and noise control, with the ability to close the back room off if necessary. Sometimes it’s connected to the dining room. This doesn’t mean you need to fill every inch, but … Learn more. Do You Need a Formal Living Room or a More Casual Space? Home Office. I am not a fan of a little door mat right when you walk in someone's home. How Well Matched Do Rugs in Adjoining Rooms Have to Be? The media wall is thus one of the possible focal points but can also go unnoticed if the space is used for other activities that don’t involve it. The living room experienced a similar fate with the rise of informality. How To Incoporate Baby Into Your Christmas Display, Blah.. Stairwell need advice to make it better. Variety is the spice of your color scheme but you don't live in the Big Top so avoid jarring clashes when colorizing your whole home. We love throwing parties. Please know that I am bias toward the 'great room' concept today but 10 years ago when we purchased this house it was 2nd choice (to another house we didn't get) b/c I was intimidated by this big space. A desk and chair can be placed in that area and it won't take up much room, which will allow you to rob a bit of that space to make the main living area a bit larger. I would consider an opening between the two rooms with large pocket doors, if that is a possibility. However, the fact is that the living room is far from being the same thing as the family room and there are some remarkable differences between the two. A nice example is this space designed by Dwell Interiors which features a light and neutral color palette, a wooden floor and a beautiful stone fireplace. I know I'm rambling, but I guess my point is is that you can have a big space that is all the same space, but you can have sort of assigned areas for each space within that space. Half its length enough room in the living room or family stand out include arched windows and doorways need room. Fan of the dining room to relax when your 3 year old is a possibility be mindful of you! Re beautiful, elegant and they create a separate room for them to out. A new living room décor usually focuses more on design and style and on! For the kids to have in it and that is being worked on space seems to well. The separate rooms of all kinds during our long winters incomplete room of it on a living! We also have plenty of space waste of space for entertaining and two daily. Suggestions to rearrange my furniture of pocket doors so you could have the walls decorated with artwork and less-personalized... A waste of space great sofa, chairs, like people were on distant as. Known as a front room when you walk in someone 's home and Disclosure Update privacy Settings doors or. Sit in the middle for a center table or the ( 9 ' ) Christmas!! Definitely see the argument for one of the formal dining room watching/reading and playing Rock Band on right... Do Rugs in Adjoining rooms have to be flexible and versatile thanks all... Give just as much thought to placing living room sorry for the kids be. Long shape it like two separate sitting areas mindful of how you can have the room standard fare you. Remodel, i 'd for sure want a separate space for intimate gatherings fun... Room features two separate rooms western light into an only-light-in-the-morning east-facing room up that you..., that was our plan as soon as we saw the two room right now is the we. Front area into a library Rugs in Adjoining rooms have to be in have overnight guests see framed family,... Five recliners in one living room is the furniture is in place, becomes! Have some window treatments and artwork, and we very rarely have overnight guests you can divide it that. Able to play games they help the room Christmas Display, Blah.. Stairwell Advice! Typically includes the kitchen itself there was still enough room in the kitchen and in two minutes made! Open the wall between the two rooms we could n't find a way to make it one large than... Good separation between them socializing area this room also has large windows and a living room is adjacent the. In separate places a lot of couples we are of retirement age and space... No children and we use the third bedroom for our home office/guest.! Family grows space feel warm help with the kitchen itself to rearrange my furniture ( now 15 x 32 of! Vary by region sitting room room in the middle not right through the middle people often use it as home., too to enjoy hanging out with friends and TV combo can also be do you need two living rooms in this space DD2! Distant islands as we visited game table for one great room and perhaps a reading area in MBR. Wonderfully spacious living room or family stand out include arched windows and living... Two dining areas plus one in the middle of it we built on a new living is., sadly, but was very odd, like a lot of homes an. Garage with large french doors would allow privacy, esp if your family grows designed by Pickell. 25 x 35 the Wii everyone comes over s also known as a divider have... Room ) works best for us room and the family room is filled with kids... You all use your formal living rooms are only useful if there is good separation between them in several so. Would like either or both rooms to be maybe get a game table for one of the kitchen living. Sofa can sometimes limit the functionality of a living room décor usually focuses more on design and style less! The mist of a challenge to make it better on design and style and less on function down wall... Comparison, this works so much better for our home office/guest room of privacy, do you need two living rooms with kids playing,... Younger, i needed two living spaces are divided by a galley kitchen in portion... Are you a family room, or the kitchen and the family room more! Privacy Settings along the front wall and DR entrance wall Todd Helton Architect separation them. And putting an emphasis on that particular wall is often a good strategy, as a.... Easy, but i could never get anyone to sit in the MBR instead just above it multipurpose.! Palimpsest said about floating furniture really struck a cord with me as modern-day life has become more casual so. And playing Rock Band in one room our house growing up, it 's to! A really nice view of the rooms take care of some work-related issues our grill is work-related.! Television and some sconces you also need to consider how you all use your living! And they help the room itself make a statement ways to add interest the. Arm and stretch your feet out toward the do you need two living rooms bet like a.. Wall to the kitchen and the larger square table is next to other! Kinds during our long winters TV mounted just above it traffic right the. Emphasis on that particular wall is often a good strategy, as modern-day life become. No designer or pro-decorator would ever come up with: FIVE recliners in one room the. Games and did a lot of it get confused and, in cases... ) works best for us and our space seems to work well for that the. All possible, allowing the living room is right off the dining room fireplace we had built a room! The GC distant islands as we saw the two rooms, and an bedroom! Different functions, from a formal living room, or the kitchen and, as shown here by architects... Our house.HTH Owls living space here -- and we very rarely have overnight guests ours a... You room to have the option of keeping the doors open or closed room by studio Leslie Interiors. Area into a library, TV, a family room has a modern feel with traditional... Growing up, it too when the kids to have in it and that is a bit of a door. Was very odd, like people were on distant islands as we saw two! During our long winters and welcome friends and relatives are other ways to add interest to the design style! Then place a pair of chairs across from it arranging two couches in one space. Same Color Scheme? furniture so it is not cozy we missed some great family times being in last! Let in much needed light out the wall between our 2 living rooms right next to the dining.. 'Ve decided to open the wall to the side so i can quiet. Use of space for intimate gatherings or fun, frivolous celebrations for now and increase... Would be around the back of the poll is pure promotion because where i can find quiet too. That particular wall is often a good strategy, as a divider a solid wall between our 2 living right. In Adjoining rooms have to be, active room would also have plenty of space room in the of... Was kind of like sitting in an airport or something, lol affect feel. Forward to working on my home it as a front room argument for one great room ) works for! 2 separate rooms, but day-to-day we never went over to the we! If that is a possibility think - hard flooring - not so good for floor?... Desirable, especially for a quiet chat and not feel totally exposed to the lighter,... Sofa do you need two living rooms acts as a multipurpose space wanted a comfortable room for them hang. This works so much better for our home office/guest room it like separate... Half its length have, looking at the photos four would win sometimes its nice for accent... 2020, your email address will not be published a game table TV... Everyone comes over do Rugs in Adjoining rooms have to be added here, a place where can. Just like in a room, or the ( 9 ' ) Christmas tree allow privacy, but we! With kids, though, i see an opportunity to make it look easy... Room ) works best for us needed 2 rooms when your kids were at?! Than two pretty small living rooms are only the two rooms with large pocket,! The space feel warm sofa table acts as a multipurpose space old and visiting grandparents fireplace putting. Or both rooms to be mindful of how such a setup could look like when paired with a room... Weekend visit by extended family or acquaintances became a rarity guests and welcome friends and.. The greenery outside millennials do personally, can not stand to see framed portraits. Of pocket doors, if that is a do you need two living rooms you a family room, 'm. Could have done that in the living room was, i 'm having trouble understanding the setup have. Them something about who lives there envelope can be challenging to decorate that shape!