Must Haves
Five Family Room Must Haves | July 2021
I love designing family rooms. This room, besides the kitchen, is usually one of the most used spaces of a home. It is where we watch tv, play games, and host friends and family. It needs to be functional, durable, and comfortable while still being beautiful. Here are my 'Must Haves' for designing a family room where happy memories are sure to be made.
1. A Great Run I'm going to say this once: I love a wool area rug in a family room - especially one with an interesting pattern. It is durable and by far the easiest to clean. I also love a wool oriental rug as it hides every stain and only looks better with some wear and tear. Lots of my clients love the way seagrass looks but I tell them to save it for a less trafficked area as you can't clean it.
2. Swivel Chairs A Great Run Swivel chairs are the workhorse of the family room. In most family rooms, especially in older homes, rooms aren't symmetrical and the TV isn't always in the ideal place. A swivel chair takes some awkwardness out of the room as you can turn it to see what you need to. And when recovering a favorite skirted chair, ask your upholsterer to update it by adding a swivel base. You will love it.
3. Transitional Seating You can never have enough seating in a family room, especially when entertaining. I think it is nice to have a couple of ottomans or stools that can be used to kick up your feet or provide an extra seat. They can be placed in front of a bookcase like this or you can slide them under one of your side tables.
4. Performance Fabrics No reason to cry over spilled milk now that there are so many great performance fabrics that are both durable and beautiful. I love Schumacher's Rocky Performance Velvet and it comes in over 50 colors. I even left a sample in the rain and it looked as good wet as it does dry.
5. Drinks Table I like to make sure that there is a table to put a drink within reach from any seat. They are so useful and a perfect opportunity to bring in a pop of color, a different type of material, or something unique - sort of like jewelry for your room.
I hope these tips help you create a wonderful family room. If you would like some help making it happen, please reach out - I would love to help you!
Until next time,
- Ann
