Basic Family Room Design

Here is the U.S. we call them Family Rooms or Great Rooms. In other countries they are sometimes called Sitting Rooms. No matter what they are called, it is a space in every home all over the world where families and friends gather on a daily basis. Below is a guest post that speaks to the basic design elements that everyone should consider when designing their Family Room space.

The importance of creating the perfect family room
All family homes need an appropriate sitting room. The room can act as the centre of the household and serve a number of functions. A perfect sitting room should be a space where everyone can get together and spend some time enjoying each other’s company.

Designing the perfect sitting room doesn’t have to be challenging. Individuals simply need to think about their requirements and how to meet them appropriately. The key element is having sufficient seating; there needs to be enough room for all the family to sit comfortably. Individuals who often entertain guests may choose to purchase some extra seating to accommodate them.

The Sofa

A comfortable sofa is of course an essential. It’s important to think about using space efficiently when selecting sofas. Purchasing a stylish corner sofa is a great way to add extra seating to a room. These luxurious items are versatile enough to cater for any situation and don’t look oversized when not being used. A corner sofa can comfortably seat the entire family and create a cosy, warm atmosphere.

Pets

Many people think of their pets as family members, so the perfect sitting room should also cater for their needs. Making room for a basket – or saving a dedicated space on the sofa – is an excellent way to do this. Consider using carpet rather than laminate flooring, as slippery surfaces can cause some pets problems when walking.

TV

Once the ideal sofa has been chosen for the room, the next important item to consider is the TV. This can be a difficult decision. Choosing the right size of screen can make or break the room – if it’s too small, family members will go elsewhere to watch their favourite programmes, and if it’s too large, it will overwhelm the room. Children may also want the capability to play video games in the sitting room, so purchasing an appropriate TV cabinet will ensure that they have somewhere to store the console and games when they are not in use.

Finishing touches

A good sitting room is a place to celebrate the family. Using a bright colour scheme that everyone likes is a good idea, and hanging photos of family members on the wall will help to create a sense of togetherness. A coffee table can make a nice centrepiece to a room, but those with young families may want to leave the space open and obstruction free so that children can play without causing any problems. Storage is also worth thinking about. It is sensible to have somewhere to store toys and books, and furniture that is large enough to keep the room tidy will be required. Don’t focus the room too closely towards young children, however. It should also be a comfortable environment for the parents to relax in.

A well-designed living room will be one of the most popular rooms in the house. For this reason, individuals should prioritize practicality in their design. Making it easy to clean will save hours of time and ensure that any spilt food, drinks and mess can be cleaned up quickly. The perfect sitting room takes some planning, but will benefit every member of the family over time.

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Basic Family Room Design

Here is the U.S. we call them Family Rooms or Great Rooms.  In other countries they are sometimes called Sitting Rooms.   No matter what they are called, it is a space in every home all over the world where families and friends gather on a daily basis.  Below is a guest post that speaks to the basic design elements that everyone should consider when designing their Family Room space.

The importance of creating the perfect family room
All family homes need an appropriate sitting room.  The room can act as the centre of the household and serve a number of functions.  A perfect sitting room should be a space where everyone can get together and spend some time enjoying each other’s company.

Designing the perfect sitting room doesn’t have to be challenging.  Individuals simply need to think about their requirements and how to meet them appropriately.  The key element is having sufficient seating; there needs to be enough room for all the family to sit comfortably.  Individuals who often entertain guests may choose to purchase some extra seating to accommodate them.

The Sofa

A comfortable sofa is of course an essential.  It’s important to think about using space efficiently when selecting sofas.  Purchasing a stylish corner sofa is a great way to add extra seating to a room.  These luxurious items are versatile enough to cater for any situation and don’t look oversized when not being used.  A corner sofa can comfortably seat the entire family and create a cosy, warm atmosphere.

Pets

Many people think of their pets as family members, so the perfect sitting room should also cater for their needs.  Making room for a basket – or saving a dedicated space on the sofa – is an excellent way to do this.  Consider using carpet rather than laminate flooring, as slippery surfaces can cause some pets problems when walking.

TV

Once the ideal sofa has been chosen for the room, the next important item to consider is the TV.  This can be a difficult decision.  Choosing the right size of screen can make or break the room – if it’s too small, family members will go elsewhere to watch their favourite programmes, and if it’s too large, it will overwhelm the room.  Children may also want the capability to play video games in the sitting room, so purchasing an appropriate TV cabinet will ensure that they have somewhere to store the console and games when they are not in use.

Finishing touches

A good sitting room is a place to celebrate the family.  Using a bright colour scheme that everyone likes is a good idea, and hanging photos of family members on the wall will help to create a sense of togetherness.  A coffee table can make a nice centrepiece to a room, but those with young families may want to leave the space open and obstruction free so that children can play without causing any problems.  Storage is also worth thinking about.  It is sensible to have somewhere to store toys and books, and furniture that is large enough to keep the room tidy will be required.  Don’t focus the room too closely towards young children, however.  It should also be a comfortable environment for the parents to relax in.

A well-designed living room will be one of the most popular rooms in the house.  For this reason, individuals should prioritize practicality in their design.  Making it easy to clean will save hours of time and ensure that any spilt food, drinks and mess can be cleaned up quickly.  The perfect sitting room takes some planning, but will benefit every member of the family over time.

Leather Furniture-Love it or Leave It?

Leather furniture—folks either love it or tend to dislike it.  S Interior Design spends time speaking with their clients about the pros and cons of leather seating and often will mix leather furniture with furniture upholstered in fabrics. As the guest post below states, too much leather in a space is not the way to go, rather use in moderation for the best end result.

Great Room Design -S Interior Design-Leather Ottomans, Leather Sofa

Furnishing your home is a personal choice. Whether you’re moving into a new home or redecorating or refreshing your current one, your choice of furniture is important. Many homeowners try to find the balance between stylish and durability. Many furniture pieces on the market today have a lot of pizzazz, but may be too delicate or poorly made to last more than a few years. If you’re looking for furniture that’s beautiful, easy to care for, and will last a lifetime or two, then consider leather furniture. Leather is a wonderful, organic material that’s strong, durable, and if made right, can be a beautiful addition to any home. Many manufacturers offer a wide range of leather pieces, from sofas to leather-bound tables and you can use leather furniture to varying effects in your own home.

Decorating with Leather Furniture

Decorating with leather furniture in your own home can be easy. Much like anything, the secret is moderation. Having one or two large pieces is usually the best way to go, otherwise, if you used leather for everything, then you may go overboard and it just will look kitschy. For most people, a leather sofa or sectional would be the main purchase, since this is also the largest and most-used piece you’ll have at home. If you pick a good, full-grain leather sofa, this can last for years and it can look good in any living room.

If you want to incorporate leather furniture in your bedroom, consider a plush leather headboard. Not only does this make your room look elegant, but if you like to read or sit up in bed, you won’t need additional pillows. A leather armchair can also bring some Old World elegance into your bedroom alcove or any room, for that matter. If you have a sitting room, office, or library, a leather armchair would look great next to the window or near the fireplace.

Don’t think you can’t use leather in the kitchen. If you have a counter or breakfast nook, why not purchase matching stools upholstered in leather? Better yet, handsome leather bar stools would look great standing next to a shiny, wet bar.

Caring For Your Leather Furniture

Leather can be quite tough and will last a long time, not to mention become even softer and more beautiful after a few years. However, you should also take measures to care for your leather pieces. For one thing, make sure you clean and dust them like you would any furniture piece. Dust them regularly to prevent dirt from accumulating on the surface and small nooks and crannies. If you or a guest spills something on the leather, mop it up right away. Although leather is water-resistant, liquids can still seep in between the seams and cause moisture to build inside. This is bad because this can cause mold and mildew to form or promote rust in the metal parts of the frame (or both). Once the inside of your furniture begins to deteriorate, there may be little you can do to save it. Once in a while, every six months or so, you should use a special leather oil or conditioner (available at many furniture shops) to keep the surface soft and supple. Apply as directed on the bottle and your leather furniture will stay shiny and new as the day you bought it.

Using leather around the home can be advantageous in many ways. Not only does leather look classy when used right, but it can last for a long time. That means you won’t have to spend for repairing the furniture or having them replaced every few years. Indeed, many happy owners of leather furniture refuse to replace their pieces because after a few years, it still looks good or even better than when they bought it.

A Custom Dry Bar Is ‘Born’

Today S Interior Design had a dry bar and complementary wall mounted shelving installed at a client’s home in their family room.  It was fabulous to see something that began as a concept, grow up to become a scaled 1 dimensional drawing, move to the next level that included the selection of  wood  species,  wood stain, wood distress level, door and drawer carving detail, selection of a metal product to use as door insets and on the sides of the base unit,  and finally choosing door and drawer knobs and pulls.

AutoCad Rendering

The framed  shelving above the dry bar is backed with antique mirror and measures a robust 78″ w x 40″ h.  Each shelf is 24″ w x 12″ d.

The wood top of the dry bar has a custom piece of glass atop it to protect the wood surface.  The middle section is larger that the two side doors to accommodate a beverage refrigerator.  The total size of the main dry bar cabinet
is 78″ x 27″d.

Functional and Beautiful!!!