Most everyone knows that the kitchen is for cooking, the bedroom is for sleeping, and the bathroom is for, well, you get the idea. Things get confusing in describing the spaces in an apartment when we start talking about the living room and the family room. Survey a large group of people, and you’re likely to get many different answers about the purpose of a family room vs. a living room.
What really is the difference between the family room and the living room? In general, they are both rooms where people in a home gather for various activities, whether it’s for conversation, watching television, reading, or sleeping. What really highlights the differences are the choices we make in design: the type of furniture we choose, the items that hang on the walls and serve as table centerpieces, and other types of decoration.
When you come right down to it, though, you and your family are the ones who define the family room versus the living room, simply by how you use them.
What is a living room?
According to a column in the New York Times, the term traces its origins back to the 1600s. As originally conceived, living rooms were intended to be showcase rooms, used only for the most special of occasions. They were for formal affairs where homeowners could show off their wealth while entertaining people from high society.
Then, an architect writing in a French journal described a different concept for the design, where rooms would focus on the family’s everyday activities rather than on being used as grand showpieces. The homes would still have certain special rooms, but they would not be the central focus. The functional focus of the home would be on spaces to live your life.
According to the New York Times article, fellow architects noticed and began to explore the concept further. The term living room came into vogue in the 1800s.
Today, to a degree, we still consider living rooms more formal spaces, but that definition is no longer as rigid, according to Elle Decor Magazine. Families today may still set aside the living room for special occasions, but it’s not as off-limits as it once was.
Decorating a living room
Keep in mind that you can decorate rooms in your apartment any way that you like. If the idea of a more formal living room appeals to you, then consider using furniture and other decorations that have the most meaning and value to your family.
Perhaps you have antique furniture pieces, such as chairs, tables, cabinets, or other items. Those might serve you well in defining the room as a more formal venue. Or, perhaps you’ve invested in a prime quality sofa, maybe with white fabric, that you would prefer didn’t get used as much. These also might be good to reserve for the living room.
The layout is important. Family rooms tend to be organized around the television; living rooms do not have to be. Think carefully about where you would like to place your furniture and how it defines the room as an extra special place. The items you choose to put on the walls can also help give the room its meaning.
What is a family room?
Today’s family rooms are also defined as places for family to gather to relax and enjoy each other’s company, whether you live in a house or an apartment. Sounds familiar, right? The difference in many households lies in the formality. Family rooms draw more casual types of activities. If it’s a house with children, the family room is likely to be the place where you’ll find a collection of toys. You might see a bookcase or a series of magazines, and the room is probably arranged around the television.
According to Elle Decor magazine, citing authors Avi Friedman and David Krawitz, the term family room may have originated sometime around World War II. Families began to desire less formal spaces where they could be themselves. Today the family room has taken on different names, such as the game room or media room, according to HGTV.
You are just as likely to find someone playing video games or watching TV as you are to find someone reading a book or working on a hobby such as knitting or scrapbooking.
Ideas for decorating a family room
Since family rooms typically have a more casual feel, you have a lot more freedom to decorate than you might otherwise.
Your first step is to envision what kinds of gatherings you would like to encourage? Do you want to make it comfortable for the kids to bring over friends? Do you like welcoming neighbors to watch a game or for a barbecue? Then you may want to choose large pieces of furniture that provide plenty of room for people to sit and feel they are at home.
If this is what you envision for your family room, you may want to give some thought to pieces that can absorb a lot of use. Put down a carpet that can stand up to traffic. Choose couches and chairs with fabrics that can take a beating.
If you want the room to stand for fun, consider patterns that give off an eclectic vibe. If you have young children, you may want to consider play mats or a throw rug over the top of your carpet to contain messes. Put up some family photos to give it a homey feeling. Know your family, look inside yourself, and let those discoveries guide your design.
The nice thing about having more relaxed definitions for family room and living room is these spaces can take on a definition that you choose.
Don’t be bound by convention. You will be spending plenty of time in your new apartment, so create spaces that will make you happy and that your family will love.
Contenu associé
