People are really “living” in this room and want to make it a place for the whole family to gather. Here are some ideas to make yours a multipurpose living room that works for your whole family.
Function and Flexibility
The key to a room that works for a multitude of uses comes down to function and flexibility. I ask my customers about how they want to use the living room and help them select furniture that functions in that plan.
Some things to consider are the size of the room, the number of people using the space at one time and what kinds of things you’ll be doing. Do you need a big space to spread out the Twister game or have a dance off, or do you need end tables and spaces for people to set plates or drinks?
Then look at the traffic pattern, or how people flow in and out and through the room. When you’ve got a full house of people, it should be easy to get around the room without having to ask someone to move or step on someone’s foot.
Maximizing Seating and Traffic Flow
If you do a lot of entertaining or have big family gatherings, you’ll want to maximize seating while keeping an open traffic pattern with good flow around the room. I advise customers to consider two sofas, or a sofa and two chairs, for flexibility and flow around the room. Another thing to think about is whether you’d like a recliner, or if you prefer a chair or sofa with an ottoman or footstool. Having the flexibility to move things around makes it easier for your multipurpose living room to accommodate different uses, like game night, or your book club meeting.
Today’s fabrics are very family friendly, so you can have your nice sofa and still let the kids eat, drink and play in the room, knowing that stains will wipe off and fabric will look good for years.
Furnishings That Do Double Duty
Gatherings and game day parties call for more seating than usual and there are many ways to bring in extra seating for these occasions. An ottoman is a great multi-use piece. You can use it as a footstool, or an end table, or store it under a console table or in a corner when you don’t need it, but then pull it out for extra guest seating.
Many ottomans also have storage inside--a great place to stow a throw blanket or stash your knitting project. And you can add some color and texture to your room with a colorful fabric upholstered ottoman or consider leather for wearability. Another way to add temporary seating when you’ve got extra people over is to pull in a chair from your dining set, or an occasional chair from a nearby room. With open concept rooms, the decor flows from one space to another, so a chair in one room can coordinate and fit in perfectly when you need to move it to another spot.
When I work with customers, I ask about what other things they have, so if they’ve got maple finishes in the kitchen, then stay with that finish on the wood in the living room so it gives you more options for seating and large gatherings.
Room For It All
Storage is another consideration for today’s living room. If you want to keep your electronics hidden out of sight, look for a credenza or entertainment cabinet with doors to keep the look from being cluttered. Many of the newer cocktail tables have drawers so you can put the TV remote and game controllers away, or your iPad or charging cords can tuck inside. Wall mounted televisions have really opened up space in the console for other items, so make it a showcase and use the open shelves to display family artifacts and accessory pieces, adding another layer of color and texture to the room.
Space Saving
Furniture manufacturers have gotten very creative with ways to add storage while not taking up floor space in your room. Look for tray tables that store in an end table or nesting tables that store inside one another and can be brought out as needed.
A drop-leaf style end table can fit against a wall, and then you just fold out the leaf if you need more room for serving snacks or as a landing spot for your coffee cup. Other pieces that have some built-in flexibility include coffee tables with adjustable tops that can be used like a TV tray, or a credenza that stores bar items like wine glasses or coasters.
Let Grand Help
The key to a great multipurpose living room is low maintenance furniture with stain-resistant durable fabrics so you can come home and enjoy your life. Today’s living room really is for living and with the right furniture, floor plan and accessories, you can create wonderful memories and a home you can be proud of. Grand Home Furnishings design consultants are trained to help you find the perfect mix of furnishings to make time spent at home the most enjoyable part of your day.
