How to Create a Cozy Family Room for all to Enjoy
Your family room just might be the most important room in your house. After all, it’s where you and your family will create many years of memories together. From cuddling up around the fireplace during winter to playing games on warm summer nights, your family room should be a place your family can relax, talk, unwind and just plain be together.
With this in mind, you’ll want a family room that is inviting, comfortable, and, above all, cozy! This article will give you a few tips on creating the cozy family room everyone will love.
Think about lighting
The lighting is a crucial element of any room and the family room is no exception. We’re shooting for “cozy” here and the lighting should reflect that.
First, consider how the room will be lit during the day. This will be a walk in the park if you are making use of a new home design center to create a custom home. You can have the windows placed exactly where you’d like them to give the room a bright and cheerful vibe as the sun’s natural light shines in.
Then, during the night, a well-placed chandelier can provide the main source of light. Spring for a dimmer that allows you to keep the lights low during quiet nights in and brighter when you have guests over. Accent lighting can be provided with lamps or even sconces, to add an even more dynamic look.
Choose your rug carefully
A well-chosen rug can really make a difference when it comes to creating a cozy room; a properly chosen area rug can add a real sense of style and make a living space truly feel like home.
Since the family room will have a lot of foot traffic, you’ll need to select a durable rug that can stand up to the daily use it will see. Synthetic rugs tend to wear out quickly; something natural, like wool, is a much better option.
A rug also helps set the tone for the room; everything else in the room will be tied together with this staple. So, for a family room, consider soothing colors such as white or beige. Bold colors can create vibrant energy in other rooms, but develop a more relaxed atmosphere in this space and you’ll really up the cozy vibes.
Invest in furniture
In some instance, children will grow up (faster than you could ever imagine) in your family room, so you’ll want to invest in furniture that will complement your family throughout the years.
Any pieces you pick out should suit your personal sense of style and the overall theme you are trying to bring to your home. For example, many homeowners attempt to evoke a timeless, rustic feel, while others opt for a vibrant, modern feel. Leather furniture works great as it can handle a lot of wear and tear and actually looks better the more you break it in, but the color and form of each piece of furniture will dictate if it fits with your overall theme.
For a more modern feel, you can get a sofa that has commercial grade upholstery and adds character with colorful pillows and throw blankets.
You should also consider what type of furniture to get if you are planning to have pets in your home as you will want something that can be easily wiped clean of fur and other pet-related messes.
Remember, of course, that furniture is an investment. If you opt for inexpensive choices, you will get what you pay for and may end up having to replace your furniture frequently. On the other hand, if you choose to shell out for higher quality, it may cost a little more in the short term, but will save you quite a bit over the years in maintenance and replacement costs.
Make it a place everyone will want to hang out
The beauty of using a new home design center to create a custom home is that you can pick and choose the details of the room itself to make it more inviting. For a family room, you’ll want to make it a place that every member of the family, regardless of their age, will want to come and hang out and a great start is by adding a fireplace!
Imagine it now. Your family gathered together reading or telling stories alongside cups of hot cocoa and tea as the warm fire crackles.
You can also have a setup for a home entertainment system to watch movies and tv shows together, but that’s not a requirement as many households are choosing to forgo televisions and focus on time together when in this space. The great thing is that decision rests with you as you can have what you want when you work with a home design center to develop each space.
Then, once the home is constructed, add complementary features like built-in bookshelves and chairs you melt into where anyone can come curl up with a blanket and relax after a long day.
Don’t forget attention to details
Small details are going to go a long way toward making your family room a cozy space everyone will love. Little things like vases with flowers or pictures of your favorite family memories are a personal, inviting touch.
Small details, however, that bring in splashes of color can really fill the room with life.
It’s these purposefully chosen mementos and additions that really make a house a home.
Further research
The best way to create a cozy family room, or any room for that matter, is to have your home made custom from the ground up. And home designer such as New Tradition Homes will create a home for you where you can be in charge of every detail and design a family room that everyone will want to end each day.