When I initially planned the decor for our living room, I didn’t take into account that it would be lived in. In fact, I went the total opposite direction. I purchased a fancy couch and lots of breakable decor.
Then we moved in…..
and my not quite 3 year old’s considered it their daily playground.
I then realized that I got caught up in making our new home look magazine worthy rather than comfortable and kid friendly. During year two of being in our newly remodeled home, I wised up and started thinking about my little ones.
The “fancy” decor didn’t go away. Instead, I moved some of the breakable things up out of reach or to another room altogether. I also started teaching my girls about being careful around breakables and that the couch is not a trampoline.
In addition to being kid friendly, I want to create a fun and welcoming space for not only my own family but for anyone else who comes to visit.
Here are 5 key elements for creating a family friendly living room
Durable, comfortable and functional furniture
The main reason I purchased our sectional was because I loved the way it looked. It was just a bonus (thankfully) that it is comfortable as well. With only a couple of minor issues, the couch has held up very well to my little monkeys.
We recently added a chair in the corner of our living room that I like to use for a reading nook. It’s right by the window so it gets great light during the day.
Lastly, because we have an ottoman instead of a coffee table, I always have at least one tray available mainly for setting down drinks.
Blankets and Pillows
I’m not sure there should be a limit on the number of pillows you have in a family/living room. In fact, I don’t think I have quite enough. I’m working on it though. I also think there can never be too many throws…especially in my house where even though we have at least 4 throws available in our family room, we all fight over the same one.
Lighting
I am a huge advocate for having a variety of lighting in a room. Natural lighting is always my number one source of light but having a variety of lighting in a living room where you are likely to be doing various things is a must.
Storage
Storage is an absolute must in any room but can sometimes be overlooked in a living room. Along with our media cabinet, I have a dresser that houses some of our movies and extra blankets.
Fun Elements
Last but not least, add some fun elements to your living room to add that cozy, family friendly feeling. My favorite element in our living room is our random letter family name above the TV.
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