One Room, Many Functions: Make your Sitting Room Work for your Whole Family

One Room, Many Functions: Make your Sitting Room Work for your Whole Family

Whether you call it the lounge, sitting room or family room, it’s the hub of your home, the place the family gathers to relax.

From film nights on the sofa, a fun place for the children to play, or a sanctuary to relax with a book - this space works hard. You entertain friends here. It may even double as a home office or an occasional guest room.

It could easily end up cluttered, with books and blankets on the sofa, electronics and cups on the coffee table, and toys all over the floor.

You need to create a practical space that looks good. And here’s how:

Start by thinking about layout. Divide the room into zones using rugs, lighting and furniture.

Set up a reading zone, with a comfy chair and good lighting. Create a TV zone with a sofa and coffee table at the opposite end of the room. Define the play area with a large rug.

Clever storage solutions are essential, creating a home for everything. Ideally, go for fitted storage to make best use of all available space, including those tricky areas you’ve never been able to use.

Imagine transforming an awkward alcove into a mini home-office you can use by day but hide away at night.

Stash toys in child-accessible low-level cupboards, while books and electronics can go higher up.