The living room is the frontline space in every household. Meanwhile, the family room is an informal space for the household’s relaxation and entertainment. These days, common are additional spaces within the house that allows the family to gather and spend time throughout the day. It can also be a space where they come together to talk, bond, or just spend their free time in. The living room and family room are often mistaken to be the same when in fact, they are two different spaces variating in function and formality. To further understand their differences, we have narrowed down the criteria with their differences in terms of function, design, location, arrangement, entertainment, and formality.
Living Room
The living room is one of the common areas at home where the family spends more time. It is the first space you see as soon as you enter the house. By the looks of it, you can already tell that it is the living room. The space is entitled to be inviting and calming to lure the guests to relax and feel at home. It is the most important room inside the house considering its size, function, and design. Visiting the house would suggest taking the first impression from what they see in the living room considering how it acts as the reception of the house. More than just being the open public space for the guests, it is also a space where the household can do everyday stuff. This includes watching television, catching up with the family, reading a book, or even having your morning coffee.
Function
The main function of the living room is to serve as a common area at home where the household can talk and gather around. Compared to the kitchen and dining room, it is more flexible in terms of the activities it can host. Think of it as a lounge where you can eat dinner while watching television, work on your laptop, read a book, or even relax whenever you wish to. Being a public space for the entire household makes it the perfect spot not only entertaining guests but as well as for other purposes that serve the household best. The main objective of the space is to make the household more collaborative and house social events.
Design
The living room is where you will see a couch, armchair, coffee table, side table, bookshelves, lamps, and center table often surrounding a television set or a fireplace. It is the standard design of the living room to cater to the activities of the household and public events for the guests. As soon as you see its design, you can easily tell that it is a living room. Every element within the space contributes to the saturated and homey vibe making them want to spend some more time in it. The built environment is very important in the living room as compared to the other spaces inside the house.
Location
The location of the living room is not that difficult to find. It is the most accessible space you can find inside a house. As soon as you enter the house and take your first step in the foyer, the living room is the first space you see. It is interconnected with the other spaces inside the house. This includes the powder room, foyer, dining room, and kitchen. It is the core of the house pulling the functions of all the other spaces together. Its location is never hidden. Instead, it is placed at the largest space at home.
Arrangement
The living room’s arrangement is standard. As often as it is used as a multi-purpose space, its arrangement and furniture layout reflect the needs and activities of the household. There may no particular way on how to arrange it but we have been working on the common U-shaped, L-shaped, I-shaped, and boxed-shaped layouts to make the most out of the living space. In arranging the living room, it is up to you to decide what does the living room supposed to cater to. This will ensure that the design and arrangement will be sufficient for the number of people in the household.
Entertainment
In modern living room designs, they usually combine the living room and the family room. It saves space and at the same time, saves you from expenses. Entertainment in the living room is mostly having the household do whatever interests them. It can be watching television, reading a magazine, or having guests over. The living room makes the house more collaborative and active for the household. To top it off, it makes the guests feel at home with the help of music, lighting, and vibe.
Formality
Compared to the family room, the living room is more formal and organized. Since it is the first thing you see as soon as you enter the house, everything should be in order at all times. Even though it is a formal space, it can also house the most laid-back activities of the household. In spite of being the solemn and serene space, it is also the space the household enjoy spending most of their time relaxing or talking during their free time. Even though is it arranged in a formal setup, it is still flexible for all the other activities of the household.
Family Room
In nature, family rooms are intended for less formal activities and gatherings designated for the household’s expense. It is a multipurpose space designed for them to get together and interact with one another. It is important that the family has a space where they can be more collaborative and productive. As a multipurpose space, it can house a variety of activities that you do not feel comfortable doing in the living room considering its public environment. Every element within is all about comfort and relaxation without the need for putting everything in order.
Function
The fundamental function of the family room is to provide a laidback space for the family to gather, watch television, talk, or even work on personal activities. Compared to the living room, it is exclusively for the use of the household. It serves a lot of purposes that require space to work on. In some cases, it can also act as a mini office where you can better do your work at home in the most relaxed manner. It is important that you feel at home within your own space. The family room is designed according to the needs of the household.
Design
The design of the living room is often divided into zones that cater to a variety of activities of the household. This includes a personal space, public space, and even a recreational space for the sake of entertainment. Its design is very relaxed and casual compared to the living room. It provides more room for other activities that goes beyond the space provided for the other rooms inside the house. The design often makes room for recliner chairs, sectional couches, study tables, entertainment areas, and bookshelves. It is dependent on the activities the family room caters to.
Location
Compared to the location of the living room, the family room is often located in a secluded space. It is not that accessible for public use but can be easily accessed by the household. In some cases, they are often a space in a house that is too small or too large to be a bedroom. It depends on the availability of the spaces of the house. In some cases, the family room is located along with the spaces of the bedroom. It rectifies privacy and relaxation for the benefit of the household. It is not the first space you see as soon as you enter the house.
Arrangement
The arrangement of the family room is rather casual and flexible. It may not be as organized as the living room but it is arranged according to personal and public zones. This will help the household have their own space they can be comfortable at. What is important is having the family room cater to activities that the living room cannot. Its arrangement is as flexible as the purpose of the space.
Entertainment
The family room is the main room for entertainment. It is often combined with the entertainment set where the household gathers and bonds with one another. When we speak of the family room, it is often the place with the entertainment set with soundproofed walls. No matter how loud your movie or music is, the neighbors would not even be bothered.
Formality
The family room is a casual room for the household to enjoy. There is no need to put everything in order or think about the guests’ first impression. It is a place where the household can enjoy the space by being their total selves without the need to be organized. If you want to relax without being bothered by unexpected guests, the family room would be the best space to go.
