Our lives have become busier than ever, and there are many options for what to do with our time. After a long, hard day at work, most want to go home and relax while streaming their favourite shows. Sometimes, however, our home life is a bit chaotic with too much stuff in each room, and this doesn’t allow for free movement around our home.
Functional living is the answer, and the concept is simple. Create a streamlined environment where the room and everything has a purpose. The abundance of free space and the usability of the furniture you bring creates a harmonious setting where less is advantageous.
Do you want to create a balanced space to live in? Here are some great functional living room ideas you can incorporate.
Idea #1: Pick Appropriate Sized Furniture
You see it all the time. A living room with a huge sectional dwarfing the space and leaving little room for anything else. Sectionals are great, but if they take up too much room, they crowd everything else. This goes for any piece of furniture you bring in or already have.
Pick out furniture that is sized for the room. This may mean scaling back on the number of seats you have, but a functional living room must have balance. The same is true for too little furniture because it will look empty. Your best bet is to arrange the furniture, so there are clear pathways and room between each piece, so it isn’t all jammed up. You should also browse a furniture store and pick out suitable items that are appropriately sized.
Idea #2: Only Bring In Items That Have A Purpose
The idea of functional living is having everything you need and nothing else. It is the opposite of a pack rat. Only store useful items in the living room and remove the rest.
Decide on the main function of the living room. Is it for watching movies? Do you entertain a lot and have friends sitting around in great conversation? Is it all about puzzles and board games? Once you know what the room will be most used for, set it up with the perfect layout and furniture pieces for that purpose. You will gain full function naturally by setting it up for its intended use.
Idea #3: Incorporate Multi-Use Furniture
This is the ultimate functionality because it’s a winner if you have more than one proposal. You also get various uses for the room because it can be a home office daily and a movie room at night. A sleeper sofa creates a place for a friend to sleep over and quickly revert to a sofa afterward. Other multi-use furniture includes:
Bench
This works great on a wall for extra seating and will have storage underneath for extra pillows, blankets and other items.
Ottoman
An ottoman is perfect because it lives as a coffee table, is stored inside, and can be pushed around for seating.
Two-Tiered Coffee Table
These are great for raising to a standing desk or pivoting for a work platform while sitting on the couch. Then they go back down and function like a regular coffee table.
Fold Down Desk
Some desks hang on the wall and then pivot down to become a desk. They are great for to use of space and design.
Idea #4: Furniture for Kids
You may not be the only one living in the house because they will use the room if you have kids. Instead of them having to haul all their stuff into the room and then fight with them to take it all away at night, why not incorporate a storage area where they can keep it?
This adds great function to the room and the kids simultaneously because they know where everything goes, and it’s a quick cleanup if guests are coming over. This is where a bench or ottoman can come in handy to stow their items.
Idea #5: Add Storage
We already mentioned using furniture that doubles as storage, but you can also have dedicated storage options like:
Floating Shelves
This mount easily on any open wall and don’t crowd the space. You can house knick-knacks, books or candles here.
Built-Ins
This requires some more work and building material but taking advantage of vertical space allows for extra storage without creeping into the room.
Mantle
If you have a fireplace, the mantle can house some items. Just don’t clutter it up with things that don’t belong in the room.
Storage is key to having a functional living room because it gets things out of sight and out of mind until they are needed.
These are the essential, functional living room ideas to transform your space. Start your transition today; before you know it, you will live a harmonious life in your uncluttered living room.
