Dysfunctional family room

11 years ago

This community was so helpful with my pantry dilemma I thought I'd ask about the family room! We're buying this home from the builder without seeing a model. My husband had told me not to worry about it when I asked where we'd fit a tv in the family room. Not we're. still stumped. Some ideas we had were 1. placing it over the fireplace (we both dislike this), 2. off to a side of the mantle & just left on its stand, 3. close up the half wall & put it in that wall, 4. swap the family & dining rooms. The tv is a 60". Couch placement is another pain, we have 2 8" long leather sofas. What are your suggestions? a smaller tv & sofas might be an option too. Thanks!

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PRO

User

11 years ago

Is this a dysfunctional FAMILY room or dysfunctional family ROOM? Inquiring minds want to know! ;-)

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Comments (12)

jeanps
11 years ago
I like the third option: on halfwall. This will allow everyone in the family room, nook, and kitchen bar to see it plus it won't compete with the fireplace.
Shelly Gebert
11 years ago
I agree with the third option on the half wall. Don't switch the family room and dining room. I think the sofas will have to go one on the wall of windows and one facing the fireplace. So the other option would be putting the tv on the right side of the fireplace.
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orangecamera
11 years ago
I like Shelly's idea, only backwards. You can one sofa facing the fireplace, and one with its back to the half wall. Put the tv on the left side of the fireplace (or angled in that corner). My personal preference is to be facing windows, not have them behind me.

I also don't mind the idea of switching the family room and dining room. What's marked as the dining room is the first room seen/entered when you come in the front door. It makes more sense to me for that to be the living room, and for the dining room to be closer to the kitchen.
decoenthusiaste
11 years ago
Do you entertain and need a separate formal dining room? Many families don't and your breakfast area looks to be quite large. Whatever your decision, please don't put the TV on a "stand" but above a credenza, unless you wire the half wall and hang it there.
Laurie
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes I do require a dining room, it's one of the reasons we bought this house. I missed it in our current house
Laurie
Original Author
11 years ago
it's a little of both! haha
flopsycat1
11 years ago
If you have a nice view from the family room windows, you may not want to close off the half wall. In the current plan, there is a line of sight from the entry and the dining room toward the windows. The bright and open floorplan would have a very different look if closed off. I wouldn't sacrifice that for TV placement.
decoenthusiaste
11 years ago
I don't think you have to close the half wall to place the TV there, but I would have it wired and hang the TV on it, unless that makes viewing level too low. Here's another thought for leaving it mostly open but...
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orangecamera
11 years ago
If you use the front room as the family room, you can mount the tv on that angled wall, even though it's "across the hall" from the room. This will make the room seem bigger, and it's probably not a place where you'd put furniture anyway. Yes, it's a "hallway", but in reality, how often would someone be walking through there while others are watching tv? You may be able to bump some space through into the garage so you can have all fronts of your AV components flush against the wall on the inside of the house.
pcmom1
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Could the fireplace be relocated into the dining room where the window is? Very romantic to have dining table in front of FP!. Then you would have that large wall in the family room for your tv and components.
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pcmom1
11 years ago
Or, turn half wall between the dining and family room into a fireplace to be enjoyed from both sides. That also will give you that large wall in FR for the tv.
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