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Design Dilemma
trickyspaces

I have a large Formal Living room, no one uses it? HELP

12 years ago
The Living room is right off the front entry across from the formal dining room, it such wasted space any ideas to utilize the space and not look out of place being at the front of the house.

Thank you
Featured Answer
  • 12 years ago
    I use mine, in fact, I don't use my den. My formal living room is much larger than my den. My den has a fireplace, so I have made that the fireplace reading room, glass of wine, place, with a smaller t.v. and sofa and ottoman.

    I use my formal living room as my family room. It is decorated formally, but has great comfortable sofas, three to be exact. Two sofas and a love seat, two end tables and plenty of space with a large flat screen t.v. (60 inch) over a beautiful painted credenza and a beautiful easy to clean area rug.

    I decided a long time ago, that I was not going to live in the smallest room of the house, when I had all this great space to live in.

    Comments (13)

    • PRO
      12 years ago
      I would make the living room less formal. If you use it maybe other family member will, also. I made my dining room less formal and then started eating dinner in that room every evening.

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    • PRO
      12 years ago
      An library or office would be some common options since we don't know much about your lifestyle and situation.
    • 12 years ago
      Oh! I should also tell your that I have a center hall colonial, so my formal living room is right off the foyer and across the dining room.
    • PRO
      12 years ago
      Yes an office or reading room would be a great addition to this area. Consider bookshelves, reading chairs and a desk.
    • 12 years ago
      last modified: 12 years ago
      My cousins room was much smaller, so they turned theirs into a formal game room, chess table, cigar box, books, and liquor storage, wine. Just another option. ;-)
    • PRO
      12 years ago
      I think you just need to use the room instead of thinking of it as the formal space, when you have guests sit in there after dinner and before while having drinks. They lend themselves to some really great decor ideas, and since it is across from the dining room it is a natural place to be before and after dinner.
    • 12 years ago
      "They lend themselves to some really great decor ideas" I know most of us are replying quickly and on various devices that cause typos so I don't even comment on these things, but this comment has just made my day. To me is sounds as though the guests are great decor. Which I guess is true. Nothing brightens a room like happy guests. But then I am also wondering if we shouldn't start specifying what colors, types of clothes our guests wear to our houses in order to complement the style of the room. Sorry for busting in, trickyspaces, I couldn't resist.
    • 12 years ago
      Lol
    • 12 years ago
      Ours is currently used as a playroom. It is accessorized with a play tunnel, a giraffe tent, a giraffe rocking horse, a Bosu boll the boys jump on, and a play kitchen. It get more use as that than it ever would as a formal sitting room. It used to also do double duty as a workout room. I kept my free weights, yoga mat and weighted bars in the coat closet when I wasn't using them.
    • PRO
      12 years ago
      Funny I guess I should have said these rooms lend ................ But that said good company is the best decor.
    • PRO
      12 years ago
      I like the idea of a library-esque theme, with a table and a couple comfortable chairs; maybe even a nook. Then, when you have company over you can start with drinks in there while the dinner cooks, and then move to the area where you eat when dinner is done.
    • 12 years ago
      Agree with the library idea. We had the same non-used formal living room in our previous house that always bothered me as wasted space. I covered one short wall with shelves and filled it with books and put our piano there. It became a great library and music room. Our current house has no formal rooms per our wishes. Goodluck!
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