Living in the twenty-first century is all about the tech and the gadgets. Years ago, we were worrying they were going to isolate us, and raise silent kids. On the contrary, social media means we are in touch with everyone all the time. We have more interest in issues within our society and the whole world. We’re informed, connected, and always on the go. Life at home may have changed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spend quality time with your family.
My family room is a hub. It’s where we all end up in the evenings or at weekends. A family room is a perfect space for getting together to talk, to watch, to read, or just to relax. Thanks to all our gadgets and tech, we can do far more together as a family than we used to be able to. And it has found its way into our hobbies and studies as well.
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Twenty-first century technology is mobile. It’s portable. That means it comes with us wherever we go. I’ve found that means kids are in the same room with you more often than they are in their bedrooms. It’s great that tech can help bring a family together. But I want it to go even further. Now I want to create the ultimate family room that allows us to share in our tech and help us come together even more.
Firstly, we need the furniture to go with the tech. A large screen 4K TV is ideal for family viewing. We can all sit together to watch a movie. Of course, we need a good sound system to go with that. A sound bar or even surround sound is ideal to help you become truly immersed in your movie. The sound bar or station can sit under the TV on a stand or unit with the BluRay player.
Next, we need some awesome seating. If we’re going to be watching a whole movie, then we need to be as comfortable as possible. I really like chairs that can shift position. It’s nice to all be facing the TV when we’re watching it, but I also like to be more sociable, facing each other. This helps us talk to each other and enjoy our company. The kids absolutely love bean bag chairs because they can be dragged around the room. You can pop them in the best spot for viewing then shift them into the corner. Best of all, they’re really comfortable for relaxing in.
For the grown-ups, I can’t think of anything better than reclining in front of a movie. As a busy Mother, getting my feet up can be a rare treat! There are some gorgeous recliner arm chairs that rock and spin too. They may not be the cheapest option, but they certainly look the most comfortable. A sofa suite with a console sounds ideal for the big kids in the house. Inside the console is a dock for the iPad. You can then hear your music through the sound system. There’s even a little drinks fridge and can holder. Perfect for the gadget-savvy!
Flickr.com is the source of this photo
We love to be comfortable in our family room, so we have a lovely carpet. Of course, it falls foul to crummies at times. To save us leaping up and grabbing the vacuum cleaner, we need a robot vacuum. As the technology improves on these devices, so does their ability to manage thicker carpets and heavier vacuuming jobs. To maximize our time together, a robot vacuum is ideal for our family room.
App controlled lighting is ideal for any room but perfect for a family room. You can lower the lights to watch a movie. Then you can add a splash of color to set the mood for a romantic night in. And when you’ve got some work to do, turn the lights up all the way to bright so you can see what you’re doing. I love the idea of these. I can’t wait for the price to come down. Then these little beauties might find their way into all my other rooms.
My ideal family room will be full of soft cushions to prop me and the kids up. They’re also great to scatter on the floor when the kids have friends over. Picnics on the floor of the family room are great fun. They’re a great excuse to get everyone together for the weekend as well. A really good coffee table is light enough to be moved out of the way but solid enough to take a couple of people sitting on it. And the surface needs to be hard-wearing for all the drink spills!
I love curtains and drapes. They can look so elegant when they’re tied back. They also bring lots of vibrant color into our family room. But when you’ve got the sun streaming in, and you’re trying to see a screen, you don’t want to have to shut them. Venetian blinds are so handy for dealing with this kind of situation. They divert the light up or down, so you can still enjoy the view and the daylight. For me, they are an essential part of a good family room, especially with babies crawling around.
On a really hot summer day, the last thing you want is to be stuck inside a sweltering room with the heat of a family of bodies. For me, air conditioning makes any room absolutely perfect. I love things at just the right temperature, and air con can achieve that whatever time of year it is. If you’re looking to retreat from the heat, then air con in your family room is ideal. It keeps everyone comfortable and at a safe temperature while they get on with homework or watch a movie.
I love being with my family. And I love that our family room is so functional. We can study and work here, or cuddle up and relax. Best of all, our tech and gadgets have a home and a purpose here. It can bring us together and help us share the best bits of our day.