Do you enjoy having friends and family over for a fun night with food, drink, games and great conversation? We all love to gather, and our living rooms are the best place to do it. They are close to the kitchen for access to food and drink and usually are the biggest room in the house.
Unfortunately, you need more than just a large area to entertain. Setting up a fun and functional place is essential for parties and get-togethers, and there are lots to consider. If you are looking for entertainment living room ideas, we have answers.
Idea #1: Keep the Living Room Simple
Having people over is all about a comfortable, relaxing experience. Unless you have a wrestling match in front of your couch, most people want to take a load off and visit.
Setting up your living room needs to be easy to navigate and open. Simple furnishings is the key and extra room to mingle without bumping into things is what works best. Choose your decor but don’t go overboard and clutter the space. Make room for all your guests, and then bring in extra seating if necessary.
Idea #2: Living Room Seating Options
When entertaining, you want people to be able to gather in different areas of the room. It’s fine to have the main area with a couch or two surrounding a large coffee table, but for those that want a quiet conversation, you need additional seating.
Set up a corner with a comfy chair with a dedicated lamp. This can be for quiet reading daily and a private corner for two people to chat during a party. Sometimes the kitchen table becomes part of the seating, especially if some people want to play cards or a board game. Giving people options on where to sit allows them to come together naturally and visit as a whole or in smaller groups.
Idea #3: Multifunctional Furniture
In this day and age, our homes are getting smaller. Even in a big living room, you must be strategic when buying pieces to fit the space. For entertaining, having dual-purpose furniture saves space and gives you options.
Multifunctional furniture is anything that can be used for more than one task. This includes pieces like:
Murphy Bed
Murphy beds are great for a sleepover when you have a party. They function as wall units and house various items and decor, but if you have an unexpected overnight guest, you simply pull it down, and it’s ready to go.
Ottoman
An ottoman has several functions, from putting up your feet to using it as a coffee or game table and can have storage inside for pillows, blankets, games and more.
Sofa Bed
This is another sleeping solution when needed. You can get a variety of sizes from a chair bed to a sectional, and when not needed for sleeping, it’s great for entertainment seating.
Idea #4: Area Rugs
Most home layouts tend to flow into the living room, and it can be hard to see where the transition is. If you want to better define the space and add comfort and style to the mix, why not use a large area rug?
Area rugs anchor the room and give it depth. Place it out from under your sofa and chairs to define the seating area, and add another rug in front of other seating. Make sure to pick colours and textures that go with your theme and enjoy the comfort and beauty they add to the space.
Idea #5: Lighting
You may not think much about the lighting in your living room, but for entertaining, the lights set the mood. We typically have three types of lights:
- Ambient
- Task
- Accent
Ambient is the overall lighting for the room and is usually on the ceiling. This gives you uniform illumination for the overall tone of the room. Task lighting shines onto a specific area when brighter illumination is required.
When entertaining, you will have this over the table so people can see clearly while playing games. It is brighter than ambient lighting but won’t have any glare. Task lighting is even more specific and highlights items like artwork and architectural features in the room. All your lighting options create an ambience and coziness that people love while getting together. You can alter the illumination level as the festivities go day to night.
Idea #6: Conversational Pieces
When you want to show off your style, it’s nice to incorporate designer pieces in the living room that spark conversation. These include vases, glassware, copper and brass sculptures, and other curated items you love. This helps tie in the room’s theme and shows off your style while entertaining.
It’s fun to entertain, and if you want to recreate your living room space, adopt some of these ideas in your decor. Have fun setting it up, and watch your guests enjoy all your hard work.
