Skip to content

Top Navigation

Better Homes & Gardens
  • Holidays
  • Gardening
  • Recipes and Cooking
  • Decorating
  • Home Improvement Ideas
  • Cleaning and Organizing
  • Shop
  • Rooms
  • News
  • Beauty & Style
  • Health & Family
  • Pets
  • Local Services

Profile Menu

My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Insider
  • BH&G Magazine Archive
Login
Subscribe
Pin

Explore Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 of the Most Common Perennial Garden Mistakes to Avoid

      Are your plants not looking as lush and colorful as you hoped? Make sure you haven't made any of these missteps. Read More Next
    • 6 Small Steps You Can Take Today to Get Organized for Good

      A professional organizer offers advice on how to tidy up your home without feeling overwhelmed. Read More Next
    • 5 Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients to Add to Your Smoothie for a Healthy Boost

      Anti-inflammatory smoothies do exist! Instead of blending in boatloads of sugar and artificial ingredients, try these smoothies for inflammation that are stoked with ingredients that may help lower your risk for chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, depression, and more. Read More Next
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays

    This Is Why We Send Paper Valentines on February 14

    The tradition began more than 1,500 years ago.
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • Hanukkah
    • New Year's
    • Halloween
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
  • Gardening

    Gardening

    See All Gardening

    4 DIY Seed-Starting Pots You Can Make With Items You Already Have

    Upcycle old newspapers, junk mail, and other waste paper to make these easy, eco-friendly containers you can use to sprout new plants for your garden.
    • Flowers
    • Houseplants
    • Plant Encyclopedia
    • Garden Pests
    • Trees, Shrubs & Vines
    • Caring for Your Yard
    • Edible Gardening
    • Garden Design
    • Gardening By Region
    • Landscaping
  • Recipes and Cooking

    Recipes and Cooking

    See All Recipes and Cooking

    21 Essential Baking Tools Every Home Cook Needs (Plus 16 That Are Nice to Have)

    If you’re a beginner baker who’s just starting out (or a master chef looking to declutter), start with this list of baking tool must-haves. We’ll help you set up a baking kit for beginners with 21 essential tools. For those who already own these tools, this list may finally provide the motivation you need to toss that never-been-used soufflĆ© dish. Building your essential baking toolbox starts here!
    • How to Cook
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Fish Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch
    • Dinner Recipes & Meal Ideas
    • Ethnic Food
  • Decorating

    Decorating

    See All Decorating

    Pantone Predicts the Bold, Happy Colors You'll See Everywhere in Spring 2021

    If these trendy hues are any indication, brighter days are coming. Here's how to use these stunning shades around your home.
    • Choosing Color
    • Expert Decorating Advice
    • Fireplace Design Ideas
    • Do It Yourself Magazine
    • Window Treatments
    • Styles & Decor
    • Interior Painting
    • Home Makeovers
    • Small-Space Decorating
    • Traditional Home
  • Home Improvement Ideas

    Home Improvement Ideas

    See All Home Improvement Ideas

    What Style Is Your House? The 10 Most Popular House Styles Explained

    With so many types of house styles, narrowing the list down to your favorite can be overwhelming. We'll show you the top 10 most popular house styles, including Cape Cod, country French, Colonial, Victorian, Tudor, Craftsman, cottage, Mediterranean, ranch, and contemporary. Here's how to tell the differences between each architectural style.
    • Home Exteriors
    • DIY Home Electrical Tips & Guides
    • Outdoor Structures
    • Home Remodeling
    • Plumbing Installations & Repairs
    • Remodeling Advice & Planning
    • Flooring
    • Lighting
    • Decks
    • Porches
  • Cleaning and Organizing

    Cleaning and Organizing

    See All Cleaning and Organizing

    A Whole-House Cleaning Schedule You'll Actually Stick To

    Cleaning your home doesn't have to be a daunting, time-consuming chore. The key to managing household duties quickly and efficiently is to design an easy-to-follow routine that includes all the most important tasks. Follow these step-by-step instructions for creating a customized whole-home cleaning schedule.
    • House Cleaning
    • Laundry & Linens
    • Cleaning Tips
    • Closet Organization
    • Organization Tips
    • Kitchen Storage Organization
  • Shop
  • Rooms

    Rooms

    See All Rooms

    Living Room Furniture Arrangement Ideas

    Get tips for arranging living room furniture in a way that creates a comfortable and welcoming environment and makes the most of your space.
    • Bedroom Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Bathroom Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Kitchen Decorating and Design Ideas
    • Living Room Decorating and Design
    • Dining Room
    • Home Office
    • Kid's Rooms
    • Baby Nursery
  • News
  • Beauty & Style

    Beauty & Style

    See All Beauty & Style

    Here's Exactly How to Find Your Perfect Nude Nail Color

    Truth be told, there's no such thing as a universal nude.
    • Anti-Aging
    • Hair
    • Skin Care
    • Makeup
    • Style
    • Nails
  • Health & Family

    Health & Family

    See All Health & Family

    7 Small But Impactful Ways to Fit Self-Care Into Your Day Right Now

    Staying atop of your wellbeing is a must, especially during uncertain, stressful times. These tips will help you make time for self-care for a mental health boost every day.
    • Family Activities
    • Reunions
    • Conditions
    • Parenting Skills
  • Pets

    Pets

    See All Pets

    50 Perfect Calico Cat Names for Your Beautiful Kitty

    Use your pet's unique coat as inspiration on what to call them.
    • Dogs and Puppies
    • Cats
    • Caring for Your Pet
  • Local Services

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • BH&G Insider
  • BH&G Magazine Archive
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. BHG.com
  2. Rooms
  3. Living Room Decorating and Design
  4. Family Friendly
  5. Family Room Decorating Ideas

Family Room Decorating Ideas

February 19, 2016
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin FB
Credit: Tria Giovan Photography
Create a space the whole family will love by using inviting colors, smart furniture choices, and easy organization solutions. Get inspired by these family room ideas that combine style, comfort, and function.
Start Slideshow

1 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Family Room Fusion

Credit: Tria Giovan Photography

Balance family-friendly with sophistication by including plenty of color and chic patterns in your family room. Bright hues appeal to kids and adults alike, and a mix of patterns will give the space a designer vibe. Look at including outdoor fabrics, which are durable, or slipcovers, which are washable.

1 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Stylish Walls

Dress up your family room's walls with art, whether it's a painting or a gallery of family pictures. Watch this video to learn the right way to hang art.

2 of 24

3 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Furniture Smarts

Open living spaces can promote family togetherness: Mom and Dad can work in the kitchen while kids hang out in the living area or do homework at the dining table. Keep these distinct areas unified by using the same colors throughout, while using furniture placement to divide the activity zones.

3 of 24

Advertisement

4 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Light & Dark

Dark-color furniture can stand up to stains and spills better than light-color furniture. Capture an airy look by pairing dark upholstery with bright and light colors. Include a transitional piece that marks the move from dark to light for a seamless look. Here, a branch-covered coffee table serves as a medium-tone piece that bridges the design sensibilities of the rich chocolate-color sofa with the room's green color palette. 

4 of 24

5 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Family-Friendly Storage

Keep children's items within easy reach. Use chests that can double as coffee tables for storing toys. Designate lower shelves for kids’ books and baskets for toys.

5 of 24

6 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Get Comfortable

Deep couches are ideal for lounging. Pile them with plenty of pillows so that family members can easily make themselves comfortable while sitting, laying, and cuddling.

6 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Basement Hangout

Keep a basement family room comfortable, not cramped, with a few design tricks. Leave the beams and ductwork exposed and paint them a single color. Paint the walls white and include plenty of accent lighting, such as table and floor lamps.

7 of 24

8 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Homework Time

If solving math problems and writing essays are often on the weeknight agenda, set up a homework station in your living area. This desk is a part of the room, but faces away from distractions. Make a few workstations available, such as two desk chairs and a clear dining table, for multiple scholars.

8 of 24

9 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Wash & Wear

With washable slipcovers, your furniture will always look as good as new, no matter what spill or accident comes their way.

9 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Employ a Stool (or Two!)

Add stools for a chic way to keep extra seating on hand without visually weighing down a room. A matching set faces a sofa in this family room, completing the seating circle while leaving the view open to the space's focal point -- a fireplace bookended by two recessed shelving niches.

10 of 24

11 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Create a Cocoon

For a family room that comes alive at night, consider painting the walls a dark hue. A rich shade of chocolate brown blankets this room in warmth, making it a favorite go-to spot for television viewing and nighttime entertaining. Two tall mirrors flanking a window help to lighten the room by day while reflecting flickering flames at night.

11 of 24

12 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Family Room Flooring

While hardwood floors are beautiful, they are not always the practical choice for family spaces. Employ an area rug to define the main portion of the family room, and let the hardwood floors shine through around the perimeter of the room. A soft rug is also comfortable beneath crawling hands and knees and can provide traction for toddling feet. Use a gripper mat beneath the rug to keep it in place and prevent trips.

12 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Embrace Translucent Silhouettes

Use transparent furnishings and accessories to provide functionality without visual weight. Two table lamps deliver needed task lighting to this family room, yet the glass bases virtually disappear, allowing the eye to focus on the kaleidoscope of patterned pillows instead. Plexiglass tables and consoles can offer the same hardworking see-through style.

13 of 24

14 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Walkways & Pathways

Pay attention to walking areas and traffic flow when placing furniture in your family room. Give kids plenty of space to play and make it simple to get from room to room. In this family room, the sofa is placed away from the wall, making it easy to access the door and move through the space without cutting through the main conversation area.

14 of 24

15 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Accessorize Your Windows

Windows offer a great opportunity to play with pattern. Solid-color furnishings keep this family room grounded, but bold window treatments pump up the fun factor. Look beyond standard window sources for affordable ways to experiment with pattern. Bedspreads, sheets, and shower curtains can also shine as curtains. With a few clip-on rings, it's easy to get them into the swing of their new role.

15 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Seating for All

Create a flexible family room by using a seating arrangement that is anchored by main pieces but still has plenty of corners and open spaces to pull up extra chairs. Here, chairs from the dining space can be easily placed next to the corners of the love seat for additional seating, while the pouf provides yet another seating source.

16 of 24

17 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Around the Table

A large coffee table can serve many purposes in a family room. It can be a place to position popcorn bowls and drinks for movie time, or it can act as the central hub for game boards during family game night. Kids can also use the expansive surface for playing and coloring.

17 of 24

18 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

TV Storage

Solve the problem of the black box by hiding your TV inside an armoire. Armoires can hide bulky tube TVs just as easily as flat panel TVs, along with the accompanying devices and DVDs. Plus, you can incorporate an armoire that suits your style and melds with the look of your space.

18 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Mix & Match

Put a youthful spin on tailored furnishings by mixing them with funky accessories and contemporary artwork. Wave-motif accent pillows add spunk to a kick-pleat-trim sofa and chairs in this family room, while a dog portrait rendered in neon hues serves as a surprising juxtaposition to the space's traditional architectural bones.

19 of 24

20 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Go with a Theme

Bring the outdoors in with a birds-and-blooms theme. Against a backdrop of sky blue walls, leafy prints, and flowery motifs, a rainbow of sherbet hues impresses a sweet attitude upon this family room. Ceramic birds tucked neatly into shelves subtly reinforce the theme.

20 of 24

21 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Space to Breathe

There's something comforting about sitting in a room lined with books, but an overstuffed bookshelf can read as cluttered rather than cozy. The key to a shelving unit that attracts the eye: breathing room between objects. Follow the lead of this family room and arrange books on half of each shelf only. Use the other half to display collected treasures or framed pictures. Use books stacked horizontally to give petite objects a boost.

21 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Raise the Roof

Stretch the perceived height of a room by hanging curtains below crown moldings instead of directly above window frames. This trick unites transom-topped French doors and windows in this family room, allowing the eye to travel around the room's perimeter without interruption. Positioning the sofas in the center of the room, rather than pushing at least one up against a wall, also creates a sense of space and creates multiple ways to pass through the room.

22 of 24

23 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Be an Artist

Make a dramatic statement by anchoring a focal-point wall with a large piece of art. To achieve a lot of bang without spending a lot of bucks, create your own masterpiece. The striking dandelion silhouette showcased in this family room was made by having the motif, which the homeowners found online, enlarged and printed on flexible poster paper at a copy store. Stretched over a canvas frame, the look cost less than $100 to produce.

23 of 24

24 of 24

Save Pin FB
Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Open Floor Plans

Many family rooms are a part of a bigger, open room that is also home to a kitchen and dining area. Here's how to make all three spaces work together.

24 of 24

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 24 Family Room Fusion
2 of 24 Stylish Walls
3 of 24 Furniture Smarts
4 of 24 Light & Dark
5 of 24 Family-Friendly Storage
6 of 24 Get Comfortable
7 of 24 Basement Hangout
8 of 24 Homework Time
9 of 24 Wash & Wear
10 of 24 Employ a Stool (or Two!)
11 of 24 Create a Cocoon
12 of 24 Family Room Flooring
13 of 24 Embrace Translucent Silhouettes
14 of 24 Walkways & Pathways
15 of 24 Accessorize Your Windows
16 of 24 Seating for All
17 of 24 Around the Table
18 of 24 TV Storage
19 of 24 Mix & Match
20 of 24 Go with a Theme
21 of 24 Space to Breathe
22 of 24 Raise the Roof
23 of 24 Be an Artist
24 of 24 Open Floor Plans

Share options

Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Shop | Better Homes & Gardens

  • Living Room Furniture
  • Sofas And Couches
  • Accent Chairs
  • Tv Stands
  • Coffee Tables
  • Hall Trees
  • Ottomans
  • Bookcases
  • End Tables
  • Sofa And Console Tables
  • Shop More Next

Better Homes & Gardens may receive compensation when you click through and purchase from links contained on this website.

  • Better Homes & Gardens BHG Logo Products at Walmart
  • Better Homes & Gardens BHG Real Estate Real Estate Services
Better Homes & Gardens

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Better Homes & Gardens
  • Help
  • Media Kit
  • Content Licensing
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab