Have you been thinking about a cozy family room for your home?  If you have a basement that is seldom used, you might want to consider transforming it into a room your family will enjoy.  Adding on to your house can be extremely costly; with a basement, you can make a few minor changes and have a room that is comfortable, relaxing and inviting.

Basements can be cold, damp and to be truthful, a bit scary at times.  When you think about changing it into a family room it may not sound very appealing at first, but you will be amazed when the project is complete!

There are a few tasks that need to be completed prior to decorating your new family room.  If the walls are not insulated, you will want to insulate them and make sure that there are no air leaks around doors or windows; assuming your basement isn’t completely underground.  You don’t want them to allow the cold air during the winter months.  Make the room airtight and finish out minor details before transforming the space into your family room.

Finish walls and ceilings

If the walls and ceilings of your basement were never finished, do this before moving your furnishings in.  Also make repairs if there are any rough spots or holes before painting.  On the walls, consider a light colored paneling or paint.  By painting your walls, you get to choose any color you like and decorate the room with furnishings and accents that complement or contrast one another.

Create a warm, comfortable floor

Even if you take care of any existing leaks or drafts, the basement still tends to be a chilly room.  While that is great in the summer, during the winter it can be a real problem; the concrete flooring only adds to the problem.  To warm up the room and add to the cozy effect, choose carpet.  Many families enjoy a rustic family room; if this is you, consider Spanish tile for the floors but realize that you might want to install in floor heating if you do.

Carpet is easier on the feet and adds warmth to the room that tiles cannot match, but consider what sort cleaning your floor will require before making your final decision.  Carpet must be vacuumed on a regular basis to maintain its plushness, and should be shampooed occasionally to remove dirt and dust.  Tile floors are easily kept clean with sweeping and mopping.  If you do choose tile flooring, you may want to add warmth and color using accent rugs scattered randomly around the room.

Whichever you decide on, consider going to the home supply store and bringing home a few samples of each so that the whole family can be involved in the final decision.

Make the room one you will love through accents

You can make your basement a room you will absolutely fall in love with by adding a few updates.  If you have avid readers in your household, build a bookshelf along an entire wall. If there are no windows in the room, hang a large mirror and surround it with curtains as you would a window for a unique effect!

Decorating a basement can be fun, especially if the entire family joins in.  Since this is a room that is especially for the family, put aside your worries about everything being perfect or in its place!  This is a “fun” room, one in which your family can relax and enjoy.  Make it your own by adding anything and everything that makes your family room home.

The family room is where your family gathers to relax, watch television, play cards, listen to music, put together a jigsaw puzzle or just unwind.  While you want every room in your home to be beautiful and appealing, the family room is where you can more or less do what you please.  Below, you will find some great ideas for making your family room one that is both welcoming and original, incorporating the interests of your family members.

Think big

When it comes to the furnishings in your family room, think bulky and over-stuffed.  Nothing is more relaxing that climbing into a big club chair to cozy up under a throw while the fireplace crackles in winter!  Whether you choose a sofa and love seat with a plaid or striped fabric upholstery or rich leather, go for those large, sturdy looking pieces.  Large, over-stuffed throw pillows, nubby accent rugs and cozy throw blankets are great and useful accents to include, and they add splashes of color to the room.

Add family-themed accessories

It’s important that you use those items that are meaningful to your family in the family room.  Display plenty of family photos on the walls, and even feature those crafts that your children created in school.  Photos taken on a fun vacation can be displayed on a coffee or sofa table; if your family loves to play chess or checkers, leave the set sitting out on a game table.  All of these things make your family room look cozy and lived-in.

Choose one central theme for the room

Does your family love watching movies or listening to music?  Design the family room in a way that resembles a theatre or music room.  Arrange the sofa and a couple of club chairs closely around the coffee table in a way that all of the furnishings face a big screen television.  You might also divide the room into sections; a corner with chair, ottoman and floor lamp for the avid reader, another section for the gamers in the family.

If your family enjoys playing pool, ping pong or foosball, why not leave 1/2 of the space open as a game room?  This works especially well if you have a very large family room.

Use the colors you love

In most other rooms where your guests congregate, you naturally want to use colors that are a bit on the calm, relaxing side.  In the family room, anything goes!  Whether you choose bright red and pale yellow or green, gold and rust, the choice is yours.  You may not want to go as far as purple or chartreuse, but you can play with color and experiment to see what works best for you.

The family room is exactly what the name implies – a room especially for your family!  Have fun, be creative and enjoy relaxing in a room that reflects the true interests and personalities of your family members.

Has your living room looked exactly the same for years, and now you are growing tired of it?  Without spending much, or any, money, you can perk up a tired room and give it a fresh new look.  A few simple changes will make your living room appealing and beautiful once again.  This article contains many simple fixes that will have you loving an entirely different look over the span of a weekend.

Furniture

To change things up a bit, rearrange the furniture!  If your furnishings are against the walls, pull them further into the room and create an intimate sitting area around an accent rug.  Arrange the sofa, love seat and chairs around a large coffee table, so that visiting with guests seems a bit more personal.

You may want to try a diagonal approach as well, especially if the room is longer and narrow.  Arranging your sofa diagonally adds a unique touch and makes the room look wider.  Try slipcovers if your upholstery needs an updated look.  Afghans and throws work well for covering up worn spots or tears.

Paint

Frequently, people think of paint as simply for freshening up a white wall or re-painting the ceiling.  Paint is actually one of the most affordable ways to dramatically change the look of a room!  Paint a single wall a bold, vibrant color that blends with the other colors in the room.  Consider painting baseboards and door facings a contrasting color to add depth and interest.

Once you have completed the wall, add beautiful artwork, a curio cabinet, or anything you love and make it the focal point of the room.

Add Accessories for Texture and Color

A few well-placed accessories can really bring your living room to life.  Add richly-textured throw pillows in bold patterns to the sofa, or throw an antique quilt casually over one corner if you decorate in a country theme.  Green plants, scattered accent rugs and unique floor or table lamps complete the look.

Lamps are the one item in your home that can make your living room look dated.  Most can be freshened up by replacing or painting the shade, or even stenciling it.  If the base is ceramic, stone or glass, consider giving it a coat of brightly colored paint as well.  Who knew paint could be so versatile?

Add a large mirror to a living room that is dark or small.  By placing it strategically so that natural light that comes in from a window is reflected, you can lighten up the room and make it appear more spacious.

If you have some favorite collectibles, place them in spots around the room in groups of 3 or 5.  Remove any clutter, as too many dust catchers tend to make a room look messy and unorganized.  Often, we don’t realize that newspapers, toys, too many knick-knacks and other items lying around take away from the atmosphere of the room.

Put these ideas to work for you, and you can have a completely refreshed and appealing living room over the course of a single weekend.

A den or family room is usually less formal than a living room, and designed for the family to use in order to enjoy reading, watching television or other activities.  A den, instead of being decorated to impress others, should be decorated the way you want it – in a way that makes you feel the most comfortable and relaxed.  This article offers tips and ideas for making your den a special room that is meant specifically for the family.

Many people opt to make their den or family room small and cozy, while others like a large, spacious den with plenty of room.  Either way, you will get some great ideas here.

Furniture

Every den should have a sofa, bookshelves and a couple of chairs with ottomans.  If you or someone in your family is a voracious reader, consider floor to ceiling bookshelves flanking both sides of a fireplace.  Your television may be kept in an armoire, so that when you are not watching it can be hidden from view.  You may want to consider an entertainment center or office set-up in one corner if your family often plays games, listens to music or uses the computer.

Accents and Accessories

Plants make any room more attractive, and the den is no exception.  Use greenery to decorate the room, and consider several light sources for the ones who love to read.  A floor lamp placed beside a chair makes the perfect place to cozy up and read a book.  Table lamps on each end of the sofa further enhance the cozy, relaxed atmosphere.  Overhead light should be avoided as it can be harsh and glaring.  For the walls, decorate with pictures and prints that reflect your own tastes and personality.

Color Choices and Window Treatments

Since this room is to be used mostly by family, the colors you choose should be those you love.  If you like light, neutral colors, by all means go for it!  You may prefer darker hues, such as rich burgundies or deep blues.  These are fine too – just remember, darker colors will make the room appear smaller.

As far as windows go, you can use any type of blinds, shades, drapes or curtains you like.  If you want the room to appear light and airy, go for mini-blinds or shades in light, neutral colors that can be drawn up when you like.  If you prefer a more private room, heavier drapes or boldly patterned curtains are good choices.  You may even want to consider wood shutters that can be pushed back when you like.

Light walls look great with darker upholstery and leather.  Any tones that complement or contrast each other will further add depth and interest to the room.  Just remember, this room is specially made for you and your family to enjoy, so make it your own!  Use all of the colors, fabrics, and accessories that are your favorites to make it a room in which you will truly enjoy relaxing after a hard day’s work.

When it comes to decorating the family room, people often have trouble with arranging the furniture to maximize the potential of the room. When the furniture is arranged properly, the room will seem stylish, but also natural and comfortable. Here are 5 suggestions for making the most out of your room’s potential when arranging your furnishings.

1. Consider the Location of the Doorways
There is only one doorway in some family rooms, while others may have two. Keep the locations of these doorways in mind when arranging your furniture, as this will ensure that the room has a good flow. For a family room with two doorways, try to place the furniture so that people don’t cross the “conversational area,” as they walk across the room. A major consideration for those rooms with one doorway is to be sure people can easily access the furniture without have to navigate through the whole room in order to sit down.

2. Take into Consideration the Walls
If you have a long wall in the family room, that is a great area to place your big sofa or other major piece of furniture like a mission tv  stand. That wall can also be made into a focal point for the room by placing something like an entertainment center there. The other furniture in the room can then be arranged around this wall.

3. Leave Plenty of Space between the Furniture Pieces
When arranging the family room furniture, you need to make sure that you leave plenty of walking space in between each piece. You want people to have adequate space in which to walk around the room but still have things close enough so the space is intimate. If you’re able to strike a balance, then people will have a comfortable amount of space to walk, but when seated, they won’t be so far away that the space isn’t intimate anymore. No one wants to be bumping into furniture right and left when walking around. But on the other hand, you also don’t want people to have to shout in order to talk to one another.

4. Make Sure the Furniture Balances Properly
One common mistake is to put all the large pieces of furniture on the same side of the room, leaving the space looking completely off balance. For instance, don’t place a large sofa next to a large recliner, and then put a small chair and oak end table across the room. Try your best to achieve both horizontal and vertical balance in the room by mixing up your larger and smaller pieces.

5. The Furniture Arrangement Should Be Functional
When arranging the furniture in the family room, you need to be sure to keep it functional. You want to make sure the family room serves its purpose as a more casual, sort of hangout room. Thus, if you’ve designated this space as a place for your family to watch movies together, then you need to be sure that enough of the seating faces the television screen so that everyone is comfortable. It doesn’t matter how stylish the family room is. If it’s not functional, the space will be completely wasted.

Arranging the family room furnishing should go much more smoothly when you follow these simple tips. What will result is a family room that’s stylish, yet also comfortable and functional.

Do you want to change up the theme or style of your living room? You don’t necessarily have to buy all new couches and chairs to match the new look of the décor. You can easily change the style and colors of your furnishings by adding slipcovers to the décor. Here are some helpful hints to help you get started in looking for new slipcovers for your family room furnishings.

Choose Cotton or Polyester-Blend Slipcovers for High-Traffic Areas
For high-traffic family rooms, your best bet will always be a slipcover that’s a cotton or polyester blend. This type of material will hold up the best when it comes to wear and tear. It does tend to wrinkle, but you can run an iron over the slipcovers and the wrinkles come right out. You should be able to find cotton and polyester slipcovers that are relatively inexpensive, although there are higher-end cotton slipcovers available as well.

Buy the Appropriate Size Slipcover
If you find the perfect slipcover for your couch but it’s not quite big enough, do not try to use it. A too-small slipcover on a couch or chair will end up looking too tight and you will probably be able to see parts of the couch peeking out from under it. It’s not any better to use a slipcover that’s too large for a furniture piece. This will only end up making the furniture look very sloppy and unpolished. Be sure to measure your furniture before you go out to look for a slipcover. This will ensure the proper fit.

Decide What Type of Slipcover You Prefer
Some people look for slipcovers that form fit against the couch, so that every line in the couch is visible. The other option is a looser-fitting slipcover, one that simply drapes and hangs loosely off the couch and other furniture. Keep in mind that tight-fitting slipcovers need to be constantly rearranged due to people sitting and moving about on it. This type of slipcover also may rip more easily from being pulled too tight or in a wrong direction. Decide what type of slipcover you want based on your preferences and the style of the room before you go out and buy one.

People choose to use slipcovers for a variety of different reasons. For one thing, they can be used to hide stains or rips on cushions that are otherwise in great condition. They can also be used to change the look of a room when redecorating. Some people even use them to give their room a different look with the changing of the seasons. Whatever your reason, take care to choose your slipcovers carefully. After all, once you slip them over the furniture, they will become one of the main focuses of the room.