Family Room Decorating Ideas From Six Expert Interior Designers

My family room could use some updating- some freshening up!  Perhaps your family room could do with some fresh interior home decor ideas too?  It is always fun to look at great decorating ideas so that you can plan out what you want in your head.  That is why I sought our several interior designers and asked them to give us their best family room decorating ideas!  These interior designers have been so kind as to share key family room elements, inexpensive family room updates, and trendy new decorating ideas for family rooms.

6 Designers Share Their Best Family Room Decorating Ideas

Great Family Rooms by Gina Samarotto of Samarotto Design

Decorating a family room is a wonderful opportunity to create a cozy and inviting space where your family can relax, entertain, and spend quality time together. Here are some family room decorating ideas to inspire you:

Inexpensive Family Room Decorating Ideas And Easy Decor Updates

1. Swap out throw pillows. Add deep velvet fabric pillows, tapestry, rich color in fall and winter. Add bright color, cotton canvas in spring and summer.
2. Add a pop of color by painting one wall your “dream” color! Vivid color, deep color… creating one accent wall gives you pop without being overwhelming.
3. Freshen up old furniture by adding cozy, beautiful throws and blankets. Not only gives color and texture but can hide rips and stains!
4. Let the sun shine in! Clean windows inside and out, add new curtains, swags or drapes. If privacy isn’t an issue, lose the blinds and sheers and let light pour in!
5. Get rid of clutter by adding multi functional storage pieces. Think ottomans with hinged lids, coffee tables with drawers, photo boxes to hold odds and ends fit beautifully in a bookcase.
6. Trade the brass finished scones and light fixtures that came with the house for sleek, updated pieces – inexpensive, easy to install and readily available from the home improvement giant stores!
7. You know that box of old doorknobs your husband has in the basement?  Those shells your kids collected from the beach vacation? Turn clutter into an interesting collection by displaying your finds in a swanky looking glass bowl or tray.

Clever/Unique Family Room Decorating Ideas

1. Get rid of clutter by adding multi functional storage pieces that will organize your space. Think ottomans with hinged lids, coffee tables with drawers, photo boxes to hold odds and ends fit beautifully in a bookcase.
2. Forget old mirror tiles! Create the illusion of space and light by grouping a collection of mirrors with wonderful frames.
3. Swap out those energy draining bulbs with compact fluorescents or LEDs that create a soft light from your lamps without breaking your budget.
4. Spray paint is your best friend! Take old, mismatched picture frames and give them a new life with a coat of flat black spray paint. The texture of each frame gives dimension while the monochromatic color gives your items the look of a collection, not clutter!
5. Send your family photos to an inexpensive online lab to have your favorites enlarged and printed on art canvases.
6. Think outside the box! Love the look of expensive fabric drapes but don’t want to pay the price? Sheets, fabric by the yard, even lightweight blankets can do double duty as window coverings with a simple sewn seam or even some iron on fabric tape! Make a pocket for the rod and let ‘er hang!
7. Not enough windows? Add another by hanging a great mirror and adding drapes to create a stunner of an image!
8. Raise your curtain rods, and extend them well past the windows! The illusion of huge windows is created by adding additional ‘framing’ around the ones you have!

Hot Family Room Decorating Trends:

1. Families are spending more time at home and their family room decorating reflects this.  The trend is towards big, oversized pieces with sleek lines that provide comfy seating without being fussy.
2. Today’s larger family rooms are the center of the home. Makes yours do double duty by adding a dining table and chairs – perfect for a meal, or a board game!
3. Signature color is the way to make your room pop. Introduce a bold hot color through pillows, throws or a fabulous accent wall. Burnt Orange, Rich Navy and Chocolate Brown are all hot colors this year.
4. Indoor/Outdoor Living is available year round, no matter where you live! Stage your patio space to compliment your interior rooms. Even when you’re not using the outdoor space, you’re creating a fabulous view!

Key Elements Every Family Room Should Have

1. Enough deep, comfy seating for the whole gang! Don’t have enough space for another couch? Try big, tufted ottomans to provide seating, storage (many have hinged lids) and table space (by adding a tray on top!)
2. Different lighting options. Make sure you use creative placement of lamps and lights – rather than just overhead lighting – so you can read, watch TV, entertain or just hang out with the perfect illumination.
3. Your family room should reflect YOUR family! Family photos go from boring to stunning when you print black and white prints from your favorites and create a displayed collection.

Tips to Hide Toys in the Family Room

1. A plain pine box with a hinged lid becomes a toy box AND extra seating when you paint it to match the wall color and add an inexpensive fabric cushion on top.
2. Old trunks make gorgeous coffee tables, AND they hold a treasure of toys!
3. Armoires come out of the bedroom and into the living space easily. Angle one in a corner for a dramatic look and lots of storage!

Family Room Decorating Tips from Claudia Juestel from Adeeni Design Group:

1. The key elements every family room should have are ample and very comfortable seating, attractive storage to hide toys, games etc., something to put your feed up, such as an ottoman, a chaise longue etc., great lighting that offers versatile options for playing games, reading and watching TV.
2. Ambient lighting is key, especially when watching TV. *Lit tables* are a unique option to have a little glow.
3. To hide toys I often add built-in cabinets or choose end-tables and coffee tables that provide storage.
4. To give a family room *a fresh new look* a new coat of paint goes along way. Updating less expensive items such as pillows, throws and accessories have a big visual impact as well.
5. In small family room decorating, I like to use end tables that also double as a bookcase.

Tips on How to Redesign Your Family Room from Jennifer Scully of Redesign For A Dime

I am very often called to create a warm and inviting family room that each member of the household can enjoy. The theme is the same; creating different “zones” for everyone but the needs can be very specific. In this particular family room, I was asked to create a reading area for Mom during her tea time, a TV area for Dad so he could be comfy watching sporting events and clever and stylish ways to conceal toys and video games for their two young boys.

The coffee “table” has changed shape over the years and I prefer to do storage pieces such as trunks instead of tables or tables with shelves with baskets on them. This way, the coffee table is able to house movies, games, extra blankets or toys. An attractive wooden box on top serves as a home for remote controls and a cushion can always be added if you want to put your feet up.

Everyone wants a wall-mounted flat screen and most people want to hide their components in a closet or in a simple component console but where does everything else go? Built-ins are wonderful because they can go wall-to-wall to maximize storage and they add value to your home but if budget doesn’t allow, consider placing two bookcases with some closed storage on either side of your TV. The most uncluttered rooms can actually be hiding loads of “stuff.” If there is a place to put away your things, you will actually put them away!

Other clients have asked me to create a game table area for family game night, a cozy seating area by the fireplace for Mom and Dad, a bar area for lively parties and I even have been asked to leave large open areas for the kids to practice their martial arts or dance. If you figure out what your family’s needs are you can divide up your space without actual divisions and make it work for the whole family. The cohesiveness is achieved through color, style and furniture placement.

The most well- designed rooms don’t have anything that really stands out. It is more pleasing to the eye to have one space that blends together color and texture to create a soothing atmosphere. Make sure everything in your space relates to each other, keep your wood tones in the same family and you will have a seamless family room for all to enjoy.

Family Room Decorating Ideas from Beverly Hills Interior Designer Christopher Grubb of Arch-Interiors:

Beige is out, bold is in. Color in unexpected places can rev up a room, giving it a fresh and exciting look. By infusing a room with vivid, bright or rich hues, even with a single item of furniture or décor, a staid living space can become a highlight of the home.

“People often think a bold color is only for modern interiors. It’s not the case. It’s a great way to add some freshness to a more traditional look,”says Beverly Hills interior designer Christopher Grubb. “A couple of strategically placed pieces and accents in a room create a very stirring
environment.”

“Using a strong color in a piece of furniture is a tremendous opportunity to express your individuality and add excitement to a room,” designer Grubbs advises. “For the best design results, find a few accessories to compliment the color so the ‘look’ is successful throughout the room.”

Also, consider the emotions colors will arouse and what mood you want to elicit when choosing the right family room decorating ideas for your space.

How to Design Your Family Room by Lori Gilder, Designer Behind DiaryofaRenovation.com

1. Open your family room to adjoining spaces so the room is visible from the kitchen and dining room, ultimately inviting everyone in.
2. Define these open spaces by introducing some architectural elements such as arches, columns, and other details.
3. Plan your home entertainment system early on in the design phase to ensure that all electrical wiring and any integrated systems meet your needs.
4. Create one major focal point within this space. Install your large screen plasma TV within the fireplace wall  (if you have one).
5. The furniture layout should be oriented toward the focal point of the space.  Don’t be inclined to line up your furniture pieces up against the wall thinking it creates more space.  It doesn’t.
6. Be aware of traffic patterns when planning a furniture layout.  The ability to walk through the room without navigating through a maze of furniture is key.

Decorating Ideas For Family Rooms by DeAnna Radaj of Bante Design LLC

Inexpensive Ways to Give the Family Room a Fresh Look

1. A fresh coat of paint in a WARM color (red, yellow, orange, brown) throughout the entire room or just an accent wall is great to help freshen &/or change the energy in the space. Choose a cohesive color scheme that ties the room together and reflects your family’s style preferences. Consider incorporating pops of color through throw pillows, rugs, and other accessories.
2. For your family room decor, throw pillows, accent rug and/or changing out seat cushions on chairs will also help update the space.
3. Display family photos, artwork, and mementos that reflect your family’s personality and interests. A gallery wall is a popular way to showcase memories and add visual interest to the room. Changing out artwork for the seasons is another idea.
4. And finally, changing your space-plan is a quick, easy & FREE update to the room! Arrange your furniture in a way that encourages conversation and interaction. Consider creating multiple seating areas to accommodate different activities, such as watching TV, playing games, or reading.

Conclusion

Decorating your family room can be a fun and rewarding project! I hope you enjoyed these ideas to help you get started. Invest in a comfortable sofa and chairs. Consider a sectional sofa for ample seating or a cozy recliner for relaxation. From comfortable seating to an inviting color scheme, start with the basics. Choose a color scheme that reflects your family’s style and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere. Neutral tones like beige, gray, or white are versatile and can be paired with accent colors for a pop of personality. They functional layout is crucial too. Arrange furniture to create conversation areas and ensure there’s plenty of space to move around. Consider the flow of traffic and how your family will use the room.

Remember that the most important aspect of decorating a family room is to create a space where everyone feels comfortable and at home. The whole family will enjoy your new family room decor due to the exciting new colors, smart furniture choices and easy to organize solutions. Have fun incorporating your personal style into the room, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different ideas until you find what works best for your family. I hope you enjoyed these Family Room Decorating Ideas!  Which decorating ideas for family rooms did you enjoy the most? Are you planning any family room decorating updates?

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