Find home inspirations with this list of formal living room alternatives to convert your home’s unused living space into a more practical one to match your family’s needs and lifestyle.
Formal living rooms are traditionally used for entertaining guests. As the name suggests, the room’s style leans toward the formal type and it’s often used to showcase fine furniture pieces. However, with the passing of time and the value of real estate soaring ever higher, the traditional purpose of formal living rooms make it redundant. In some cases, this showcase room goes unused.
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1. Kid’s Playroom
One of the most popular alternatives uses for a formal living room is a kid’s playroom. If you have multiple children, then they might wind up testing your patience from time to time. As heartwarming as it can be to see the young ones running around and playing in your home, you will sometimes wish that things could be a bit quieter. If you are able to give the children their own playroom, then you’ll be able to enjoy a little more peace and quiet.
A good kid’s playroom will keep your children occupied. You can put many of their favorite toys in the playroom and you will be able to do your best to make it feel special. Some parents like to make kid’s playrooms that have interesting themes. You could build a room that looks like a jungle area or one that has the feeling of a medieval castle.
2. Library
If you are among the millions of people who love to read for fun, then the idea of turning the formal living room into a library will appeal to you. This is something that is going to make fans of paper books very happy. Even though many people are turning to e-books, there are a lot of people who simply enjoy the feeling of reading a real paper book. You can set up a nice reading area for yourself where you can enjoy a beverage and just unwind.
Those who have extensive book collections may need some type of library if they want to display all of their books. Buying some nice bookshelves and some appropriate decorations will really be all that you need to do. Add some furniture that will be comfortable for reading purposes and you will have a great library. This could also work well for those who need to study for college or other types of academic or intellectual pursuits.
3. Music Room
Music is something that speaks to the hearts of billions of people around the world. It is highly likely that music has touched your life in some way. You may even be a musician yourself. If you like to play music, then you know how annoying it can be to have difficulties finding a place to practice.
Being able to practice playing your instruments is not always a simple thing. Playing music can make a lot of noise and this can wind up disturbing people. You may wind up deciding not to play simply because you do not want to be rude. This is unfortunate for those who love music and want to be able to continue to pursue it.
4. Game Room
Having a free room in your house is something that you can really use to your advantage. If you are interested in building a room that is purely for your entertainment, then you could make a game room. Game rooms are something that more and more young adults want to have in modern times. It can be a space where people can display the things that they are passionate about and have fun with friends.
Many people use game rooms as a space to play video games. Collecting video games is a hobby that many people enjoy, and being able to display your collection is nice. You can hook your various game consoles up to televisions and add in some comfortable furniture. It will make for a perfect way to spend your free evening hours.
5. Exercise Room
A much more practical use for the formal living room space would be to create an exercise room. Everyone wants to try to stay in the best shape that they possibly can. It isn’t always easy when you spend the majority of your time at work. There are a lot of people who can’t get motivated to go to the gym, but they might have an easier time if their gym was inside their home.
To build a good exercise room, you are going to need some equipment. You could decide to purchase some weights or some type of machine for strength training. Cardio equipment can be very useful as well. You’ll be able to put a treadmill or an exercise bike in your new exercise room to really help you get your heart rate up.
6. Home Office
A home office area will give you a room where you can do your work without being interrupted. If you work at home, then you really should have your own work environment. It can be fine to work elsewhere in your home sometimes, but you might find that you get distracted too easily. There are many things going on in the rest of your home and your attention needs to be focused on your work.
You can make a nice home office using a desk, a few bookshelves, and a computer. Add in some decorative elements and it will be a great area for you to get some work done. This is ideal for people who work using computers. It also works well for people who do a lot of business over the phone.
7. Personal Bar
t has been established that using your formal living room to create a space for entertainment purposes is appealing. Some people are less into games and books than they are a good adult beverage. If you are a bit of a wine or beer connoisseur, then you might be interested in the idea of a personal bar. You can set up your own bar area and keep it stocked with all of your favorite drinks.
Many people choose to add televisions and other entertaining elements to their personal bar. You could install a dartboard or purchase a pool table. It could wind up being a combination of a game room and a personal bar if you will it to be so. Either way, the ability to enjoy a nice stiff drink after a long day of work is very appealing.
