Adding a Family Room: Everything You Need to Know

family roomAre you considering a family room addition? Today’s family rooms have a reputation for being relaxing, stress-free zones. The challenge is keeping a family room classy and sophisticated while also recognizing that it can be a high-traffic zone, especially if you have children, pets, or both.

Typically used as a primary space for entertainment and relaxation, family rooms often serve numerous functions.

Because family rooms, also referred to as great rooms, tend to be more casual than traditional living rooms, they exude a more welcoming feel, with plenty of opportunities to kick back, watch your favorite TV shows, play games, read, or simply relax after a long day.

At Republic West Remodeling, we believe that since a family room commonly serves as an entertainment space in the home, its vibe should be conducive to fun and relaxation and provide everyone with space to put their feet up, unwind, and enjoy.

If you are thinking about adding a family room, developing a room addition plan with an experienced room addition contractor is a crucial part of the process.

To make your space luxurious and user-friendly, here are some factors to keep in mind when designing your family room space.

Where to Start

In the early stages of a family room addition project, designers typically come over to meet you in your home to evaluate your existing space. At Republic West Remodeling, we believe this is an ideal time for us to learn more about what concepts or ideas are on the table.

We also encourage clients to share magazine images, online finds, and other sources of inspiration during this initial stage to help us better understand the ultimate goal you want to achieve with your family room addition.

It is important to keep in mind that a family room is a place in your home where you will spend much of your time; it reflects your family’s daily habits, so it is crucial to get your family room addition exactly how you envision it.

For example, maybe you want to add extra shelving or built-in units to showcase prized books, precious family photos, or a high-tech sound system.

Or, perhaps you wish to embark upon a more extensive room addition project and knock down a wall to expand the entire area of your current family room. Many homeowners prefer to create a great room addition directly off their current kitchen to open up an even bigger space and create function and flow.

Because the typical family room needs to serve many purposes, it should be multi-functional. From a style perspective, it should reflect your personal flair, and it should also be comfortable, cozy, and inviting.

Decide on the Room’s Function

Determine how you want your family room to function. For instance, what activities will be taking place in the space? Also, how many people do you want to seat comfortably?

When undergoing a family room addition, designate different areas of the space for different activities. For example, if you place a floor lamp and a plush armchair in a corner, you can create a cozy reading nook. Incorporating a storage ottoman can be another great addition to any family room as you can use it as a game table or beverage and snack tray when needed.

Consider Traffic Flow

Before committing to a design plan, answer questions, such as “Where are the primary and secondary traffic patterns in the new family room?” Once you determine the answer, consider these details when you are deciding where to put bookshelves and place furniture. Ultimately, you must be able to move in and out of the room easily.

Find a Focal Point

Figure out where the focal point is in your new family room and arrange elements and furniture in a way that complements it. For example, common focal points often include windows, built-in shelving, fireplaces, or TVs.

Which component you select to be your primary focal point can directly impact how you want the room to function.

Focus on Storage

One of your goals with a family room addition should be to accommodate all of the items you typically keep in this type of space, such as books, magazines, video games, board games, throw blankets, and so on.

Popular storage choices often come in the form of custom built-ins, concealed toy boxes, and freestanding furniture. If you are a high-tech family, for instance, consider adding shelving to accommodate movies and video games, and cabinets to conceal smaller-sized electronics, including DVD players, stereo receivers, and game consoles. Some homeowners invest in a more substantial media console, or entertainment center, for a seamless, cohesive look.

Get Creative with Furniture Placement

A cozy room layout is the goal of any family room. It not only promotes casual conversation but also makes the space feel well-designed and functional.

Think outside the box and consider moving furniture away from walls to establish more intimate seating areas. Or, consider angling key elements if it makes sense with the architecture of the room.

Consider Lighting And Outlet Needs

It can be frustrating to forge ahead with your perfectly-thought-out family room addition and realize that, even though a stylish lamp is in the perfect spot, there is nowhere to plug it in.

When working on your family room addition, plan outlet placement with shelving and furniture location in mind. Strive to include a healthy mix of ambient, task, and decorative lighting options for a diverse, functional space.

Brainstorm Family Room Ideas Together

At Republic West Remodeling, we believe that each step of your family room addition is important. It starts with the initial consultation and planning phase, where we brainstorm together and listen carefully to your goals and ideas.

Next, our team of room addition contractors provides you with 3-D renderings and design plans that help you to understand what we envision for your space.

You can browse our photo gallery of previous family room additions and remodeling projects for plenty of inspiration.

Are You Ready To Get Started With Your Family Room Addition?

The Republic West Remodeling team of designers oversees every phase of your family room addition, from the initial assessment phase, through the planning and design stages, and construction. We can work with you to design a family room that works well for your needs and also shows off your unique style and personality.

We have designed family rooms that are sophisticated, modern, and creative. We have also created spaces that are sleek and luxurious. Whatever ideas you have for your family room addition, we are excited to work with you to bring that vision it to life.

Contact us today for a free evaluation of your room addition needs.

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