The term “formal living room” can conjure up some not-so-pleasant memories from our youth.
In the somewhat intimidating “adults only” rooms that belonged mostly to our parents or grandparents and their friends you would frequently find plastic protected sofas, fragile accent pieces, white carpeting, and lots and lots of upholstery. Very few of these fancy living spaces offered much comfort (or fun for that matter!) for anyone. Maybe this is why one recent study found that formal living rooms were one of the most wasted spaces in homes, with the majority of people reporting they spent very little time in the swanky space compared to other rooms.
However, keep in mind that formal living rooms don’t have to be so, well, formal. We spoke to a bunch of interior design experts for tips on how to design your formal living space into an area of your home that you actually want to spend time in.
Make It Cozy
Another design element of so many old school formal living rooms is, well, discomfort. “Our parents seemed to have uncomfortable sofas with way too formal of a fabric!” points out by us at COCHEEN FURNITURE. Hard but elegant sofas, pillows that are anything but cozy, and stiff sitting chairs are just a few things that come to mind. “No longer do we have such formal spaces that make us question whether it is okay to sit down on or even enter the room,” points out by us at COCHEEN FURNITURE
