You sometimes hear people say that the kitchen is the heart of the home. And certainly for foodies, that’s the truth. But in reality, the center of your house is the living room. It’s where you spend most of your time, where the family gets together, where you enjoy hobbies, read, watch TV, play games, and where you entertain your friends. And yet so many living rooms can become a dumping ground for books, magazines, work, and jumbles of electronic equipment, wires and cables.
So why not take a good look at your living room, and think about reclaiming it. Here are some top tips for making your living room into a real entertainment center.
Identify the focal point of the room
So why not take a good look at your living room, and think about reclaiming it. Here are some top tips for making your living room into a real entertainment center.
Identify the focal point of the room
A great centerpiece for any living room is a fireplace. But traditional fireplaces, together with the more contemporary artificial counterparts take up a lot of space, and can limit the amount of room you have for other furniture. So the why not look at a fireplace entertainment center. This is a well-designed stylish unit which will house all your entertainment equipment, such as TV screens, computer consoles, games equipment and music systems, as well as having storage for cables, DVDs, CDs and books and magazines.
Integrated within the furniture itself, is a fully functioning fireplace. What better way to combine the warmth and good cheer of a fire, with all the modern entertainment equipment you need, leaving the rest of the room for other things, such as a few comfortable sofas, and your friends and family.
Decide on the equipment you need
Integrated within the furniture itself, is a fully functioning fireplace. What better way to combine the warmth and good cheer of a fire, with all the modern entertainment equipment you need, leaving the rest of the room for other things, such as a few comfortable sofas, and your friends and family.
Decide on the equipment you need
In the old days, families would spend their evenings gathered round the radio, listening together. It’s hard to imagine that now, as technology advances so fast. Nowadays, more and more people are upgrading what was a simple TV to complete home cinema systems, complete with huge flat screens, surround sound, Blue-Ray or DVD players, games consoles, and interactive elements.
However, even if your living room is on the small side and your TV screen more bijou than Ode on, you can still maximise the viewing experience, by integrating your screen and accompanying equipment in a single entertainment center. So work how much space you have and what you need to fit in, and look for one of the many beautiful and efficient pieces available.
Separate your work from your relaxation
If you work from home, you need to be able to separate your daily grind from your entertainment. Being clever with furniture and storage can make this much easier. Well-designed pieces can enable you to hide, or screen off your office, without having to pack everything up, and versatile storage means nothing will get lost while you watch the match with your mates.
Choose your furnishings
However, even if your living room is on the small side and your TV screen more bijou than Ode on, you can still maximise the viewing experience, by integrating your screen and accompanying equipment in a single entertainment center. So work how much space you have and what you need to fit in, and look for one of the many beautiful and efficient pieces available.
Separate your work from your relaxation
If you work from home, you need to be able to separate your daily grind from your entertainment. Being clever with furniture and storage can make this much easier. Well-designed pieces can enable you to hide, or screen off your office, without having to pack everything up, and versatile storage means nothing will get lost while you watch the match with your mates.
Choose your furnishings
Remember this room is about comfort, and relaxation. If new sofas are beyond the budget, why not invest in a few cheery cushions, and spruce up your curtains with braid, fringes or beads. Throw out worn and soggy cushions and cover holes and marks in carpets and furnishings with rugs and throws.
Think about lighting
Even if you and your friends spend most of the time glued to a screen, you still need to make the space feel warm and cosy. A fireplace entertainment center will add a really homely feel, especially when the television is off. Remember, you may need light to read, so consider standard lamps and spots for occasional use. Many entertainment centers allow for in-built lighting. Think about where you’re going to put the TV and computer screens in relation to windows, so you don’t have to draw the curtains in order to watch TV.
Take care to manage the sound
You don’t want to deafen people in a small room with thick carpet, but a bigger space with a wood or stone floor and high ceilings will need more volume. Have a think about whether wall-mounted or stand-alone speakers would work best. Again, some of the best home entertainment centers will allow for speakers to be integrated too.
Manage your collections
Think about lighting
Even if you and your friends spend most of the time glued to a screen, you still need to make the space feel warm and cosy. A fireplace entertainment center will add a really homely feel, especially when the television is off. Remember, you may need light to read, so consider standard lamps and spots for occasional use. Many entertainment centers allow for in-built lighting. Think about where you’re going to put the TV and computer screens in relation to windows, so you don’t have to draw the curtains in order to watch TV.
Take care to manage the sound
You don’t want to deafen people in a small room with thick carpet, but a bigger space with a wood or stone floor and high ceilings will need more volume. Have a think about whether wall-mounted or stand-alone speakers would work best. Again, some of the best home entertainment centers will allow for speakers to be integrated too.
Manage your collections
Hundreds of DVDs? Too many CDs? Nowhere to put your work filing when your friends come round? Choose storage units which co-ordinate with your room design, and you’ll be amazed how much space you can free up.
Consider everyone
Think about all the things that happen in the room. Make sure your work surfaces are properly lit and the right height for business people and children’s homework. You may need occasional tables for drinks and food, and it’s a great idea to combine a storage unit with a handy surface.
Accessories the room
Take the opportunity to make the space your own. Using photographs, ornaments, paintings and other personal touches will ensure your living room is a real representation of your personality, and welcoming for visitors.
Enjoy it
Consider everyone
Think about all the things that happen in the room. Make sure your work surfaces are properly lit and the right height for business people and children’s homework. You may need occasional tables for drinks and food, and it’s a great idea to combine a storage unit with a handy surface.
Accessories the room
Take the opportunity to make the space your own. Using photographs, ornaments, paintings and other personal touches will ensure your living room is a real representation of your personality, and welcoming for visitors.
Enjoy it
Whether you have opted to spruce up your small but cosy living room, or whether you’ve decided to dedicate a whole room, basement, garage or loft to creating a home theater or cinema, our top tips will help you design it effectively, and make it a real entertainment center spot.
If you choose a fireplace entertainment center, or if you opt for any of the many other well-designed entertainment furniture solutions available, you’ll soon find your family and friends won’t be far behind. So unless you fancy a night in on your own, behind closed doors, with a beer and a good movie, why not rustle up some popcorn, fill the space you’ve saved with friends and family, and enjoy a great night out, while staying in.
Of course, all this is dependent on finding the right kind of furniture. There are so many products available in a massive variety of styles, colours, materials and sizes, that choosing is going to be somewhat bewildering. Do your research, make sure you know sizes and make sure everything is fit for purpose and you won’t go far wrong.
