Planning your space

A living room is a relaxing space where family and friends meet but it is also a public room where the interior decoration should make a statement.As such,planning is essential-for example,furniture should be arranged in sociable groups yet without obstacles blocking any pathways through the room.

Unless you are fortunate enough to have a den or private space where you alone can closet yourself away,the main focus for daytime relaxation in the home tends to be the living room.But the living room is a hybrid space,often a public venue where at certain times guests and friends are entertained.It is also a family room where group,as well as individual rest and liesure time is spent.Because the living room is a shared space it is usually the focus of communal family gatherings and a place where a number of activites take place at the same time.Children may play games and watch TV while adults read or listen to music.As well as being adaptable for day to day family life the living room should also be able to cope with the changes that are brought about between being a night and daytime venue as well as a summer and winter location.During the day the room should be a bright and enjoyable place to be,lit by natural light.In the evening,with curtains or blinds closed,the emphasis is on a more cozy and secure environment.During this time,different levels of lighting that are focused on the various recreational tasks and activities that take place in the room are important.In the summer,the room should be appealing because it is cool and fresh and in the winter,a comforting place into which you can retreat,leaving the cold and dark outside.As such the planning and furnishing of the space needs to be thought out carefully so that the room can cope with these various requirements and levels of wear and tear.