Formal lounges: what can we do with them?

While the glory days of having a sophisticated formal lounge may have passed, many homes still have them and, as a result, homeowners often find themselves stuck with a room which they barely use. We're looking at some of the ways in which you can rework your formal lounge into a space that you - and your family - can actually make use of.

We live in a time where space is a commodity and having a rarely used room in your home, such as a formal lounge - which is more a showcase of high-end furniture than for practical day to day use - is not only a waste of space but a waste of potential too. Luckily, there are many more practical ways to utilise your formal lounge that will not only make it a hub of activity in your home, but a potential way to increase the value of your property.

Here are some of the ways in which you can revamp your formal lounge to create a space that can be used and enjoyed by your entire family:

Switch from formal lounge to children's playroom

If you have children, then why not consider turning your formal lounge on its head and creating an informal playroom where your children can hang out and play.  Rather than having toys and crafts scattered around your home, you can use the space to create an ordered, dedicated playtime space. All you'll need to do is replace the sophisticated lounge furnishings with child-sized (and child-friendly) furniture, such as tables and chairs that are easy to clean and perhaps a beanbag or two. You can install a couple of shelves and storage cupboards where you can store their books, toys and art supplies, as well as a TV stand and TV to create the ultimate playroom for your children to have fun in.

Convert it into an office

Due to the lockdown we're spending more time than ever working from home, so why not use the extra space by converting your unused formal lounge into a state-of-the-art home office. Having a designated room to work in will not only give you your own personal space to work in but will also help improve your productivity. You can create your own high-end home office by replacing your lounge furniture with office furniture such as a desk and desk chair, computer monitors, bookshelves and storage cupboards, along with any other office accessories you need to complete the space. You can even keep one or two of the original couches from your formal lounge if you plan on having co-workers or clients meet at your home.

Create your own personal reading room or library

Formal lounges can easily be converted into the perfect reading room or home library. You can even keep the existing couches and side tables in the room - just add a few luxuriously comfortable armchairs, a couple of bookshelves to showcase your collection of books and a reading light or two and voila! you have your own personal library to sit back, relax and enjoy some peace and quiet in.

Convert it into an entertainment room

An excellent way to make your formal lounge into a feature in your home is to convert it into a drinks and entertainment room by adding a bar area. You can keep the existing furniture for a more formal and luxurious whisky bar type set up or replace the formal furniture with slightly more modern furniture to create a high end champagne bar. You will need to add cabinets for your drinks glasses and bottles, as well as some wine racks where you can display your wine and champagne collection. This way you can use the room whenever you're hosting friends for drinks, or as a place to gather for a pre-meal glass of champagne or a post-meal whisky - or whatever takes your fancy.

Create a hobby room

If you're the type of family that has loads of different hobbies and interests, then why not turn your living room into a hobby room which the whole family can make use of and avoid the mess that ultimately accompanies hobbies - especially the more artsy ones - from being spread around your home. Replace the formal furniture with large, spacious desks and comfortable chairs to work on, craft cupboards and lots of boxes and shelves where you can store the various supplies. You can even keep musical instruments in your hobby room to create a great practise space that's out of the way of the general hustle and bustle of your home.

There are so many exciting ways to take your formal lounge from being a white elephant in your home that just seems to collect dust to a space that is an integral part of your home and your family's day to day life.

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