Dreaming of a gorgeous living room that functions for the every day craziness of family life?
The family room is the most popular room in the house for good reason. Kids play, snacks are dropped and guests are entertained — often all in one day.
Here’s the problem:
Finish selection is typically done based on showroom samples. Not how they perform when toddler throws juice on couch.
That’s a fast way to waste a lot of money.
Below are the finishes that stand up to the test of time in busy family homes…and still keep the house looking chic.
The Breakdown:
- Why Finishes Matter In A Shared Family Space
- Choosing The Right Flooring
- Getting Rug Placement Under Sofa Layouts Right
- Selecting Family-Friendly Sofas & Upholstery
- Wall Finishes That Handle Sticky Fingers
- The Small Details That Pull It All Together
Why Finishes Matter In A Shared Family Space
Prioritize the living room. The living room often does the most work. In many homes it is the largest room. It’s also typically where you spend most of your time. Design reports suggest living rooms account for 38% of interior design purchases by US homeowners.
That’s a lot of money going into one room.
Choosing the wrong finish is costly. Paint that scratches, rugs that curl, floors that scuff after a week…
You’ll be replacing them every couple of years.
Family-friendly finishes solve that problem.
Choosing The Right Flooring
Flooring establishes the mood for an entire room. Plus, it receives more abuse than any other surface.
The three best flooring options for busy family homes are:
- Luxury vinyl plank (LVP)
- Engineered hardwood
- Porcelain tile
Luxury vinyl plank is most families favorite option. It is waterproof, scratch resistant and has a warm feel. You can let your kids spill juice on it and your pets roam around scratching themselves.
Engineered hardwood can look beautiful, but it requires maintenance. Use only matte finishes and darker colors — scuffs show up on glossy floors.
Porcelain tile is the toughest but hard and cold underfoot. Best in warm climates.
Whatever you pick… Avoid super light colours. They show every crumb and paw print.
Getting Rug Placement Under Sofa Layouts Right
Rugs pull a living room together. But most people get the placement wrong.
Having a rug properly placed under your sofa configuration can make a space feel larger, warmer and anchored. Have it positioned incorrectly and the entire space will feel unbalanced. When purchasing living room rugs, size should be your biggest concern, not color or pattern.
Here are the three main placement styles that work in family homes:
- All legs on: All legs go on the rug including the sofa and side tables. Ideal for more spacious open layouts.
- Front legs on: Sofa only sits on rug by the front legs. Best for medium sized rooms.
- Floating: Let the rug sit in front of your sofa with no legs on it. Reserve this style for small spaces or only under a coffee table.
One of the most frequent errors when choosing a rug is selecting one that is too small. A little rug placed right in front of a large sectional makes your space feel disjointed and closed in.
Also… You need a non-slip rug pad.
One of the most underestimated tripping hazards in your home are loose rugs. Trips and falls account for 43% of home injury deaths, and loose rugs always seem to be involved. A quality pad will keep the rug from bunching up when your kids sprint across the room.
Pretty simple fix for a big problem.
Selecting Family-Friendly Sofas & Upholstery
The sofa is the centerpiece of the living room. It also gets abused more than any other furniture in your home.
Performance fabrics are revolutionizing family living. Designed to resist stains, spills and pet hair. Most spills can be wiped away with a damp cloth and your fabric will look like new.
Look for these fabrics on your sofa:
- Crypton
- Sunbrella
- Performance velvet
- Tightly woven polyester blends
Steer clear of lightweight fabrics such as pure linen and silk. They are gorgeous but photograph every wrinkle.
Colour is important as well. Mid-tones and patterns conceal signs of wear far better than stark white or cream. A charcoal, olive or warm brown sofa will look wonderful five years down the line. A white one will look weary after six months.
Removable/washable covers are a great feature. If you spill something you can remove the cover and throw it in the wash. That saves tons of money in professional cleaning over time.
Ok… one additional tidbit of information. Avoid deep pile textures on throw pillows. Crumbs and pet hair hide in there forever. They also drive you nuts trying to keep them clean. Smooth-woven textures appear equally plush and are spot cleaned in a flash.
Wall Finishes That Handle Sticky Fingers
Walls in your family room collect fingerprints, are kicked, scribbled on and bumped daily. Flat matte paint may look fabulous at the paint store but it will stain when your child grabs it.
The fix? Use the right paint finish.
The best paint finishes for family living room walls are:
- Eggshell (light sheen, wipes clean easily)
- Satin (more sheen, very durable)
- Semi-gloss (great for trim and wainscoting)
Eggshell is the happy medium for most living rooms. It camouflages minor wall flaws and still erases easily when your toddler smears chocolate on the wall at eye level.
Paneling or shiplap on the bottom third of your wall is another helpful tip. It gets the abuse instead of the paint. Bonus — looks awesome too.
Colour also plays a role. Warm mid-tones such as sage, soft clay and warm beige camouflage small blemishes much better than stark white. Bonus: they also make your room feel warmer.
See also: Siding Options for Home Improvement Projects
The Small Details That Pull It All Together
A family-friendly living room doesn’t mean sacrificing style. It means choosing finishes that play just as hard as you do.
To quickly recap:
- Choose flooring that hides wear — LVP, engineered wood or tile
- Get your rug placement right and always use a non-slip pad
- Pick performance fabrics in mid-tone colours for your sofa
- Use eggshell or satin paint on walls
- Add wainscoting or shiplap in high traffic zones
Follow these steps and your living room will look beautiful AND be durable enough to withstand any abuse your family may inflict. Literally.
That’s the secret to successful shared space for the long haul. Style and longevity — it’s not one or the other.
