5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM

5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

Sometimes I think living rooms are going the way of the dinosaurs. More and more folks buying and building homes are opting for more open spaces and less formality. And that’s good. But, having a formal living room is a real blessing! If you have one don’t let it collect dust… use it! Why not spend lots of time in the prettiest room in your home? Here are 5 ways to better use your living room.

LIBRARY 

5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

If you like to read, then why not cozy up in your living room and read a good book. It’s probably quiet and I bet there is a nice sofa that doesn’t have a lot of wear! Why not relax and read in a beautiful room! 

I am a big magazine reader and I love bringing tall stacks of magazines into the living room with an ice tea or a cup of coffee. It’s so much fun to sit in a room that is filled with nice furniture and read!

GAME ROOM

5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

Family gatherings at StoneGable usually involve games of one sort or another. Croquet, Bocci, Football and indoor games too like Hide The Quarter and cards!  We are big card players (me, not so much) and games can go on for hours! Another game I’m addicted to is Mexican Train Dominos! Now that is a fun game!

Playing in the living room is fun too! After a meal, it’s nice to get out of the kitchen and breakfast nook and move to the living room for the game of choice!

Family games are fun and bonding and memory building, why not play games in the living room!

MUSIC ROOM

5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

Do you love music? Use your living room as a music room. We had our piano in the living room for years until a few years ago I discovered that I would never play the piano well. But it was fun when we had company who did! 

It’s also so nice to listen to music relaxing in a room away from the tv!

APPETIZER OR DESSERT STATION

5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

When people come to StoneGable for dinner or an event they usually gravitate to my kitchen. Lately, I’ve been serving appetizers or desserts in the living room. I use the Curlacue chest to set up all the food and dishes, etc and let my company serve themselves. This usually keeps them in the living room! And I love using this space!

SPECIAL OCCASION DINNERS

5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

Formal living rooms were made for a romantic dinner for two! Use the coffee table to set a pretty table and throw the pillows on the floor and use them to sit on. Turn on some great music and dine in style!

The living room is also a lovely place to gather your girlfriends and serve high tea! 

Living rooms are just that LIVING rooms. We should use them like every other room in our homes! So next time you read or listen to music, or play a family game or entertain family and friends do it in your beautifully appointed living room!

5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

 

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5 WAYS TO USE YOUR FORMAL LIVING ROOM- Don't let your formal living room collect dust. USE it! Here are 5 ways to spend time in the prettiest room in your home!

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22 Comments

  1. Great post!
    Have a Blessed day.

  2. We have a small home and we use every inch! We have a family room that get a lot of use, our living room is used as well. We are in the process of painting the whole house (my hubby) but we are doing one room at a time! Love your blog so many interesting and useful suggestions!

  3. ZGreat ideas to use your space. We don’t have a formal living room now but when we did, it was my special space. We do use our formal dining room every day!

  4. Teddee Grace says:

    Would have loved to see the room staged for these various uses and your special touches!

  5. hi there! I will come for high tea and sit in there! I actually sold my living room furniture a few months back and am going to do something spectacular in there…..I just don’t know that that is yet.

  6. Good Afternoon Yvonne, I loved all your ideas for using a formal living room, but after living in the Mediterranean area for many years I prefer relaxed open spaces which I have managed to create here in England.
    Like you, when we get together, we are a family who love playing games, although sometimes I have to say, they can get a little high spirited. For all your readers who own a formal living space I think the idea of curling up on the sofa with a cup of coffee and a stack of magazines is a fabulous idea.
    Have a wonderful weekend.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

  7. Kathy a Chandler says:

    I love using my living room! Getting away from the family room and TV is a nice change. I have big windows to look out and enjoy the neighborhood. Enjoyed your post!

  8. LOVE today’s post! I am so happy that we deformalized our living and dining room a year ago. My house has such a cozy feeling even though I have not replaced any of the upholstered pieces. So we use two mismatched chairs from other spaces and just take it all in.

    We did however start using the space for small family gatherings the year before our renovation. Our fav game is Catch Phrase and the space worked out great for splitting in to two teams and having room to move around.

  9. I love today’s post. We have a large open family room, kitchen and eating area but, I love our living room that opens up into the dinning room. The space is always clean and neat and we use it all the time. Even tho the space is formal it is a favorite of the Grands for talking, playing and tea parties. My husband loves to read in our living room. When I was a bride I always wanted a house with informal country spaces and formal traditional spaces. I am so thrilled to have such a house and we use every inch of it.

    I enjoy your blog and lovely home very much.

  10. Loved this post! I use my living room daily and have spent many hours there feeling quite pampered. Thank you for reminding us of the simple pleasures in life when the world around us is so crazy. Blessings!

  11. For many of us a formal Livingroom or dining room is wasted space. In our last house, as empty nesters, we realized that those rooms were little used, so we downsized to a great room house. We love the use of our new space!

  12. Recently discovered your blog. Love your blog and your style. Have been a Navy Wife for almost 20 years and moved 13 times. Have now been in same house for almost 3 years (a record) and trying so hard to pull things together (not my forte). Would love to know where you got your sofa/love seat in the living room. It is just what I have been looking for to begin putting my living room together. I am also love the black/white plaid!

    1. Hi Amy, Welcome to the StoneGable family! Thank you and your husband and your family for your service to our country. May God richly bless you! I am an Air Force brat. We moved so many times in my dad’s 23 years of service. I know what you mean! I got my sofa from Pottery Barn when it was on a big sale.

  13. Karen frank says:

    Hi Yvonne,
    just wondering where you picked up the glass/lucite end table. Perfect for any room!

  14. love this room. Where did you get the two spindle chairs? I am looking for chairs exactly like that. thank you for your response.

    1. Hi Samantha, I got the chairs from Ethan Alen. But I have seen them at Wayfair and Joss & Main. Hope this helps!

  15. Portia Read says:

    Yvonne I was really drawn to Stone Gable from the first minute I saw your pictures on Pinterest a couple weeks ago. I’ ve been reading your articles too and so much of what you’re saying is resonating with me.
    I really live on a working farm in the Midwest. I also work full time but I’m currently home recovering from foot surgery. Hence, have a bit more time to enjoy Stone Gable and Fixer Upper.
    I have been struggling with finding a sofa that will stand up to hard wear, farm dirt and need for total comfort for family who love recliners. The problem is I don’t want to settle for the ugly recliners I’ve seen because at heart I am in love with lighter shapes and neutral/white. Have you seen anything that you could direct me to check out? Thanks for all, Portia

  16. Hi. I was just scrolling your Facebook page, and the dresser in the background of the photo of your living room caught my eye. I’m wondering if you painted it yourself, and might have a tutorial. If you don’t have a tutorial, could you please tell me what techniques were used for the white wash, and the design? I have tons of similar pins on my pinterest, but was curious how you achieved this gorgeous look. Thanks! I love your ideas and share them often.

    1. Hi Lisa, That dresser is from Wayfair. The company that makes it is called Hooker. Isn’t it so unusual in a great way?