Are you craving a bit of family time with your loved ones?
At this time of year, many parents are on the fence between itching for their kids to get outside and longing for them to stay in and do family things together while the nights are still cold and dark.
Creating a family hangout room is a great way for families to spend time together whilst not making it feel forced or making the kids feel like they ‘have’ to hang out with mom and dad.
What Is A Hang Out Room?
A family hangout room will look different depending on the family and the way in which they interact. More often than not, it is the largest room in the house, with a TV and comfy seating to help everyone enjoy as much time together as possible.
Depending on your family dynamic, you may have hobbies such as musical instruments and board games that need to be accommodated in the hangout room, or you may want to move these to another place in the house.
The overriding factor for all family hangout rooms is space and time to be together.
Here are seven steps to creating the perfect family hangout room, no matter what size space you have.
Step One: Everyone Gets Their Own Spot
“You’re in my spot” it’s the instantly recognizable quote from The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper, someone who was very protective over his spot.
For anyone who has a family hangout room already, you’ll know the importance of everyone having their favorite place to sit and chill, and it’s important to consider this is you’re renovating your hangout room.
Specific chairs and seating for each family member is a great idea. Comfy seating like the Fombag is a must, and seating that is appropriate for the ages of your family roo.
Step Two: Electricity and Charging Points
Do you have mobile-addicted teens? Maybe your spouse is a bit of an Instagram addict? While many families will try to limit the amount of screen time their kids get, it might be worth adopting a looser approach to electronics in your family hangout space.
The idea of a hangout space is not necessarily to be ‘doing’ things together, but rather to ‘be’ together. This is a subtitle difference but an important one to emphasize.
It may come to pass that you are reading a book, your spouse and one of your kids is watching a movie, and crazy Uncle Joe is busy playing candy crush on his phone. As long as you’re in the room together, that’s all that matters.
Saying that, if you want people to be together and don’t mind devices, you’ll need to make sure there are plenty of charging options to keep everyone charged up and ready to stay in!
Step Three: Up The Snacks Game
Families that eat together stay together. At least that’s almost what the famous phrase is, right?
Getting the snacks right is vital for a family hangout night, especially if you’re all planning on watching a movie together.
There are many ways to ensure snacks are always on hand. From the traditional popcorn in a bowl on the coffee table to a specific snacks cupboard in the dresser.
Snacks come in all shapes and sizes, but leaving a few snacks out ready for people to grab will ensure you’ve got a happy family on your hands and won’t have to deal with anyone going ‘hangry’ halfway through the movie.
Step Four: A Great TV and Sound System
For most families, a hangout room isn’t complete without a great TV or projector to play games on and watch movies on.
There are lots of different options these days, from smart TVs to laser projectors that make everything super crisp.
One thing that can often get overlooked is the need for good audio, though. Always make sure you’re installing the best sound system you can afford in your hangout room, and go for surround sound, if at all possible, to give you and your family that immersive experience when you need it most.
Step Five: Blankets, Cushions, and Comfy Stuff
The thing about hanging out for most of us that you want to be comfortable. We’ve already discussed comfy seating and the need for your own ‘spot’ in the hangout room, but what about those added extras to really take it to the next level?
That’s right, we’re talking blankets, cushions, throws, and even an onesie or two for the kids.
There’s nothing quite like wrapping up under a warm blanket on the sofa and creating that real hygge feel, so grab a chunky knit throw and some overstuffed cushions and make yourself comfortable!
Step Six: Invest In Great Lighting
Mood lighting, lighting for inspiration, daylight bulbs, and imitation candlelight – there are so many options for lighting these days that it can seem like a tough choice for anyone!
When selecting your lighting options, aim to go for something that is as versatile as possible that you can change up at a moment’s notice. Many hangout rooms will benefit from lighting that can be dimmed during movies and gaming marathons, but having the option to add a splash of color can really give your room the edge.
When it comes to candles, a lot of parents don’t feel comfortable using real flames around kids, especially if they are younger. There’s a huge selection of flameless candles available these days, and some come with flickering ‘flames’ that look so real that it’s hard to tell the difference!
Step Seven: Make It Smell Great
An odd one to add on the end, but humans have five senses, touch, taste, hearing, sight, and smell, and we actually rely on our sense of smell more than you’d realize!
Aim for a nice gentle scent in your family hangout room; fresh cotton or cookie dough are always two options that are popular with all ages.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Lifestyle category
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