Whether you love sports or simply need a reason to throw a party, football Sunday is your chance. It’s an ideal time to get your friends together, dish out your best appetizers and gather in your freshly designed entertainment room. Maybe you get into the game every week, or maybe you’re just there for social interaction, but football season offers the perfect opportunity to gather together and catch up.
Before you make any Sunday plans, however, you need to assess your family room and adjust seating and lighting accordingly to accommodate your guests. While we’re a couple of months into the football season, there are plenty more game days left until it comes to a close! Here are a few ways to prepare your family room for future football get-togethers:
Start with the seating
If it’s just you and maybe one other person, you can get away with nothing more than a couch. Once you start adding guests into the mix, however, things get a little bit more tricky. You’ll want to make the TV the focal point of the furniture arrangement, so make sure every seat has a good view of the action. As the sofa will likely be the biggest seating area in the room, set it up directly parallel to the television. Then, add chairs on either side of it. Consider arranging at least one group of chairs that allows people who might not be watching to have quiet conversations.
If space permits, a sectional is a great way to combine versatility and relaxation. These pieces are easy to re-arrange when needed, making it a cinch to go from family night to game day.
With larger rooms, you might want to consider creating two separate areas: One for people who are super interested in sports, and another for those who are more into the conversational aspect of the gathering. Set up a few chairs in a circular arrangement, which makes it easy for those individuals to feel included, even if they don’t know the score. Use the table of snacks as a divider, and ensure that everyone is well-fed.
Make sure the lighting is flexible
When it comes to entertaining, the more varieties of lighting you have, the better. You want it to be light enough that everybody can see each other, but not so much that it feels harsh or abrasive. Having a few lamps around the room gives you a good deal of flexibility. For example, a floor lamp in one corner, a couple of table lamps scattered around the room, and a dimmer on the overhead light will allow you to create whatever ambiance works best for you. Depending on what time of day your home team plays, you’ll need to adjust the lighting in the room accordingly. If you plan on watching football in the early afternoon, make use of the natural lighting in the family room, or light a few of those tableside lamps. If your team is playing past sunset, make sure you have enough fixtures to keep the space well-lit for viewing.
Don’t forget about the side tables
In addition to a coffee table, you’re going to want several side tables. Not only do they add character to a family room, but they’re also quite useful. People need a place to set down their drinks and plates, and doing so on the floor is a one-way ticket to messes. You only have to try to clean guacamole out of a rug once before understanding just how handy it is to have enough surfaces to put things down on. Some of your guests are looking forward to football, while others are strictly there for the snacks and beverages. Provide enough table surfaces to accommodate your friends and family from the time they arrive until the moment your home team scores the winning touchdown.
Invest in a beverage cart
Just because you’re the host doesn’t mean that you want to be getting up and down to serve people drinks all the time. When you have a beverage cart, you don’t have to. It’s an easy way to make sure everybody’s glasses stay filled, without you being the one to have to do it every time. Nobody has to make the trek to the kitchen every time they’re thirsty, and you get to kick back and watch the game with everyone else. Just as you decorate rooms with eye-catching and functional accessories, your bar cart will make an unforgettable impression when it’s adorned just right. Color, pattern, and texture are all important when designing your cart! Keep this in mind when choosing your glassware, napkins, coasters, mixing utensils, and other accessories needed to craft the perfect game-day cocktail.
If you’re ready to decorate a family room that people love spending time in, contact us today. We’ll be able to walk you through the entire process and find you pieces that not only look great and fit your personal style but also are functional and perfect for hosting.
