The need to relax, especially at home, is always relevant, and certainly today, it’s more relevant than ever. Taking a nap, reading a book, watching a series, and disconnecting from the hustle and bustle – all of these are important for all of us. Unlike the living room, which is of course the official entertainment area, the family room, which has appeared in recent years, offers a wonderful, intimate, and high-quality alternative, primarily serving the nuclear family.
"In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for family corners that are added to the official living room, but do not replace it. Already in the planning phase, the designer's role is to determine the layout of the project in a way that includes a family corner. Furthermore, that corner serves the family members for relaxing in front of the small screen, playing board games, and when possible – it is also versatile and can be used as a work or study area," explains interior designer Liad Yosef.
Yosef adds: "The family corner, intimate and pleasant, is detached from the living room and can be located next to the kitchen, in the foyer of the bedrooms, or in the basement – a place that can easily become the favorite spot for the family. In this corner, one can also stray a bit from the home's design rules – whether it's through a more colorful and playful design, especially when there are small children, or through a particularly calm and pleasant design. The corner serves as a meeting point and a break for everyone, whether it's small or large."
Architect Shira Muskal from "Hallel Architecture" also explains the importance of family corners from her perspective. She says, "Every family has its own needs for such a corner, and over the years, these needs change according to the family status and what is happening outside. Accordingly, we plan a corner that will serve the family well. In recent years, most family corners also include a work corner, which is a basic need for those working from home, in a versatile way. These are corners where the focus is first and foremost on quality and pleasant work, allowing the other family members to go about their activities as usual."
Muskal adds: "For families with young children, we often plan a family corner that acts as an acoustic aquarium within the public space – a solution that is gaining momentum. Such a corner allows parents to stay in the living room or kitchen, host, cook, and continue with their activities, while maintaining eye contact with the little ones in the family room, which is dedicated entirely to them."
"The family corner can be a wonderful space for those who do not want to place a TV screen in the living room, keeping it as a sterile place for hosting. It is also suitable for those who do not want to turn the living room into a children's play area, so the family room primarily serves the little ones. It can be a work area during the day and a play area in the afternoon, or even serve the grandchildren when they come to visit their grandparents. It is definitely versatile, and it should be noted that it is also very useful and emotionally important," Yosef concludes.