Mixed Media
I’ve had an epiphany! I realise that my family life no longer calls for a traditional living room. Instead, we have what would be better described as a media room. Previously the term has conjured up images of home cinemas, however, in our living room during the evening we might all be doing different things; watching TV; reading (usually a Kindle these days); browsing the Internet, playing guitar or listening to music. Whilst we might each be in our own separate world, we still seek the comfortable warmth of family company and prefer to be in the same room.
This redefinition has freed me from my idea of what a living room should be, and allowed me to see the room in a new light and interestingly, it has made me rethink my opinions of what I consider to be acceptable activities when it comes to down time – why, for example, should reading be somehow better than watching TV? Anyway, in the interest of functionality, I am going to have to give some thought as to how I can facilitate this multi-functional media room of ours.
One end of our room is given over to shelves for books, magazines and DVDs, and has a desk on which my laptop and the printer sit. I use this area as my office during the day and it is sometimes used for homework in the evenings. Replacing my office chairs with more comfortable executive chairs – and perhaps adding a table/foot rest would definitely make that section of the room more usable.
A couple of sets of headphones, with long leads, wouldn’t go amiss – they would certainly prevent the TV from always dominating. Also a multi-way extension lead positioned behind the sofa would enable devices to be plugged in when batteries are running low.
Trays, or better still, laptop trays that sit on bean bags, are useful little portable work stations when we are all spread out on our sofa. A couple more large cushions to lean on when not in ‘poll position’ as we call the corner chaise part of the sofa, or the other corner, would add to the comfort factor, as would another throw – it can get cold when you’re sitting.
The lighting scheme already works well. There are reading lamps, desk lights, bookshelf lights and floor and table lamps, although I so rarely light the candles that I would like some sort of fairy lights to twinkle in the background instead.
As for sound, I must make it easier for us to plug in our various iPods, phones, laptops and tablets, and perhaps the TV too, for when we are all watching a movie together – at the moment it is all too much of a faff. It would be lovely to have speakers built in to the wall or ceiling…but another time, perhaps. A rug would help with the acoustics of the room, which has a little too much echo, as well as making the room cosier for winter.
I think that just about does it for my media room. What about yours?
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