According to joan dejean writing for the new york times living rooms started out as formal display spaces for welcoming guests in the 17th century but slowly morphed into the more casual gathering spaces that we know today.
Family room vs living room vs sitting room. The family room is located at the back portion of the house while the living room is located at the front. Decorations also play an important role in the living room in the form of artwork on the walls for example. The difference between a living room and a family room has often confused people because both spaces in the house are where people gather. The term family room arose in the wake of the second world war when the baby boom of the 1940s created a focus around all things family.
It is generally known that the living room is always and must be the largest part of the house. Living room is common. I have never heard lounge room in american english. A family room and a living room traditionally serve two different purposes.
Sitting room is less common and is more formal and somewhat antiquated something you d read in a 19th century book. Family room is also used in ame and indicates a less formal room. See this ngram of the american english corpus. It can include a small sitting area but it also has an entertainment center cupboards and storage spaces.
The living room in traditional homes lies near the foyer at the front of the residence where guests are directly escorted upon arriving. As long as you have taken the time to carefully decorate your living room and ensure that it will be comfortable for guests this is a great location for entertaining visitors. Sitting room vs living room. A family room has a much more cheerful history than the macabre beginnings of the living room.
Along with the kitchen the living room is the main common space in most family homes but the exact nature of how to use it has been mysterious for a long time. The family room is where the family relax and have fu while the living room is for more formal. The phrase first appeared in a 1945 book called tomorrow s house by george nelson and henry wright in which they first coined the term family room as a place. Normally positioned next to the dining room the living room is usually considered as its extension and is immediately seen next to the main entrance.
Nowadays open concept. First let s talk about their difference in size. The great room in contemporary homes sits near the kitchen in the center of the residence. Below we share the differences of a family room vs a living room.
The family room has more relaxing furniture and entertainment facilities while the living room values style over function. Play in your family room.


