Key Difference: A living room is located in the front of the house. This room is mostly commonly used to entertain guests and where formal meetings are conducted. The décor of the room is expected to be classy and stylish; the room is more for show rather than comfort. A family room is the complete opposite of a living room, it is designed for comfort. In this room, the family can get together, relax, have fun and spend some time together.

In big houses, you often hear the words Family Room and Living Room. Though the meaning of these words are differ greatly, in today’s day and age these words have become really synonymous. In some places, the words are generally one and the same. This is mostly common in small homes or apartments where a family room and a living room serve the same purpose.

A living room also known as lounge room, sitting room or front room is usually a room that is located in the front of the house. It is the first room you encounter when you walk into a house. This room is most commonly used to entertain guests and where formal meetings are conducted. The décor of the room is expected to be classy and stylish; the room is more for show rather than comfort. A living room may contain classy sofa, formal chairs, tables, bookshelf, and TV. The walls are decorated with modern art and family heirlooms can also be found in this room. In many cases, the living room is connected to a formal dining room.

A family room is the complete opposite of a living room, where the living room is designed for show; the family room is designed for comfort. In this room, the family can get together, relax, have fun and spend some time together. The room is situated in the back of the house and is usually adjacent to the kitchen and connected to a patio or backyard. The décor of the room is designed for comfort compared to show. According to George Nelson and Henry Wright’s 1945 book, “Tomorrow’s House”, a family room is expected to have furnishings that are tough, easy to clean, a place where toys, tools, TV, games, etc. should be kept. The room should have a relaxing feel to it, where the family can unwind and enjoy themselves. This room would have family portraits on the wall.

In today’s world, where space is not easy to come by, living room and family room have combined to form a “great room”. This room serves the purpose of both the rooms combined, where business can be conducted as well as family can also enjoy.

Image Courtesy: home-designing.com, chrystopher.com