Think of the living room as the place your parents said you couldn’t go in as a kid. It was so clean, you could eat off of the floor (which is most likely why your parents pushed you to play in the family room). Like we mentioned earlier, the living room was traditionally used for formal entertainment during dinner parties or holidays. On the other hand, the family room is a more casual and comfy space, where families gather to spend quality time together. More often than not, you’ll find the television in this room.
If you’re building or renovating a home, and find yourself with extra space, Moving.com advises moving away from the idea of a living room, and instead, using the spare room for something more practical, such as an office or playroom, as Project Perfect Home suggests. As time goes on, many homes have, in fact, combined the living room and family room to make a “great room,” which serves the purpose of both spaces.