Of course, that’s a bunch of hooey. There is no magic product that will create a meaning-filled, love-filled life. The “secret” is, in fact, that any house can be a home, any cup of coffee can give friends a reason to stay a little longer, and any card sent to a loved one shows you’re thinking of them, even a halloween card sent at Easter.
There is, however, something you can do to increase your chance for a a magical, meaningful life. It has to do to with creating a place amenable to conversation, a space in your home where distractions are limited and the focus is on the human being in front of you. I’d like to introduce...
“The Conversation Room.”
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| Before, the focus of the room was a giant TV. That TV is still in the room, but now the focus is on gathering and talking. |
I say you CAN have the magic they show in the coffee commercials! All you need to do is create a conversation room in your home. How? The key is in the furniture arrangement.
Flip through a magazine and look at the images of inviting living rooms - unlike many family rooms you see today with the furniture all directed towards the TV, the seating in these rooms faces other seating, making it easy and natural to talk. It’s kind of like tree stumps in a circle around a fire pit. That’s it. That’s the key!
Five tips for creating a great, living, conversation room.
1. Make it intimate.
This is essential! Make sure the furniture allows for easy conversation. No one should have to overturn their head to chat with a friend. Equally, no one should have to shout to be heard or struggle to hear the conversation. Of course a conversation room can be created in a great big room, but it should still be broken down into small conversation spots, small enough for two to gossip, and large enough for four friends to pass an afternoon.
2. Make it comfortable.
Forget stiff and formal living room furniture. And lose the old futon that swallows your friends. The furniture should be comfortable and inviting - and that means not only the right level of “squooshiness” but also that it should be neither so clean, nor so dirty, that people are afraid to sit. Also make sure that the temperature is comfortable; have a couple of throws in easy reach for friends who might feel chilled.
3. Make it private.
A conversation room should feel “safe” for sharing secrets. It’s not meant to be the center of attention, or right off the kids’ play area, or next to the main phone in the house. It should be free of distractions so that friends can come together and plot their next conquest and commiserate over their latest lost love.
4. Invite a little distraction.
While it is important that there be no TV in the conversation room, or if there is, that it has a very good cover that conceals it and that the furniture is *not* oriented towards it, you still want a little distraction in the room for those comfortable pauses in any conversation. Light music, a garden view or interesting painting, and a few good books on the table will do.
5. Make it stylish.
Give the room a theme or style that inspires you to sit and stay a while. Prefer a clean, open, contemporary look? Or a cozy, country feel? Maybe a fascinating global adventure? Play with it, but give it a distinct personality; it shouldn’t feel like a forgotten or catch-all room. Give it the honor that you want to give to your visiting friends.
It’s time to reclaim a LIVING living room - good luck!
Flip through a magazine and look at the images of inviting living rooms - unlike many family rooms you see today with the furniture all directed towards the TV, the seating in these rooms faces other seating, making it easy and natural to talk. It’s kind of like tree stumps in a circle around a fire pit. That’s it. That’s the key!
Five tips for creating a great, living, conversation room.
1. Make it intimate.
This is essential! Make sure the furniture allows for easy conversation. No one should have to overturn their head to chat with a friend. Equally, no one should have to shout to be heard or struggle to hear the conversation. Of course a conversation room can be created in a great big room, but it should still be broken down into small conversation spots, small enough for two to gossip, and large enough for four friends to pass an afternoon.
2. Make it comfortable.
Forget stiff and formal living room furniture. And lose the old futon that swallows your friends. The furniture should be comfortable and inviting - and that means not only the right level of “squooshiness” but also that it should be neither so clean, nor so dirty, that people are afraid to sit. Also make sure that the temperature is comfortable; have a couple of throws in easy reach for friends who might feel chilled.
3. Make it private.
A conversation room should feel “safe” for sharing secrets. It’s not meant to be the center of attention, or right off the kids’ play area, or next to the main phone in the house. It should be free of distractions so that friends can come together and plot their next conquest and commiserate over their latest lost love.
4. Invite a little distraction.
While it is important that there be no TV in the conversation room, or if there is, that it has a very good cover that conceals it and that the furniture is *not* oriented towards it, you still want a little distraction in the room for those comfortable pauses in any conversation. Light music, a garden view or interesting painting, and a few good books on the table will do.
5. Make it stylish.
Give the room a theme or style that inspires you to sit and stay a while. Prefer a clean, open, contemporary look? Or a cozy, country feel? Maybe a fascinating global adventure? Play with it, but give it a distinct personality; it shouldn’t feel like a forgotten or catch-all room. Give it the honor that you want to give to your visiting friends.
It’s time to reclaim a LIVING living room - good luck!
