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Original poster

What would you do with a second reception room?

69 replies

JackieTheFart · 23/05/2021 20:30

We’re (hopefully) moving soon to a much bigger house - kids will have a bedroom each, well have a large garden, a kitchen diner and a second reception room currently with doors that open into the living room.

I’m not really interested in having a formal dining room, and as the children get bigger I’d really like a room that they (and all of us really) can use together.

I’m considering a games room of some description, maybe with a small pool table, but I’d love to read some inspiration and I’d you’re brave enough to share, see some pictures?

Thanks all Smile

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Hellocatshome · 23/05/2021 20:34

Before we had the doors removed and turned into one big living room we used the second reception room as a games/movie room. We had a sofa, bean bags, big TV with games console attached etc. It meant the kids were playing on the console downstairs rather than in their rooms but we could still watch TV in the other room. Be careful of pool tables even small ones need plenty of room around it for you to play properly and generally just end up as dumping grounds for 'stuff'

Mull · 23/05/2021 20:35

We’ve got a second reception room that is sort of a playroom but the DC are a bit old for lots of toys so it’s a table for craft / homework, loads of shelves for board games, craft stuff, books and also a TV with the Nintendo switches linked to it. No sofa, just a couple of large beanbags.

The plan has gone to shit though as I’m now WFH in there! It was a godsend during lockdown and homeschooling though. It was great to have the extra space.

CeibaTree · 23/05/2021 20:37

Ours is a playroom by day and a home cinema by night.

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Original poster
JackieTheFart · 23/05/2021 20:43

I forget to mention kids are currently 12, 12 and 9.

@Hellocatshome I like the idea of a gaming room for consoles etc, and I know husband is gearing for that, I’m trying to think of something a bit more social? I might be fighting a losing battle tbh.

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ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 23/05/2021 20:44

we have 2 extra rooms downstairs, one is a nook (armchairs, tv, single bed) the other is my sewing/craftroom I call Yarnia😁.
I'm in the middle of tidying loft crap so both rooms are an awful mess, but here's a reasonable photo of Yarnia from a while ago.

What would you do with a second reception room?
Orangedaisy · 23/05/2021 20:46

Ours was supposed to be a living room for the grown ups. Ended up being the homeschool room (we actually’went to school’ and kids played in the hall outside waiting for the bell to go and come into school). It’s now a library/reading room of sorts, plus computer is in there.

SarahAndQuack · 23/05/2021 20:51

Ours is a dining room but not formal - we just have a big table there, and DD does crafts there, or I use it when I'm doing zoom calls/DP uses it when working from home. We've got all the paperwork stuff there, so it's basically a supplementary study where we deal with all the urgent stuff.

If the layout were different, I might use a second reception room as a playroom, though.

SwimBaby · 23/05/2021 20:52

We have a second reception room and use if for playing on the Wii and watching sport. Two evenings a week my DH and I have separate evenings and enjoy watching our own shows.

Bluntness100 · 23/05/2021 20:52

We have always done this becayse we have no need for a seperate dining room.

So we have the main living room and what we always called the games room. Which really now is called rhe second living room.

The main living room is self explanatory, but the second one, is where the play station, x box etc is, but it’s also got two sofas, coffee table, side tables, foot stools etc. My daughter used it to study in a lot when she was staying here. Now when she’s home she may work in it if I’m in the other one.

I think it’s a marriage saver, so today for example my husband wanted to watch golf and I fancied a movie, so he went to the second living room and watched his golf whilst I watched my movie. He also games, so he can do that in there, and it means I can watch something on the tv, or even just sit with the tv off and not have to see it.😃

Flaunch · 23/05/2021 20:54

We have 2 living rooms and Dh works from one too.

coodawoodashooda · 23/05/2021 20:59

I'd get a bed settee and turn it into another sitting space.

Bluntness100 · 23/05/2021 20:59

I’d also say in reality the only difference between the two rooms for us is one has a unit which houses all the games consoles and the other doesn’t.. Past that for all intents and purposes the rooms are both living rooms, with sofas, coffee table, side tables, foot stools, side lighting, speakers, wood burners etc. They look different as they are decorated and furnished different and the games one is slightly smaller. But still a large room.

So still a social space if we chose to use it that way. When my daughter was growing up she used it for study, gaming, and also hosting her friends.

We often also use it as an over flow bedroom if we have a lot of folks staying, Ie Xmas, as we have one of those proper inflatable king size beds so can easily turn it into a bedroom.

Original poster
JackieTheFart · 23/05/2021 21:00

I love the idea of a sewing room just for me but I think that’s probably little selfish as it’s just the one! Grin

I’m certain we’ll have a tv in there, at the moment we have a tv in our bedroom and DH games in there, which isn’t really an issue as I’m quite ok in the living room on my own every so often, but I just HATE having a tv in the bedroom?!

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Original poster
JackieTheFart · 23/05/2021 21:00

All these ideas are great, keep them coming!

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LettyLoman · 23/05/2021 21:01

2 living rooms is fab. Second one is play room / workout room/ sitting overlooking the garden with a glass of wine. Gets me away from our noisy tv!

Bluntness100 · 23/05/2021 21:01

Yes we don’t hAve a tv in the bedroom and gaming in there isn’t ideal, games consoles hardly take any space, so sounds like it could be a good use of it, but doesn’t mean it can’t be used for other things.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 23/05/2021 21:03

I’d have the second room as a gaming room/movie room. When the kids are teenagers you will want a space for them

Original poster
JackieTheFart · 23/05/2021 21:05

Those of you that have it as a gaming room, do you just have the one console? We’ve got three xboxes and a PlayStation (don’t ask!) not sure I really want three TVs in there...

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PickAChew · 23/05/2021 21:06

The Other Front Room on our house was set to be a craft room/study. DH has been using it to wfh in for the past 14 months and we've not been able to get it re-plastered so it's definitely not photo worthy!

katienana · 23/05/2021 21:07

Ours is a playroom/dining room. We have a sofa, tv, consoles and 2x kallax with toys plus a dining table which is against the wall. We pull it out for a special occasion and it's a nice dining room. Also have a tree in there at Christmas which has all the home made decorations on!

Bluntness100 · 23/05/2021 21:08

@JackieTheFart

Those of you that have it as a gaming room, do you just have the one console? We’ve got three xboxes and a PlayStation (don’t ask!) not sure I really want three TVs in there...
Yes one tv, one play station, one x box, one wii. The tv also has sky.

The consoles are in a unit under the tv. So I can close the unit doors and hide them.

SwimBaby · 23/05/2021 21:10

I dream of one day having a second reception room just for my dolls house and me.

AzureTwist · 23/05/2021 21:10

A study here, due to wfh.
My children would not be interested in pool as a game, but if had another extra space would have it for the children to study in, so not work in bedrooms and to play in.

mygee · 23/05/2021 21:11

I'd definitely have a second living room. One for adults and one for children. So TV, games console, probably a sofa bed for sleepovers. Cupboard with doors to hide games/ puzzles/ DVD's etc. Make the decor more child friendly, maybe let them choose a colour.

daisypond · 23/05/2021 21:12

Ours has a piano, bookshelves, dining table against wall from which I’m now working from home, one armchair. It’s a cosy room but dark unless we keep the double doors open.

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