Talk:Family room

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A family room is a hoax? It's a clear term. A google search for "family+room" turns up over 6,650,000 results. 141.161.31.47 17:26, 12 February 2006 (UTC) Matt

I don't think this is a hoax...I mean, WE have a family room

Contents 1 Merge 2 no merge 3 Different 4 Generality

[edit] Merge

I support the merge. Having all the info in one place makes less duplication of effort and is easier on readers. The differences are subtle, and best covered in an article that talks about both. NickelShoe 20:51, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

Um ... let me think: I (along with many people I know) have both a living room and a family room in their homes. They are two very different rooms, last time I checked. I would respectfully (or not so respectfully) suggest that any urge to merge (yes it rhymes) is more a product of two under-developed articles rather than the two terms being synonymous or even relatively similar.

I'll start off with one observation over there on the other page: the definition of "living room", at least from my socioeconomic and geographic perspective, comes across as suggesting a much more informal room than it actually is. To me, living rooms are sit-down versions of the foyer (and this is how I observe them in others houses) being used for more comfortable reception, party overflow, the presentation of accquired art, even a musical instrument such as a piano. I've never seen a 'living room' with a television in it. That's what (in my area / my socioecnomic class / my background, so caveat emptor) we call a "family room"

But don't you think that having both in one article would be able to better articulate the differences without having to devote parts of each article to the distinction.

The distinction between a bathroom and bedroom, for instance, is straightforward. I don't see your explanation as showing the distinction as being unsubtle.

My living room has a TV, as does every living room I've ever seen. I can't think of anyone I know who has a family room. If the differences are different in different places/classes, I think that's a bad way to divide the articles. NickelShoe (Talk) 03:05, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

Hate to break it to you, but the distinction is there, and the two terms are not interchangable, shouldn't be merged Judgesurreal777 16:41, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

Um, thanks for the evidence and stuff...Merging doesn't mean the terms are interchangeable. We can merge information on songs into an album, that doesn't mean the song is interchangeable with the album. It's just a way of treating a lot of information in one spot.

And if you have some verifiable evidence that they're not overlapping, you should probably make the articles stop saying they are. NickelShoe (Talk) 20:51, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

In my opinion; there are no distinction between living and family room; since the family who lives in the house; spend their time in the living room before they go to bed in the bedroom, or study in the study room.

[edit] no merge

These are two different rooms and are intended for different things. The living room is a formal room more for entertaining guest or family business maters. The family room is the main common area for the family to gather.

I agree. Many houses have both a living room and a family room. The family room is used for day-to-day lounging and activities (watching tv, reading the paper, playing boardgames, etc.). Living rooms are more formal, for entertaining guests and special occasions.

[edit] Different

In the U.S., a living room is where people entertain guests. It is better decorated and has better furniture and normally there is no TV in that room. A Family room is where the familty spends most of their time. I think the British usage may be different. In Britain there is a concept of Drawing Room which is equivalent to the U.S. living room. I have a suspicsion that a British Living Room is the equivalent of a US family room.Skapur 05:16, 11 July 2006 (UTC)

I've seen that getting these merged is perhaps a lost cause, but let me point out again that a merge doesn't mean that the terms are equivalent. Merging is for the benefit of readers--so you can explain the subtle differences in one spot, instead of hoping the reader can figure it out. And as a lifetime resident of the US, I can tell you that the distinctions you draw simply do not hold up...the terms are perhaps sometimes--perhaps usually--used that way, but not where I live, which is definitely in the US. What we really lack here are sources. NickelShoe (Talk) 16:02, 13 July 2006 (UTC)

These are completely different concepts. What you are proposing would be the same as merging Parlor and would lead to the same kind of ambiguity. Perhaps some kind of list of typical residential rooms and their functions would be useful so that subtle differences between Parlor, Living Room, Family Room, and any others could be explained in detail there. Just a thought. My experience is the same as Skapur's, that the Living room is for guests and socializing while the Family room is for private time and television. -- M0llusk 05:55, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Generality

don't ya think that saying the family room is "usually adjacent to the kitchen" is kind of generalizing a little bit? with no proof or anything? Brdforallseasons 19:54, 3 November 2006 (UTC)