Is This a Radical Idea for a House

[guywithashovel]

I've mentioned this a few times on this board, but I recently purchased a new home. Well, it's not technically a new house. It's a ranch built in 1963, but it's new for me.

The house has three bedrooms. Now, since I'm going to be the only one living there, I have been entertaining thoughts of using one of the bedrooms as a den and putting a TV as well as a couple couches in there.

Now, to me, this seems pretty reasonable. However, when I mentioned this to my mom when she asked me where I was going to put my TV, she acted like this was really strange. At first, she was like, "Wait, so you're not going to put a TV in the living room?" My first answer was "I'm not sure," but since my grandma has two TVs that she is giving me and my aunt has a TV she says I can have when I move in, I know I'll definitely be putting one in the living room. Now, Mom keeps telling me about how I'll want a TV in the living room for when I "entertain." She still acts like this idea is completely strange. Granted, I'll be using said bedroom for a purpose other than what it was intended for, but like I said, I'm the only one living there, so unless I do something with it, it's going to be empty. Besides, my bedroom at Mom and Dad's house has been converted into an exercise room, so I'm not sure why it's so outrageous that I want to use one of my bedrooms as a den or rec room or whatever your choice of word is.

[Rapscallion]

Seems fine to me. After all, I have two bedrooms in my house and one is for sleeping in and the other for junk I don't want to deal with right now...

Rapscallion

[guywithashovel]

Most people would probably tell me to just go ahead and do it, but if the past is any indication, I'll hear about this every time she comes over.

It's like that umbilical cord is never really cut completely.

[ExRetailDrone]

I see nothing strange with this in the slightest. My grandma's house has never had a TV in their living room. Her house does, however, have a den, and that's where the TV has always been. The living room there is for getting family and friends together to sit around and chat. In those circumstances, a TV would just be a giant distraction.

I don't see why your mom should care so much She's not living there. If you're comfortable with your arrangement, that's all that should matter. If she doesn't like it, just tell her she doesn't have to come over

[Andara Bledin]

If I had the money for multiple TVs, the unused bedroom would hold one, and it would also have daybeds so that it could be used to hang out, or to house guests as necessary.

A lot also depends on the layout of the house.

The house I bought has a very large front/living room so that there is room for the both of us to have our computer desks, as well as a full couch, with the TV on a rolling stand so that it can be watched from either location. It's a very convenient set-up for us.

^-.-^

[SkullKing]

I think converting an unused room to a den is a great Idea.

My grandfather has done so in his house and uses it regularly. seems satisfied with his decision.

I fully intend to do the same if I can afford the space.

[jackfaire]

I don't tend to entertain in my own home. It's my sanctuary and feels invasive to have other people over. Right now I live with my mom to help her out but when I rent my own apartment I will be turning the living room into my bedroom and the bedroom into my TV/Gaming room.

This is because I do not need more space for the latter than I do for the former. A bed/dresser etc take up more room than A couch and an entertainment center.

I have never understood why the living room is always bigger than the bedroom.

As far as your mom is concerned it could be concern that your going to reject society and become one of those weirdo loners that always commit crimes.

A/N yes I know those "loners" are social people that feel rejected from society and not really loners.

What I would tell her is point out that when Entertaining that having a TV on actulaly decreases the amount of time that people socialize.

When I was having people over I made it point to have the TV so people were actually hanging out and not just staring at the TV.

[protege]

She still acts like this idea is completely strange.

My mom is like that too. She'd come down, and find little things to bug me with. Things...such as the dirt around the doorknob in the kitchen, the 'clutter' in the living room, and the fact that I don't vacuum constantly. She actually got upset when I mentioned that such things don't bother me very much...and that I don't have to keep *my* home kept up to *her* standards

Didn't stop her from giving me a hard time about building models in the living room...and yes, I watch TV in there. I got to hear about my temporary workbench "detracts from the entire room," and how I should put such things in the basement when I have people over. Seriously? Are you kidding me? In the 5 years I've been in my home...I've *never* had people over. I guess I'm one of those 'loners' that everyone worries about

[Boozy]

The second bedroom in our place was originally set up as a den/library. We've since had to convert it to a home office, as I've become busier and work more often at home.

I would think that using a spare bedroom as a den would be very common. Put in a futon, and you've got yourself a den that can easily be converted to a bedroom for guests.

[Greenday]

Make it your mancave. A top priority in every house.

[Tanasi]

In my AO converting a spare bedroom to a media room or a den is very common. We have both a den/fmaily room and a living room. Our living room is rarely used whereas our den is used on a daily basis.
My Mom has moved her recliners into my old bedroom and uses it as den/it could still be a bedroom if needed.

[Shangri-laschild]

I think the part I'm stuck on is the idea that you have to entertain guests in the living room If you only had a tv in the den and wanted to entertain guests in there, who says you couldn't? It doesn't even seem all that weird or out there to me I guess.

Rooms are just rooms. Short of the kitchen and bathroom, most rooms can be used for whatever. I had a friend who because of how his house was set up, was debating using the living room for a bedroom and what was possibly the master bedroom as a living room. Do whatever works best for you

[guywithashovel]

I'm wondering if she even understood me correctly and instead thought I meant keeping the TV in MY bedroom. I had also thought about setting up a little TV area down in the basement, since my aunt and uncle did that in a house they used to own, and I thought that was really neat. I hate come off as though I'm talking bad about my mom, but sometimes she just zeros in on things like this.

And yeah, they really are just rooms. An aunt and uncle of mine (not the one mentioned in the above paragraph) had a bi-level house, and they had their TV area set up in the basement rec room. The upstairs living room had a few couches and was mainly a sitting/visiting area. That's kind of what I had in mind.

[HYHYBT]

I have never understood why the living room is always bigger than the bedroom.

If you *were* the type to have friends over, how many would you want to sit around talking together at the same time? Now, how many would you want to take to *bed* at the same time?

[AdminAssistant]

Yeah, I wish I had a smaller bedroom and larger living room. Since insomnia is so rampant in my profession, I have very strict rules that the bedroom is for sleeping and only for sleeping and other...intimate activities. All I need in there is the bed, basic furniture, and clothing. Computers, the TV, books are all in the office (a second bedroom) or the living room. And I do have people over fairly often. I love to entertain and I wish I had more space to do it in.