Go for it! My living room is larger than the family room( room off my kitchen). So, my living room is my tv/family room. But, the area off the kitchen (family room) is now the sewing room, with computer, bookcases, and chaise. My husband says that the room is now cozy with this setup. Have fun decorating your new sewing room!

I also ran out of room in the small bedroom and have expanded into the living room/dining room (not quite sure what the room was originally intended to be). I am hoping to install pocket doors so that I can close off any mess and, maybe, install shutters over the windows. We only really use the eating nook in the kitchen so the space was pretty much going to waste in our case also.

In our old neighborhood, a lot of people had converted the living room to a music room come study area.

It makes far more sense to use the formal living room as a quilting area than have it sit empty most of the year. Maybe, you can find a good deal on some sewing furniture so that you can hide most of the mess when necessary. I also like the screen idea someone suggested for the entrance, or to screen off your sewing area, depending on where you are able to position your machine(s) etc.

Go for it! I have always thought formal living rooms were such a waste. I have never meet anyone who ever used them.

I say Go for it!

Me too! Having my doll clubs at my house gives me inspiration.

It sounds like a great idea to me!

I believe we should use our space as we need to. If your LR is just a museum, shake it up and make it into a place that will mean something to you. Who cares that it isn't conventional?

Oh my goodness!!!! I can't believe I'm reading this! I just converted my living room to my sewing studio last weekend. My husband even helped (he got the room I was in as his and the kids TV room).

It is also the very first thing people see when they walk in the house and I do not have another entrance to the house. I was concerned and having some regrets about moving to the living room, worrying about what people might think. It kind of kept me up at night, thinking about how much work I put my husband through, moving everything. (I have a tri-level house so there were two levels to climb up and down). Then I said, who cares what people might think, its my house and we never used the living room except once a year at Christmas.

I will take pictures tomorrow and post. Thanks everyone for confirming that its okay!! Sarah in CA

GO FOR IT!

About 1/3 of my living room is used for sewing. My sewing room was the office and was used more for clutter so it was converted. There was not room for a cutting table so I moved the desk just out of the sewing room and that end of the living room is now and extention of my sewing space. I use the desk for sewing large quilts and a cutting table. The sewing room has my quilting frame, design wall, 11 feet of counter/cabinets and sewing area.

My sewing room is packed up right now. I've moved the machine and cutting tables into the living room. I use a bookcase for supplies. Doesn't look odd to me. :0D Not in the way of anything. TV, sectional sofa and chair are still in there. And, there's plenty of room for Kinect game play.

Go for it! All the extra lighting is worth it. I have sewn in my living room for years. My grandson came to live with me and I needed to be near him. So while he was entertained with Sesame Steet, I was happily quilting. Six years later . . . I am still using my living room and he's watching Scooby Doo and the Disney Channel. I don't foresee myself ever changing back to sewing in a bedroom.

I have not done it, but a good friend did. She had tables and machines set up in her living room permanently for friends to come and sew any day, as she was almost homebound. They used their side door for people to come in to visit and their family room as their living room. Go for it!

I did it. My sewing room was in another area and my DH was injuried and I needed to move where I could here him. So errr Sew I moved to the Frontroom and love it. I have control of the house, Hubby and above all I can sew anytime. I have to vacumn once a day. If for some slim chance we have company....they now know I quilt and sew. GO FOR IT.

I would do the same thing in a heartbeat but dh would have a cow. Our living room is just for show, too. We never use it. I share my sewing room with the guest room so when we have guests, maybe once a year, everything has to be picked up and put away, which is a real pain. Our living room is on the southeast side of the house and has large windows and is very sunny and pleasant and would make a perfect sewing room.

I think it's a great idea! If it isn't used. you can put good use to it. I day go for it! I gave up my family room and made that my sewing room, and now use our livingroom.

Go for it. What better way to "live" than quilting in a big, sunny room. There aren't any rules regarding the use of space in your own home.

I don't know how your house is laid out, but if it isn't in prime view when entering the front door, I would say go for it. In our other house, a 4 bedroom colonial with center hall, we had a living room that stood empty for years because we couldn't afford to furnish it AND the family room on the other side. It was a large room and eventually became the sleepover room for teenagers, play room for gkids, etc. I would have loved to have that for a sewing room, but know it would not be a pretty sight for visitors. Also, it would NOT have been something my husband would have suggested. Go to it and ENJOY :thumbup:

I agree totally with you. Your home is not a showroom. You only live once so go for it! I have a friend that did this and it is great and very roomy.

when we first moved here, I seriously considered using our dining room, as we have our meals on our sunporch and use the dining room once or twice a year. The reason I haven't done that is because of the beautiful china, teacups, silver, and lamps that I've inherited. I love them. Where would I put those things? So I stay in the corner of our bedroom.

I would love to take over our family room, but we'd have to move the television into our living room and my husband Hates that idea. Right now, our living room is a quiet restful place and we spend time reading and playing with the grandchildren in there.

I have a big enough house. Just don't know which room to sacrifice. :-)

Sounds like a great idea to me!

I think it's a great idea. Go for it!

I have my longarm quilting machine in the living room. It is 14' long, so takes up a lot of room.

I presently sew in a small part of my living room. I have thought of moving it in here but always seemed to find some excuse not to (believe all silly reasons). I am mostly house bound and my enjoyment and sanity is working with my quilts and/or other hand projects. So thank you all, I am now seriously thinking of going ahead with this. I will need to pack stuff up and perhaps get rid of others but hey its another life project to keep me going. Bless all of you for brightening my day once again. Here's a sip of coffee in toast to you.

Hi.....yes - been there, done that. I hate to admit it but I have a large upstairs sewing room that has now become my sewing "storage room". I use both my formal living room and dining room for sewing - the large dining table is great for cutting mat and ironing on. Then I have sewing armoire in living room that opens and folds out to house a sewing and embroidery machine comfortably. When closed looks like a piece of furniture. And if we have company it is a cinch to cover dining room table....besides we pretty much entertain in our family room in finished basement. Soooooo go for it!

This is exactly what I have done - and it has worked out wonderfully. Bright and sunny and closer to the main part of the house where hubby usually is. Ours is a small room, so I use a spare bedroom for the cutting table and fabric.

I would jump on that idea. You still have the family room. But if the living room/new sewing room is a mess is there anyway to block it off from view from company.

I think that is a grand idea. If your husband suggested this then you know that he has no objections so what are you waiting for.

When a husband offers something like that, never give it a secong thought if it is in your favor to enlarge your area, and be able to enjoy it with all that lighting coming in from outside. Go for it and don't look back; also he might be wanting to show off your talents to visitors easier, and they too can ooooh and ahhhhh over your talents. Happy sewing!

I also use the living room as my sewing room. We have a very small house and I have no other place to set up a work station unless I get a storage shed with windows and a door and move it all outside. But then I will have to have it insulated and wired for electricity. A royal pain. So I will just suffice with the living room and my hubbie doesn't complain too much about it. Jeanniebelle

I would go for it. Sounds like a great idea. Sometimes we just have to kick "that's not the way it's done" out the door and go with what is good for us. Have fun.

I would say go for it! If it is bright and really not needed be thankful for DH who suggested this... I myself feel fortunate to have own sewing room and still a spare bedroom.... Have fun!!

I am a true believer that your home is for you to live ina and a place to go and enjoy life. So if using your living room for your sewing room is what you want to do . Go for it!!! Your home is your castle and you are the queen. You can do whatever you want.JMHO

I'm planning on doing just that. Our house is large and we have what I call a formal living room. We hang out in the den. I have my piano and key board in there but when I get my longarm, I'm thinking that is where it is going. So, go for it.

go for it...I am thinking about doing the same thing

my DH would say, "You might as well" your all over the house anyway....stuff in every room

I converted our living room to our sewing room. My DH & I are just like you. We never used the LR, we always use the family room so with both of us quilting it just made sense to use the biggest room in the house. I suppose if we were ever to sell the house we would have to convert it back to a LR for showing purposes but we have no intention of selling. We figured it was our house and we would live in it in a way that was most convienent for us. The only thing that I do try to do is keep it organized because it is the first thing you see when you come into the house. When I used our spare bedroom I wasn't quite so neat. I say go for it!

I would if I had a separate family room. We only have a great room so I can't.

This is too funny! I live alone and 2 days ago, I thought "Wait a minute! This is MY house!! If I want my sewing area in my living area so be it!!" So yesterday, that is exactly what I did! Happy as a clam :)

I have been considering the same thing so that I have a place year round that is convenient. I have a nice big converted Florida room but it is too cold to be out there in winter as it is not well insulated and has no heat vents. Therefore I can't sew as much as I would like during cold weather. I bring 2 machines inside and set up a card table for my cutting board but it is very inconvenient. We too, rarely use the living room for the same reason as you. My hubby is also the one who suggested it. I think it will work!