3 EASY WAYS TO CREATE A TECH-FREE LIVING ROOM

Imagine a large, boisterous family gathered around the living room with the intention of spending some quality time together. There’s good food going around, and people are enjoying each other’s company. Someone even cracks a joke about everyone putting their phones away.

Yet, as the minutes pass, every single person is slowly drawn to the enticing glow of some screen or device. And that’s how the get-together ends.

How do you ensure your precious living space doesn’t get taken over by the omnipresent power of digital distractions? Here are three tips to help you get started while turning your living room into a tech-free space.

1. Shift the focus

• Sometimes, all you need to shift the focus from screens to conversation is to have a focal point devoid of technology around which people can gather.
• If you’re one of those lucky folks who owns a fireplace, have a cozy sofa arrangement around it. IKEA has sofa sets that are perfect for just such a set-up.
• You could also position your furniture in a way that helps everyone gather around and enjoy an outdoor view.
• By creating attractive, comfortable spaces that focus on something that doesn’t have a battery life, you encourage gatherings where people actually look at each other and engage.

2. Have a ‘technology zone’

• An effective way to keep your living room tech-free is to have another space in your house that’s only dedicated to technology.
• Perhaps you have a loft you could convert into a tech-den, or a mezzanine floor where you can keep your TV, gaming console and computer.
• You could even turn a small room into a home office, with all your home technology there.
• Or, simplest of all, just split your current living room into a tech-friendly and tech-free zone by dividing it with a sofa, a cabinet or any kind of visual barrier.

3. Hide your tech

• If you’re short on space and absolutely have to have your TV and gaming paraphernalia in your living room, consider getting custom-made cabinets or built-ins to hide those screens.
• You can get yourself a gorgeous set of cabinets from IKEA, and use this space for your TV, while filling the open shelves around it with books, gaming equipment, and other knick-knacks. The closed drawers can store all your wires and remotes out of sight.

Here’s to creating a tech-free living room that encourages more together time!