If you take a keen look at construction listings today, one pattern repeats itself. Homes, particularly middle- to high-income units and maisonettes, are featuring not one but two living rooms.
It goes by different names, a ‘family room’. A ‘ TV room’, sometimes simply a second lounge. But whatever the label, modern homeowners are carving out additional living spaces that reflect how people actually live today.
This comes up in modern home life, where family members keep different schedules and interests and often require different kinds of spaces at the same time. Today’s homes are leaning toward flexible spaces that can adapt to entertainment, work, privacy, or quiet retreats.
Experts say the shift has been happening gradually over the years, with developers, architects and interior designers changing layouts.
Today, many home buyers are moving from formal living spaces to more functional spaces rather than symbolic ones to fit their lifestyle.
Architect John Inya traces this concept back to both cultural and social roots.
‘It’s rooted in culture and social needs, and these are the ones that inform architectural evolution,’ he explains. ‘Architects are trained to offer solutions.’
In some cultural contexts, he notes, separation of spaces is essential, such as in Muslim households where men and women may not mingle in the same area. Socially, too, the need for distinction emerges, with children and adults sometimes requiring their own spaces. In earlier settings, the secondary living room was a reserve of the extremely rich or wealthy; the number wouldn’t be limited.
Its necessity, Mr Inya says, depends on several factors: the age and structure of the family, social status, available space and even local authority by-laws. In dense urban settings where every square metre counts, allocating space to a second lounge may seem indulgent. Yet, he maintains, it can still be justified provided it aligns with planning regulations and is thoughtfully executed.
‘A second sitting room is bound to affect the overall functionality and flow of a home’s layout. But this is subject to the thought process of the planning architect, which may come out as a challenge that an architect needs to solve,’ he says.
For homeowners weighing the decision, he points to family size, lifestyle, and long-term property value. ‘The more space that is appropriately planned makes a unit functional, hence adding to its value. The secondary living room allows the adults to have their own space and the children theirs too.”
He affirms that a well-planned second sitting room can improve resale appeal, though its impact depends heavily on placement and design.
Evolving lifestyles, such as remote work, smaller family units, and open-plan living, do not diminish the relevance of multiple lounges. If anything, they reinforce it. ‘It doesn’t come out as a challenge. It comes out as space that is very handy for remote working plus relaxation, depending on how it is planned,’ he says.
Yet despite its potential, underutilisation remains common. The culprit, more often than not, is poor planning or placement. Homeowners may also fall into the trap of over-decorating, misfurnishing, or failing to clearly define the room’s purpose from the outset.
Mr Inya advocates for more integrated approaches: ‘Townhouses and villas do well with such spaces. This concept doesn’t work with apartments unless they are duplexes.’
‘The most important spaces in the house are living spaces; the more we have them, the higher the value.’
And looking ahead, he sees no decline in their relevance. ‘The secondary living room is here to stay. It’s bound to diversify; the only limitation would be the cost of implementation constraint from the client. It only redistributes the existing space more efficiently,’ he adds.
Home buyers are more likely to want separate spaces for different activities, which may happen at the same time. Homes with two living rooms often increase perceived value, as buyers may interpret it as larger and more functional.
Faith Kosgei, an interior designer, says the difference between a purposeful second sitting room and a forgotten one lies entirely in how it is furnished. ‘The best way to define any space is by the way we furnish. The overall theme of the room, the type of furniture pieces and fixtures, furnishings like rugs and décor – what you put in there makes the room,’ she says.
Ambience, she adds, often not tangible, is what ultimately differentiates the second sitting room from the main living area. It can be infused by setting the mood, tone, feel and character into a room to reflect the owner’s personality.
‘The ambience can be achieved by playing with different design elements, lighting, layering of textures and materials or how the furniture is placed,’ she says.
Without it, the two spaces risk becoming indistinguishable. One of the most common mistakes she encounters is when the second room becomes a storage area for old or outdated furniture. Also, just having two almost similar spaces with no defined purposes.
For even in homes which rarely use their second sitting room, she recommends that it doubles up as a study room. ‘Alternatively, it can be repurposed into production studios for content creatives and even workout spaces or a gym,’ she says.
Improvements to the room may include soundproofing, changing or adjusting the lighting to change the mood, painting, wallpaper application, or the addition of murals or portraits, which can transform the space.
The size and proportion of the room, she notes, its placement within the layout, furniture arrangement, and colour tones all contribute to whether the space feels justified or excessive.
Striking the balance between luxury and practicality comes down to one principle. In other cases, she says one can maintain a second living room; if it already exists, it can be repurposed without bursting budgets to suit the current need.
However, for those still in the planning stage, she urges careful consideration of financial constraints and life stage. “Consider family dynamics, culture and traditions, and socialisation. But overall, it should give you something that the first room doesn’t.’
She notes that second sitting rooms are not outdated. If anything, they are becoming more relevant in an era defined by open-plan living, blurred boundaries between work and home, and an increasing need for both connection and privacy.
She believes that the rooms are not often utilised correctly. Some homes use one room for adults and the other for the children. ‘Ideally, one is meant for entertainment purposes, for guests or gatherings often larger. The other one can be used for more intimate gatherings, a close circle of family, but because of space constraints, many times the functions are blended into one room,’ adds.
‘But if correctly furnished, the two are useful and shall serve the intended purposes regardless of the size of the room. The need for some privacy for the homeowner is paramount.’