Family VS Visitors

As I mentioned earlier, my love for living rooms might be a little unconventional in Egypt as I prefer dedicating bigger and nicer spaces to living rooms rather than salons (receptions) for guests. The customs in Egypt require you to have a lavish, spacious salon to entertain guests — even if it means your rooms, living, kitchen and everything else will be crammed up in the other half of the house. But practically, how many times a year do you have guests other than your near family and friends? Are those occasional visits worth the space you are creating especially for them? Are they worth the amount of money you are willing to pay for a very classic salon that you will use once or twice a year? In my own family home, we have had a special salon for guests for a while, but when my parents had my sister and I they sacrificed this place to make our living area bigger and trust me it didn’t make a difference. My parents created something practical that we can use and at the same time welcome people in. On the other hand, my neighbor has had an expensive, luxurious salon that took up a huge space of her moderately sized flat. “After 20 years I am seriously thinking of renovating it to make it something more moderate to be able to use it as this classic salon is taking up more than half of my house area,” my neighbor confessed. “I use it no more than twice a year and only because the living room won’t take the number of guests.” I know this might be the case with a large percentage of Egyptian houses, but think about it: What else can you have in that space? How bigger can your bedroom, kitchen, kids room be if you just make a huge nice living room that could accommodate your daily needs and the two-hours visits that occur once every blue moon? I am getting married soon and I am definitely opting for a cozy, nice and warm living room. I will not have a classic, or even modern, reception just for visitors. After all, all our visitors are people who know us well and would appreciate our hospitality  wherever that would be. They will also appreciate that we are inviting them to our personal space and living area, rather than a formal reception. To help you make an easier choice, not to mention convince your mother with it, I gathered a few ideas of different living room designs that are comfortable, but also look neat and chic enough for entertaining. I included different styles, prices, colors and designs, but they are mostly moderately priced, except the higher end, designer furniture store Roche Bobois. So browse through the pictures below for inspirations, and if you have any questions, please email me on rana.kamaly@gmail.com. et Roche Bobois • 50 Lebanon Street, Mohandessin • Designopolis, KM 38, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road • http://www.roche-bobois.com/#/en-EG/stores Williams contact • 18 Ahmed Mostafa Street, ElNozha El Gededa, Heliopolis • Tel: +2 (02) 262-07690 KARE • 42 El Hegaz Street, Off Wadi El Nil Street, Mohandessin •  Tel: +2 (0111) 666-0070 • 112 Omar Ibn El Khattab Street, Almaza, Heliopolis, +2 (0111) 666-0072 Tagoury House • 62 El Horeya Street, Almaza, Heliopolis • Tel. +2 (012) 2525-5553 •www.tagouryhouse.com Caravansarai • 15 Ahmed Heshmet Street, Zamalek • www.caravanseraifurniture.com Razzmatazz Interiors • 2 Mostafa Kamel Street, Maadi • Tel. +2 (012) 3012- 335 • www.razzmatazzinteriors.com