Making The Most of Being Stuck Indoors

After an exhausting day of trying to balance working from home and attempting to home school your kids, all you want to do is head to the living room , plop yourself on the couch, and shutdown for the rest of the evening. However. as soon as you kick your feet up...the kids start screaming and your spouse continues to drone on about impending doom. You're slowly going stir crazy and are at a loss over how you're going to keep everyone entertained for the following few weeks of social distancing. Luckily, the home offers the perfect backdrop for many exciting activities and opportunities to create lifelong memories with your family. Here are our favorite activities to do in our favorite spaces.

Block Out Time To Show The Latest BlockBuster

There’s nothing like movie magic to transform your home into a place where you can travel time, soar on the wings of a dragon, and defeat the ominous villain. A movie night is just the thing to create a sense of togetherness and adventure, without breaking the bank. It can be as extravagant or as modest as you like. Channel your inner Martha Stewart by basing the entire event off a specific theme, or keep it casual by wrapping yourself up in a blanket and enjoying a bowl of popcorn on the couch. You can even pull off an epic movie marathon, by watching one of these great lists. For an added dash of fun, have each family member rank their favorites. 

Remodeling your living room or basement allows you to be the director setting the scene. We suggest including adjustable lighting, so when the horror movie gets too scary, you can add a gentle glow to the room without overly distracting your guests (but still shining enough light in the creepily shadowed nooks). If adjustable lighting isn’t your aesthetic, consider adding a fireplace for the perfect spark of coziness and warmth. You can also open-up your floor plan to allow for optimal seating and movie fort making for families with kids. To make your space feel more like a theater, you can install a surround sound home entertainment system. Now, every triumphant music score in your favorite film will surely bring tears to your eyes.

Mix It Up In The Kitchen

Sometimes the time crunch of life causes us to isolate ourselves in the kitchen, working to get meal prep done quickly and efficiently, especially if your kitchen is cramped. However, you can kill two birds with one quartz slab by remodeling your kitchen to encourage both healthy eating and family time. By opening your floor plan, increasing organization, hidden storage, and counter space, you can willingly invite your kids and spouse to join you. Try tackling a kid-friendly recipe - our personal favorite is the No-Bake Fruit Pizza.

In this space of creativity, you may open the doors of communication between you and your children, finally breaching the barrier of the monosyllabic response of "fine" when you ask them about their day. For an added dash of fun and silliness, film your cooking as though it’s a Food Network show, or better yet, create a Chopped-like challenge by giving each family member random ingredients found in your cabinets to make a (hopefully) delicious meal. Each person could be challenged to make a different course (the appetizer, entree, side, and dessert). You won’t be embarrassed to re-watch the family films because your kitchen is going to look so darn good as the backdrop. If your kids weren’t so cute, it just might steal the show.

Get Your Game Face On 

Connect Four or more family members with a round of Heads-Up  to spice up your Game of Life . It doesn’t have to be a huge Operation to create joy with a fun game night. We’ve Scene It surprisingly Twist(er) the sourest face into a smile. Serve food and beverages prepared in your remodeled kitchen, and maybe sneak in a glass of gin rum(my) for you and your spouse. Beware, however, that you're mind might get a little Scrabbled. Soon enough, you will have a Monopoly on fun and be dubbed the coolest family member in the house. It won’t be a Trivial Pursuit of connection, as the laughs will be constant in your spacious living room. Your kids will never want to leave so be prepared to Clue people in on when they should head home.

Often, we dread extraneous activity in our home because we’re anxious about the messes it will create. However, if you remodel your living room to include vinyl flooring, any spills and messes will be easily cleaned with little hassle. Carpet is still a viable option, especially if you’re going for a cozy feeling, however, be sure to familiarize yourself with the care and maintenance required, that way you’re prepared in the case of emergency spills.

Now What?

There are endless possibilities for creating your dream home,  and OHi has been helping families in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs remodel their homes since we founded our family business in 1900. Our expert team members will help you find design inspiration and carry out your vision. We’ve been improving our neighborhood one home at a time through expert advice, exclusive products, and exceptional service. Check out our portfolio, or contact us to speak with an OHi family member about your remodel!