When you have kids and are decorating your home, the task may seem daunting as you fear you can’t inhabit a stylish living space with little ones running around. However, there are ways you can design your house so that you’re not embarrassed to have your friends over. Follow these easy steps to make your home ideal for family living.
Opt for Round Tables
When shopping for tables to decorate your living room, choose furniture with rounded edges. Nothing is worse than having a toddler who has just learned to walk bumping their head or running into sharp edges. Designers have come up with a number of fashionable rounded edge options that will allow you to still have a stylish home while keeping safety in mind.
Choose Furniture that Has Storage
When you have children, you’ll find it’s hard to keep your home from becoming cluttered. Often times, toys get strewn across the whole house. A solution to this problem is more storage space. As you shop for furniture, choose tables with drawers. Benches with seats that lift up to reveal storage also provide an area for putting toys and books.The key is to make it easy for your kids to put away their belongings so they will be more motivated to do so at the end of the day.
Create a Space for Just the Kids
If you want to have a space for yourself in your house, it is a good idea to design a space exclusively for your kids. Give them a play area with an accessible table and chairs near where you spend a lot of time. If you cook a lot in the kitchen, set up a space for crafts in the next room so you can keep an eye on your kids while you whip up dinner.
Decorate with Area Rugs for Comfort
You’ll want to invest in soft area rugs to ensure your children are comfortable while playing on the floor. Wool rugs are often a good route to take because they are easy to clean and feel good on bare feet. Wool rugs are also durable so you don’t have to worry about replacing them even though they may receive a lot of foot traffic. Area rugs are often better than carpet because you simply remove them to clean. When it comes to choosing what size to get, bigger is better. The rug should be proportional to the space and fit your furniture leaving at least six inches on the outer edge.
Secure Furniture to the Wall
If you have kids constantly running through your home, you run the risk of them bumping into large pieces of furniture. We’ve all heard the horror stories of children becoming trapped under book shelves or T.V. stands. This is why it is very important to secure large items of furniture to the wall. Kids are prone to climb tall furniture to reach items so it’s best to play it safe by screwing them into the wall.
Get Furniture Made of Spill Friendly Fabric
If you have small children, there is bound to be a spill at some point. For this reason, it’s best to choose fabrics that are durable and easily cleanable. Many companies now sell fabric that is made for outdoors but is used indoors. Make sure the material has a high rub count or is made from cotton or polyester. These last the longest and are easy to clean. You may even want to purchase slip covers for furniture in your children’s rooms so you can easily wash them.
Build Coat Hooks
We can’t harp on de-cluttering enough. On top of storage, build coat hooks near the door and cubbies for shoes. This will provide a place for your kids to drop off their outerwear, book bags, and shoes. When you have a designated area for these items chances are you won’t find them in other parts of your house.
Go With Solid Wood when Choosing Tables
If you are not sure what type of table to get for your dining room, go with solid wood. It will be able to withstand banging and rough usage from kids. You should also consider making cushions for the seats to make the wood more comfortable. Simply throw them in the wash when they get dirtied by food.
