If you have an active family one thing you don’t want in your home are furnishings that are a health hazard. On the other hand, you don’t want your living space to have the appearance of a daycare center either! So how can you make your home family friendly and comfortable for everyone? Here are some tips to help you.
Avoid fragile items: If you want to display your grandmother’s fine china or your crystal glassware, keep them in a display cabinet with lockable doors. Do not put breakable ornaments on tables or shelves where they can be knocked to the floor and broken, this is a sure recipe for disaster if you have young children toddling around the house.
Keep furnishings soft: Sofas and chairs in the main living area should be cozy and durable. If you’re looking for seating ideas for the children’s rooms, you can’t beat super-sized bean bags. They are comfy and will withstand years of use by kids and pets. You can find out more about them by reading reviews from SackDaddy.com.
When it comes to textiles, some modern furniture materials resist stains better than others. Leather is a popular choice because spillages can be wiped right off the surface without leaving a mark. The think you have to watch out for with leather is ink stains, which can be tricky to remove, so if you kids like to color with markers, keep them at the kitchen table. Other stain repellant materials include tweed and micro-fibers.
Patterned materials and darker colors are equally good for hiding stains that may occur on a daily basis, giving you a little more time to get your upholstery cleaned. If you have toddlers, this can be a big help when they’re constantly moving around, dropping snacks and sippy cups. Slipcovers are also a great idea because they are machine washable.
Set Up a Child-friendly Area
Although you can’t keep children sequestered to one area of your home, setting up a kid-friendly corner is a good idea. You can create a colorful and playful space with children’s furniture where they can read, color and play with toys or pets. Young children often find kid-sized furniture more appealing than grown-up furnishings.
A play corner can also help keep the toys in a designated space, rather than having them scattered throughout the house. You can choose a particular theme such as dressing up, arts and crafts, a library area, or you can make the area multifunctional. Always keep safety in mind when you’re buying children’s furniture. Choose items with rounded corners. Sharp edges and corners are hazardous for young children who like to run around. Make sure tables and chairs are non-slip. Any furniture that is painted should not contain any toxic chemicals such as lead. When you’re storing toys, keep them on lower shelves or in boxes on the floor, so kids will not be tempted to climb.
Protecting your Walls
Young kids like to draw, and not always where you want them to. A nice clean wall is a huge canvas to a small child. You can kid-proof your walls with paint that is durable and scrubbable. A number of companies manufacture colorful paints specifically designed for high traffic areas that can easily be cleaned. If you want to encourage your young artists, consider painting a wall with blackboard paint so that they can go to town with colorful chalks, it will keep them away from the rest of your walls.
Family Friendly Flooring
Many modern homes these days have hardwood floors that can be easily damaged by toys. If you want your living area to be more child-friendly, consider area rugs to protect your hardwood. These will protect delicate knees when infants are crawling and also soften the blow when kids take a tumble.
Fiber flooring is a popular choice for parents, mainly because it can easily be laid on top of a hardwood floor without the need for any adhesive. You simply roll it out and trim it and there you have a comfortable and safe area for your child to play.
Don’t feel that you can’t update your old furniture until the kids grow up. Even with young children, you can still have a beautiful home if you think about your lifestyle and the ages of your kids when you’re buying furnishings. Just follow these tips and your home will be comfortable, colorful, and child-friendly.
Jayden Donnelly has a passion for DIY and home renovation projects whether big or small. He writes about decor trends and ideas as well as decorating/renovation tips and so much more.
