How to create a kid-friendly living room?
No matter how large your family is, it seems, that kids and clutter go hand in hand. This makes maintaining a beautiful interior a challenge. Still, you don’t have to give up home décor even if you have kids. Since the living room is the area where most of the daytime action takes place, here are five tips on creating a stylish family room where everyone can feel at home.
Hand-friendly walls
Going for washable paint is a great way to make your walls kid-proof. Eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss paint sheens can be easily cleaned with just soap and a damp cloth. You can also achieve a matte finish by using flat paints with the additional benefit of no brush marks. Manufacturers now offer washable flat paints that can withstand a damp sponge clean-up.
And if you want to leave wall decorations to the kids, you can choose from chalkboard, magnetic, and dry erase paints. Else you can go for baby-safe paints, available at your local home improvement store.
Washable fabrics
When equipping your kid-friendly living room, there are several upholstering materials you should consider, including faux leather, slipcovers, and Sunbrella fabrics. A lot of furniture suppliers offer stain-resistant fabric options for their standard models, or will readily ‘Scotchgard’ your furniture for an extra fee.
In a home with kids, darker-colored upholstering will always wear better than lighter colors. White slipcovers can be bleached, so if you ever get into the mood to decorate, just throw slipcovers over your sofas, and bleach them when needed.
Bump-proof tables
If you are a parent, you know the horrors of watching your toddler fall and near miss the coffee table’s corner. Consider a safer option, such as an upholstered ottoman, a couple of poufs, or simply a round table with rounded edges. Here’s how you can transform your coffee table into an upholstered ottoman. Place a serving tray in the middle and your drinks and treats will be as stable as if you were using a regular table.
Need furniture ideas? Checkout Chiltons, they have a beautiful range and plenty of kid-friendly options.
Soft storage baskets
Bins and baskets made out of soft, padded fabric will encourage little ones to put their toys away when playtime is over. Mr. Bunny needs a place to sleep, after all. These storage options are both beautiful and practical. They weigh next to nothing so they are easy to handle, while the texture and pattern can complement the room’s colour scheme.
Easy-to-clean floors
Unfortunately, spills, dust, dirt, pet hair, and crumbs are an inevitable part of family life. Make your life easier by opting for washable flooring like tile, wood, laminate, polished concrete, linoleum or vinyl. If you prefer softer options, consider carpet tiles. Unlike regular carpets, carpet tiles are removable, so you can clean and replace squares that get dirty.
Another option for a living room is a large natural fibre rug. A shaggy rug will provide softer and warmer environment for the kids’ playtime, while giving your living room a stylish look. If you have no clue what would suit your room, check out DecoRug’s selection of shaggy rugs for inspiration.
Accessories – for kids, by kids
The living room should become a place where everyone in the family feels welcome. Those racehorses and still-life pictures are boring for kids, right? Consider featuring a gallery wall where artworks both by grown-ups and kids can stand shoulder to shoulder.
Make sure you keep your valued collections and fragile heirlooms out of the reach of curious hands, preferably on the mantel or on high bookshelves. Some of more kid-friendly accessories include wooden bowls and candlesticks, as well as nature elements like pinecones, driftwood, seashells, etc. And if you want to bring more colour to your living room, you can display art supplies in clear acrylic jars between the books on the shelf.
By using some of these tips, you will be able to make the living room a bit less severe and more suitable for the little ones, while also making it safer.
Author BIO
If one thing is true about Lillian Connors, her mind is utterly curious. That’s why she can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out LinkedIn.