Those who have children know how difficult it can be to get the home décor the right blend of stylish and practical. Practical is a feature that needs to be kept in mind, as some aspects of ‘stylish’ are not really compatible with children; however, it is possible to have both, and with careful thought and planning the home can be suitable for all who live in it.
Practical tips
The first thing is to ensure that everything added to the home can be easily cleaned. This ranges from the painted walls to the fabric on the sofa. If it is not practical to replace furniture with items that are easily cleaned then opt for covers or throws that can help to protect it from spills and which can be washed with little problem.
The lighting in a room will need to be secure. If the children are young then it is important to make sure that they cannot fall over cords for table lamps or knock them over. If the lamps cannot be placed safely out of reach then it might be advisable to consider just having wall lights along with the overhead lighting.
Before replacing any items consider if rearranging it could make the room more suitable for children. Put items that could be broken out of their reach and think about putting items such as coffee tables away to create more space. If the living room is large enough consider creating a separate play area for the children so that they have their own space. Other space-saving ideas include extending dining tables. These can be folded back when they are not needed to create more play space. Steps such as these are very budget-friendly.
The child’s room
When it comes to making a home child-friendly then one of the first places to consider will need to be the child’s room. When it comes to décor it is easy to be creative in the child’s room but a good tip is not to get carried away. As a child grows their tastes will change – decorating with a Disney theme is fine but in a couple of years time they will be interested in something else and the homeowner will be left to start again.
Storage is essential for a child’s room. They tend to accumulate far more toys, books and craft paraphernalia than anyone could think possible and it is far easier to keep the room in order if there is plenty of storage. Drawer units, built-in cupboards and under-bed storage should all be considered and having somewhere to put everything could help the child to get into the habit of putting everything away.
Again, paintwork and walls should be easy to clean. Grubby finger marks will appear on a regular basis as well as crayon. To discourage the children from writing on the walls why not add a section that has been painted with blackboard paint? This can be wiped clean and re-used as needed and encourages a bit of creativity too.
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