Home Design Ideas For A Child Friendly Living Space

*Commissioned Post 

Whether you have children living in your home now, or you are planning to have children sometime in the future, we have some ideas that will make your home child-friendly. Considering the mess these little bundles of treasure are prone to making, parents, expectant or otherwise, should find our advice invaluable.

Focus on the floor

Muddy footprints, drink spills, toileting accidents… your floors are going to take a lot of damage from the young ones in your family. That’s not forgetting any pets you may have! Therefore, you need flooring that is both durable and easy to clean. We like these polished concrete floors, which look beautiful, but are also practical when considering the pitter patter of tiny muddy feet running across them. Alternatively, hardwood flooring or luxury vinyl are other options, being both durable and washable. If you do insist on a carpeted floor, go for something dark or with a patterned design, as any stains will be harder to notice.

Watch the walls

You may have a would-be Picasso in your family,  but once your back is turned, you don’t want them creating wall art with a felt-tip pen or wax crayons. Thankfully, there are many paints available that are stain-repellant, meaning you can easily remove the abstract design your child has created. Of course, you don’t want to squash your child’s creativity, so choose an area of the home where your child is able to let their imagination flourish. Adding a whiteboard or a chalkboard to their playroom, for example, will give them a space to unleash their work of genius.

Sort out the storage

Kids love to play, so you are bound to have toys all over your house. While it’s fun to get on your hands and knees and play with your kids, it’s not so much fun when you stand on a dice for the umpteenth time, or when you have to lift the sofa again to rescue an action figure. So, make sure you have plenty of storage spaces to keep the toys at bay. While boxes are great, they can also add to the clutter, unless you have managed to colour-coordinate them with your home decor. Instead, make the most of your space and consider storage furniture. A bed with underbed storage is great for your child’s bedroom, while a storage ottoman is great for the living room, being both practical and fashionable.

Signal in on safety

You need to create a safe place for your children to live in. This means buying furniture with curved (rather than sharp) edges, and having shelving where potentially dangerous objects are out of reach. The kitchen is a particularly hazardous room, so install safety locks on cupboards, and ensure you leave plenty of uncluttered floor space to reduce the chances of any accidents. For further advice, check out this excellent guide to childproofing your home room by room or this child home accident preventing guide. Your kids will love to explore, so the safer your home is, the better!

Final thoughts

By creating a safe and practical space, you will enjoy spending time with your kids, rather than having that stressed out and frazzled look that befits many parents as they chase after their children as they cause havoc around the house. Take care, and thanks for reading!