Tips for a Stylish yet Child-Friendly Home
You daydreamed of the future, with the perfect home, full of the latest trends. Then the future arrived, and it included kids and more. The trends didn’t seem too useful, and style—who has time for style? You do! Sure, kids make life busy, and the latest home trend gets put on the back burner. That’s okay. We’ve got some tips for a stylish yet child-friendly home that’ll make you smile, and the kids possibly want to get their dirty clothes into the hamper (no promises).
Patterned Rugs
If a friend suggests you use solid colored anything with children in the house, we’re going to guess they’ve never had children, or they aren’t actually a true friend.
Okay, that’s a bit harsh, but with busy little ones running around barefoot in the summer and drinking sippy cups of chocolate milk all year long, you need patterns—notably on your rugs. Patterns hide our imperfections, such as accidental spills that get missed and dirty little footprints. Keep the rugs clean, but you’ll be thankful that in between cleanings, the patterns hide a lot.
Baskets, Bins, and Hooks
Find a place for everything, and namely the children’s things. Using fun pieces like old milk crates, wooden boxes, galvanized buckets, and more, designate one or two to each child for their stuff. Toys, shoes, hats, and gloves—are all the things that get scattered about and seem to multiply overnight, which is why they must be organized in one spot.
When you place hooks at a child’s level, they’ll be a place for towels and jackets instead of such things being tossed on the floor. Let your kids choose the color clothes hamper they want, put their name on it, and remind them every morning to put their dirty clothes in there. (You may have to remind them for about 18 years, but we don’t know how to fix that.)
Safety First
When creating a stylish yet child-friendly home, safety must be your priority. When little ones are just starting to get around, cover all the outlets with outlet covers and store cleaning supplies up high and out of reach. Rather than storing the bathroom cleaners under the sink, check out a flea market for an old wall cabinet, and store them up high on the wall instead.
As kids get older, it’s important to take a look around and see what could be safer in your home. Sometimes something we may not think is a big deal could actually cause a serious injury, like falls or tripping over something. Let your home be stylish and safe at the same time.
Skip the Coffee Table
Rather than skipping the table, rethink it. A soft ottoman works great with a tray on it for drinks and doubles as a seat. There’s also no risk of a head injury should your child trip and fall next to a soft ottoman. Trunks make great tables and extra storage space. Paint a trunk any color you like, then plop it by the couch and store blankets or games in it.
Have fun decorating your home, keep the kids in mind, and make safety a priority in your home. Remember, these years will fly by, and then you can decorate to your heart’s content. Although, we have a feeling you’ll miss the 18 years of reminders to pick up their dirty clothes.
