Having children shouldn’t keep you from decorating your stylish home. There are many ways to achieve a kid-friendly home with gorgeous décor without making it feel like a daycare center. I’m going to share five easy solutions to designing a comfortable, sophisticated humble abode that can still provide a safe environment for your children:
Living Room
When decorating your living space, you want to be sure it fits your family’s needs as this is the area in your home you usually spend majority of your time in. Start by thinking about the largest items first like the sofa. A large sectional or sofa with additional chairs will provide a space for everyone to sit and relax together. If you can hunt down a few super cute bean bag chairs, those would flow perfectly in this space and the kids are sure to love the extra cozy seats for reading or while watching movies. Bean bag chairs are also an ideal option for storing when not in use or for moving into other rooms of the home for easy transitional seating.
A key decorating piece for your living room is a durable area rug. Rugs provide a sense of comfort and warmth, while also adding style to your space. Finding a durable rug that can withstand accidents and that are easy to clean is essential, especially when you have children.
For fun wall décor, try curating your own gallery wall. You can frame family photos, your children’s artwork or bright prints from books or magazines to add a pop of color and give your wall a little makeover. Adding shelving to your walls is also a family functional décor idea that can free up floor space while also providing storage that is organized and clutter-free.
Don’t have an additional area for a playroom? Not to worry, as there are plenty of options for utilizing toy storage in your living room. A cube bookshelf can be used not only for books, but also for bins or baskets of toys that will leave your living room feeling organized and more put together.
Dining Room
For your dining room décor, be sure to keep this area pretty simple as you don’t want too much distraction while your children are eating. Play it simple by leaving the wall décor to a minimum and don’t add too many things on the table that could potentially be pulled off or broken. If possible, place your dining room table next to a window. Having your table surrounding your windows will inspire conversations about nature, weather and other kid-friendly chats that are both learning experiences and a fun way to bring the whole family together. If your dining room is larger and you are trying to find pieces to fill the empty spaces, consider adding a few houseplants for visual appeal.
Kitchen
Having kids in the kitchen can be a joyful, yet messy experience. If you’re considering updating your kitchen floors, opt for a patterned floor to help hide stains and dirt. If patterned flooring isn’t your thing, try finding a patterned runner instead. With children, snacks are a daily occurrence. Having jars of healthy snack options displayed on the counter allows children to help themselves to good choices during snack time.
With school-age children comes lots and lots of paper, art and projects. Instead of cluttering your refrigerator, find a small wall space to set up a command center. A few items you can add to this space are a calendar for all of the family’s birthdays and events, a cork board to hang your kids’ artwork, hooks for car keys, a letter bin for mail storage and a chalkboard for the kids to play with while you’re cooking.
Bathroom
Decorating the bathroom in bright ocean themes or animal print can be tempting to place in the bathroom, but sticking with a simple pop of color will feel playful, yet still sophisticated for guests. This also allows for an easy update as the kids grow older. Wallpaper is another playful décor piece that can be fun for the kids, yet stylish for adults. Be sure to add stools for easy access to the sink for washing hands and brushing teeth and keep the bath toys to a minimum. If you’re struggling with bathroom décor that’s family friendly, yet functional, try seeking out the help of design services like an interior designer or contractor.
Bedroom
Although bright colored walls are most likely your first idea when decorating your child’s bedroom, keep things interesting with soft wallpaper, or an accent wall. Kid friendly storage is key in their space so providing bins for books, shoes and toys is an essential way to keep their room nice and tidy since they’ll be able to get these items out and put them away by themselves. If your child is a book lover, create a reading nook with some comfy pillows and built-in shelving. Have an older child? Why not create a small home office for them to study and do their homework on. A small desk, chair and lamp is all that’s really needed for this space. If you have children sharing a bedroom, a simple solution for this is to have bunk beds so you aren’t compromising any space.
Conclusion
What about the holidays? When it comes to decorating for the holidays, having your children help with the (holiday decorating) can be fun for the whole family. Finding simple projects your kids can do expresses their creativity and also contributes to your home décor for fun conversational pieces you can share with family and friends. Although there are several dos and don’ts when it comes to decorating your home with children in mind, it’s important to consider your own personal style. You want a space that you can truly enjoy and that your children can enjoy as well.
