Home built for couples without children can quickly be transformed into one that’s suitable for family living with just a few design and functional modifications. Read these easy-to-follow steps on how to make your new house kid-friendly:
Introduce fabrics that can withstand children and their messy hands, such as wool rugs or hides.
Create a Kid-Friendly Living Space
Planning for family living often overlooks the living area; however, with just a few clever design changes can transform this room into one more suitable for children.
Consider opening your dining and family areas, so you can keep an eye on everyone while eating or playing games. Also include plenty of storage space to store away toys, arts & crafts materials, card games or any other clutter that accumulates.
When selecting furniture, look for options that can withstand spills and smudges without staining, such as rustic wood dining and coffee tables with matte surfaces that mask stains better than glossy veneer surfaces; while rounder edges help prevent injuries caused by accidentally bumping into sharp corners.
Create a Kid-Friendly Dining Area
Durability is of the utmost importance in creating kid-friendly dining areas for young ones. Opt for hard-wearing materials that can withstand spills and drops without shattering. Provide child-sized utensils and plates while offering popular meals such as soup and macaroni and cheese for your youngsters to enjoy.
Establish a play area or kids’ corner at your restaurant, with table games and toys to keep children occupied while waiting for their food, helping them settle more quickly and peacefully at their tables. This may help the waiters serve orders more efficiently as well.
Create a Kid-Friendly Kitchen
Many homeowners struggle to create an inviting kitchen environment for children, yet with some careful thought it is possible to make this task simpler without compromising your home design. A kid-friendly space can be created within any design without impacting its integrity.
Store children’s plates, cups and utensils in easily accessible cabinets that won’t block the cooking area to encourage self-serve dining and foster their independence in daily activities. This provides them with a sense of pride as they serve themselves!
Select durable materials, such as solid wood or natural-looking veneers, that can withstand daily wear and tear such as countertops and cabinetry, for optimal performance. Avoid surfaces like glass which tend to collect stains and fingerprints easily.
Create a Kid-Friendly Bedroom
Children tend to accumulate lots of stuff, making it essential for bedrooms designed specifically with kids in mind to include lots of storage solutions such as shelves, dressers and even bunk beds for toys, books and trinkets. A bed with built-in headboard can also serve as an effective storage option by displaying favorite pieces and keeping them off the floor.
Nix suggests layering patterned accents such as bedding and rugs for visual texture in order to avoid an overly-busy room, and prefers neutral wall colors in children’s rooms, which allow easier touchups when necessary.
Create a Kid-Friendly Bathroom
Kids don’t care much for interior design trends and prefer functional yet enjoyable spaces for playing and learning. Adding whimsical touches such as toothbrush holders shaped after their favorite characters or non-slip mats in the bathtub can make teeth brushing, showers and bath time more enjoyable for both them and parents.
Choose durable materials that are easy to keep clean, like quartz or soapstone for countertops, to update your bathroom. Patterned wallpaper that easily covers scuffs and tears is another effective way of giving it an update, while adding clever storage solutions can keep toiletries, towels, and other essentials organized.
Create a Kid-Friendly Entryway
An efficient entryway design is key to providing family-friendly living environments. From storage solutions to materials designed to withstand children’s rough play, this area should have features that keep it looking its best.
Example: A slim bench provides additional seating to put on shoes and store belongings (while also being easy for children to access). A coat rack with hooks or Shaker peg rail, combined with shoe storage baskets, helps maintain an orderly entryway.
Opt for materials that can withstand daily wear and tear, such as wood or leather. And for easier cleanups when renovating or building new spaces, washable interior paint may be best.
Create a Kid-Friendly Home Office
Home offices are becoming an increasingly common reality for working parents, creating challenges in managing work and family responsibilities simultaneously. Young children frequently interrupt meetings or other important business activities that need to take place at an office location.
Setting up a kid-friendly home office can help you to remain focused and productive without being interrupted by distracting children. Shelving or cabinets with lockable doors provide the ideal way to store items like staplers or electronic pencil sharpeners that kids could reach.
If you are sharing a space, make it more inviting by adding decorative accents such as family photographs or children’s artwork to liven up the environment and encourage everyone to get work done more quickly. A playful environment will boost creativity while encouraging productivity among employees.
