Remember your grandmother’s Living Room?.....the room that children (and some adults!) were not allowed to use because it was decorated with fragile silk fabrics, white carpeting and fussy furniture. The upholstered items in these “forbidden zones” were protected with clear plastic custom slipcovers. I had an acquaintance whose mom even covered her precious new white carpeting with heavy duty wall-to-wall clear plastic!
This is not how we live today. Homes with children have to be user-friendly and allow for the entire family to be comfortable. Here are some tips for decorating your home in a family-friendly way:
1) Choose indestructible fabrics for your upholstered pieces:
Heavy duty fabrics are a must. This does not mean they have to be stiff and plastic-like. They can have a soft hand and still have a high-wear rating. Years ago wear-ratings only appeared on commercial fabrics. In today’s world the wear rating is indicated on almost every fabric. For instance, 30,000 double rubs is indicative of a fabric with a heavy-duty rating. Whereas a fabric with 9,000 double rubs is best confined to draperies and bedding.
Leather or faux-leathers are also good choices because they are basically indestructible and can easily be wiped-clean.
Another must----choose fabrics that are darker in tone and have a texture to them or a pattern. These choices best camouflage spills and mishaps. Most fabrics can be treated with stain and soil protection before they even come in to your home.
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| Photo Credit: Beth Singer |
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2) Kid-friendly walls--Paint your walls in washable paints:
Walls can indeed take a beating in households with children.
Choosing a washable paint sheenis a great way to kid-proof your walls. Our friends at Sherwin Williams have a line of paint called Pro200, which is scrubbable (especially in the Eggshell finish) and durable enough for even a child’s room. It is an excellent paint that offers the ability of touch-ups without having to paint the entire wall.
An upgrade to that is Sherwin William’s Emerald line which offers a washable flat paint.
Chalk-board paint has become very popular. It allows the artist-in-the-making to unleash his or her inner Picasso.
3) Furniture--Make smart choices:
To avoid active children building a fort in your family room with the loose seat and back cushions and the accent pillows of the sofa and lounge chairs, consider purchasing upholstered pieces with fixed backs and seats. If properly sprung and with upgraded padding these items can be as comfortable as the loose cushion varieties. Purchase the best sofa you can afford during these formative years. Good construction is a must because it is going to take a beating.
Instead of a wood or glass top coffee table, use a cocktail ottoman. Children can play around it without fear of sharp edges. And it provides extra seating or doubles as an ottoman for the sofa. It can also substitute for a formal games table. Open up the children’s board games on it and invite the entire family to gather around for an afternoon of fun and togetherness.
For end tables, etc. it is best at this stage in your children’s life to go with casual and distressed finishes. That way an “oops” on the surface won’t be as glaring
4) Make space for kids
“Open floor plan” takes on a new meaning for family-friendly rooms. Instead of relegating the kids to “go play in your room”, leave enough “negative space” (an open area with no furniture) in the family room in which the kids are welcomed to spread out their books, games and toys.
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5) Savvy storage (closed)
To keep your family room from looking like a day care center with wall-to-wall clutter of toys and games, hidden storage is a must. Many of you have Armoires that once housed the old large screen TV’s that were 24-30” deep. The interior of these cabinets are easily retrofitted with shelves to hold toy bins and books. The homeowner of this renovation had a lovely TV cabinet from a well-known designer furniture line. It is now a “closet” for her children’s fun stuff. Also note in the room that we used a floating yellow cube for both extra seating and hidden storage.
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Photo Credit: Kim Hoover | Photo Credit: Kim Hoover |
6) Accessories
When accessorizing your family room, keep that heirloom vase or other cherished and fragile items placed up high on mantels and bookshelves, out of reach of curious little hands. Some accessories that tend to be more kid-friendly include elements from nature such as seashells, beach glass and pinecones. Sturdy items such as chunky wooden bowls or candlesticks are OK to use. Stacks of books are also a great idea. Interior designers often accessorize cocktail tables with art books because they take up space and are colorful and can be picked up and read for enjoyment by grown-ups and children alike.
7) Kid-friendly Flooring
Carpet is soft and comfortable. If your child takes a fall, carpeting will buffer that tumble and help prevent bumps and bruises. Most carpets today are protected with some type of stain-resistant finish that helps with clean-up of spills.
Hardwood floors are prevalent in homes today. They are warm, elegant and easy to sweep clean. Use a large area rug over the floor to protect it and allow for a more cushy playing surface..
Laminate floors that look like wood have been popular because they are easier to maintain than real wood floors. However, they are now being replaced by Vinyl Wood Plank flooring. This newer product is, in a word, indestructible. Used first in commercial installations, these new interlocking planks look like real wood but they are far more durable, easier to maintain and have great warmth and texture underfoot.
Linda Shears, ASID is an award-winning, residential interior designer in the Birmingham-Troy area.
To work with Linda, contact her by phone or email:
Cell: 248-877-3994
Email: linda@lindashears.com
Portfolio:
Website
Michigan Design Center Website
Houzz
Home Series Week 1: Design Challenge & The Designer
Home Series Week 2: Bathrooms
Home Series Week 3: Girls’ Bedrooms
Home Series Week 4: Boys’ Bedrooms
Home Series Week 5: Master Bedrooms
Home Series Week 6: Living/Family Rooms
Home Series Week 7: Family Home Makeover & 7 Tips for Decorating in a Family-Friendly Way
