7 Ways to Create a Functional Family-Friendly Home

When you have kids living at home, it's almost impossible to maintain a stylish, clean and safe home at the same time. From the food spills to crayon scribbles on the wall, living with little ones makes maintaining a beautiful home a challenging task to undertake.

Admittedly, though, it takes a keen eye and some proper planning to figure out how to create a liveable space that both kids and adults can compromise. Here are some tips to create a family-friendly home that’s practical, safe and aesthetically pleasing.

1. Mixed in gender-neutral shades for a timeless update

Kids love colours, so why not create some visual stimulation in your kid’s bedroom surrounded by their favourite colours.

To create a stylish yet child-approved bedroom, choose neutral hues for larger purchases, like flooring and staple furniture, and save the colours for smaller, more temporary elements like pillows or curtains as they can be easily replaced once they grew up and their taste evolved.

2. Introduce smart storage solutions to maintain a neat home

Storage solutions are essential for a family-friendly home, and it can be a challenge to find a suitable option to contain an ever-growing collection of books or toys that your kids own.

If you are concerned about toys lying around in your living area, create storage space by placing baskets on empty corners and attractive boxes on open shelves. Not only will these items be able to store goodies, but they will also add some colour and texture to your living room. You can also consider purchasing dual-purpose furniture to help keep clutter contained. Try an ottoman or a sofa with hidden storage inside, or a trunk or chest that doubles as a low table to store your kid’s belongings.

3. Keep play and decorative items in designated areas

Carve out a designated space to display your child’s arts or a craft area where they can draw and paint. This will help to keep your kid’s artwork and art materials contained in one room, and teach them to be organised when it comes to cleaning up after playtime.

4. Opt for an open floor plan

For a family-friendly living, consider an open plan layout that combines living room, dining and kitchen space together. It will allow parents to make conversations and keep an eye on their kids in the living room while dinner is being prepared.

5. Invest in easy-to-clean fabrics that require less cleanup

When choosing furniture such as a sofa, invest in easy-to-clean (yet stylish!) fabrics like leather, as it is more resilient to food spills or dirt, requiring easy and less cleanup. Complement your leather sofa with bright coloured cushions, textiles or colourful artwork to allow younger family members to feel more comfortable in an area that isn’t too adult.

6. Bring in some soft seating to minimise hazards for small kids

When choosing furniture, be wary of highly breakable materials like glass and look for low-set options that will minimize the chance of a bumped head.

Soft seating with round edges like poufs, oversize cushions, and ottomans are a great option to minimise hazards if you have small kids, besides providing extra seating for adults and teenagers. It will make your living room safer for the younger family members while still introducing some style to your home.

7. Choose durable floor materials that can withstand daily wear and tear

Children are wild cards. There are no two ways about it. That means that every piece of furniture or material used in your home should withstand daily wear and tear. Instead of installing soft-pile cream carpeting or tile floors (which can be hazardous especially if you have a crawling child), you’ll want to choose a practical (yet still stylish) option like wooden.

Wooden flooring is very easy to clean and maintain, where it can be kept spotless with a vacuum cleaner and a damp mop. As wood has less porosity, it doesn’t promote the growth of bacteria. If you want to create a visually spacious home, go for light coloured wood flooring as they make a room feel airy and bright.

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