When you suddenly have kids to consider (whether your own or have friends coming to visit), the question of how you’re going to re-acclimate and decorate a home suddenly takes on many more dimensions.
Gone are the fancy glass vases on coffee tables (or the destructibles, as you might now know them). But what else needs to be considered? What should you choose that makes a home that is not only family-friendly but family-loving?
The Space
When you have kids, it doesn’t matter how big the home is, it can still feel crowded. Making sure there’s space for everyone is crucial. First, you need to think about its inclusiveness.
For instance, in the living room, you should have seats of varying heights and sizes so everyone, from the littlest to the tallest, can find the spot for them.
You might want to think about creating spaces that offer much bigger walkways as well so that it never feels like the room is at risk of experiencing a traffic jam thanks to the hustle and bustle of the household.
The Costs
Kids cost money. Not just in and of themselves, but through the collateral damage that is their lives.
So, when choosing flooring for a room, for instance, things to consider include not just the initial price but the long-term costs.
Carpet might be cheaper to floor a room with, but it can get a lot more expensive when you consider the replacements you’re going to need after numerous spill clean ups.
Whereas with the right aftercare, hardwood floors might cost more at first but can last a lot longer. You need to think long-term for the whole house.
Ensuring Safety
Naturally, kids are prone to doing damage to themselves, as well. You need to make sure that the choices you make in the home aren’t helping them follow that inclination any more than they already do.
Besides the aforementioned vases, you need to think about slipping and tripping risks such as rugs and whether they’re a good choice after all.
You may need to consider more seriously the kitchen and the bathroom, making sure that any storage they can access is either locked or kept free of harmful substances, and find new storage areas where you can rest easy that they won’t access things you don’t want them to.
Durability
It plays into the idea of long-term costs, but there are some aspects of the home décor that are going to be harder to replace no matter what.
The kitchen countertop, for instance, takes time and money to replace no matter what kind it is. So, you want to make sure that it can survive and go the distance with your kids.
Composite stone, for one, is a particularly tough material that will survive and resist all kinds of stains, scratches, and accidental water floods.
You don’t have to sacrifice style for a great family home. You do, however, have to consider more than just what works for you. The points above should help you make much more informed choices to keep everyone safe, happy, and comfortable.
