Simple Design Tips for a Family Home

When designing your home you don’t have to order from the kid’s menu.

“I have to admit. I dream of owning furniture that isn’t allowed for people with kids, pets or a husband”.   Has this thought ever crossed your mind? As an Interior Decorator and a mom of 2 young boys, I am the receiver of many whispered confessions; the secret desire to decorate your home in velvet, high gloss surfaces and pure pure white.  I get it. I’ve been there. I am there.   

But don’t let go of those dreams!  Your children are going to be living, eating and playing (aka jumping, spilling and destroying) under your roof for at least another 18 years. Enjoy your home now and make it work for your lifestyle as it is defined today.  It is possible to create a home you can all enjoy.  It would be stifling for your children to live in a home where they can’t touch the furniture, but similarly, its stifling for you to live in a world of foam and primary colours, even after bedtime.  

 Here are a few simple tips when trying to create your family friendly home.  

Variety

Variety in texture, colour of fabric and materials will help hide a multitude of sins.  Velvet is actually a decent option if it’s a washable fiber such as cotton.   Try to avoid sofas or chairs with a flat single colour of thread in the fabric.  This also applies to wood finishes; The rustic or weathered look will age gracefully.  Avoid a veneered wood, once they lose the layer of veneer, there is no going back.  Variety is especially important in floor coverings; consider a rug with a pattern, hardwood floors with some texture or tonal variations in the wood colour. 

Washable walls

When buying wallpaper or paint, ask about the washability. You want a surface that will come clean with a little soap and water. The Benjamin Moore Regal collection has been formulated for easy cleaning.