Family Fun Interior Decorating

This is a guest post from Charlotte Stafford. I love her ideas for decorating with kids in mind! Such creative ways to make your home stylish and trendy, while still being a comfortable place for children to play.

When creating an ideal home, it can be all too easy to overlook the needs of children.  Despite what many people think, it isn’t necessary to choose between having a stylish home and having a child-friendly one.  Incorporating child-friendly ideas can actually make the home look more impressive because it adds elements of unique character and personality.  Children love being involved in the design process and, with the right help, can make useful creative suggestions of their own.

Child-friendly design

Children aren’t just small versions of adults – they look at the home in their own distinct way.  For instance, they love hiding places and little nooks and crannies where they can make dens.  Alcoves and under-stair spaces can be adapted with this in mind.  A shallow niche in the wall can be fitted with a low seat to make an appealing place for children to sit.  Low drawers and small cupboards can be adapted to make ‘secret’ storage spaces for toys.

In the bedroom, bunk beds or cabin beds are fun to climb on.  In the living room, big leather sofas are great when the whole family wants to curl up together, while small stools and beanbags provide alternative seating for restless kids.  In the kitchen, if there’s room, a separate small table and chairs are great for kids who want their own space to eat lunch or who want to help with baking.  Making provision for kids in this way helps them to feel properly included in the household.  Meanwhile, wipe-clean surfaces and easy-wash fabrics make the going much easier for the grown-ups.

Getting personal

Decorating the home in a personal ways helps to keep it family-focused.  Painting a family tree mural with photos to represent relatives is a great project to work on with kids, and makes a fascinating talking point.  Living room walls look fantastic when decorated with assorted family photographs in different kinds of frame, while a staircase is a good place to hang pictures of the kids getting older as one goes up.

Kitchens are a place where a lot of time is spent working but they can really be brightened up with kids’ drawings.  Laminating these means they won’t be damaged by damp or grease and can last over the long term.  The kitchen is also a great place for family noticeboards with room for favorite photos, cartoons and jokes as well as the practical stuff.

Fun family decorating

Decorating a house with the whole family in mind can make it look much more fun than the average abode.  Using bright paint colors for feature walls, window frames or wainscoting really adds spark to plain rooms, while bright shutters or drapes can also look dramatic.  Bold patterns like stripes or polka dots can look lively on wallpaper or rugs, while murals give a room real character and can be adapted to favorite themes.  Wall stencils and stickers offer an easy option for those not confident about their own artwork.  With mirrors to bounce the light around and poster art devoted to the kids’ interests, it’s possible to create a vibrant space that’s fun for everyone.

 

Charlotte is an enthusiastic, well-educated freelance writer with a passion for Interior Design. She is fascinated at how different patterns, textures and lighting can completely change the look and atmosphere of a room.