If your idea of a child-friendly interior is all about bright colours, cartoon-like graphics and easily wiped-down surfaces, then you wouldn’t be alone. Indeed, there’s nothing wrong with such a design style in certain parts of the home, especially when you’re considering a playroom, a den or a child-friendly dining area. However, the problem with these sorts of design aesthetics is that they’re not always very adult-friendly. Busy visual patterns, hard surfaces that reflect sounds, the presence of too much clutter and even furnishings which aren’t designed for grown ups can all make homes stressful living spaces.
How do you go about generating more calm in your domestic environment while keeping the interior design suited to little ones? Read on to find out.
Create Shared Spaces That Everyone Feels Comfortable In
Firstly, your interior design choices should be for everyone. If there’s a shared space that kids and adults will be in together, such as a dining room or a lounge, then it ought to be designed with everybody’s needs in mind. In a living room, softer lighting can have an instant effect on how calm the area feels. Use light bulbs with a warmer colour intensity. If you need more light to see what you are doing, then dimmer controls can be invaluable.
Another good tip is to arrange furniture so it faces inwards. If your sofas and chairs all point towards a TV as a focal point, then discussions and family chats aren’t likely to take off. Just switching a few around makes people feel more ready for informal socialising, especially when rugs, cushions and throws add to the calming effect by dampening harsh sounds.
Child-Friendly Furniture That Still Looks Stylish
When you buy furniture for a calm but child-friendly environment, you need something that feels soft and comfortable but which can also withstand the rigours of family life. Choose darker materials that can be wiped over. Textiles that are tough and stain-protected are ideal.
When choosing a set of dining chairs, opt for ones without hard edges. Chairs should be rounded off at the corners and suited to the addition of booster seats, so children feel included at mealtimes, not on their own at a separate, lower table. Bear in mind, too, that furniture with internal storage compartments is a great way to keep toys and books at hand without them getting in the way of a relaxing space for adults once the kids have gone to bed.
Reduce Visual Clutter for a More Relaxing Home Environment
When it comes to reducing visual clutter, choosing furniture with storage is only the start. Homes with children growing up in them will always have some clutter but it is important to ensure it never gets out of control. Baskets for games, shelving for children’s reading material and storage tubs that slide under beds and sofas are all good ideas for reducing visual clutter. Stackable boxes are also a good idea if you have limited floor space.
Remember that not all kids’ toys need to be available all the time. Put a few boxes into the loft or the garage once in a while and rotate them. Children often find they get more out of a toy they’ve forgotten about or not played with in a while when they’re reintroduced to it. So, not only do children enjoy this sort of play, but their parents obtain a home with less clutter, too. It’s a win-win for most households, especially those with younger kids who might be competing for space with older siblings who have different toys and interests.
Design Spaces That Support Calmer Family Routines
All families have their routines. Sometimes, they will be rushed, whether it is having breakfast before the school run or fitting in homework sessions before heading out to clubs in the evening. You can’t necessarily change those routines but you can make them feel less stressful when you’re pushed for time. A good tip is to ensure children have a calm space of their own where they can concentrate on schoolwork or reading a book. This needn’t be an office or a study of their own, of course, and could be something as simple as a corner of their own in their bedroom. Even in a shared bedroom, children should have their own space, one that’s devoid of other siblings’ belongings and electronic gadgets – there is plenty of room for them elsewhere in the home, after all.
Use calming colours in bedrooms. Even if there is a feature wall, one or two calmer tones in living spaces can also help to relax everybody’s moods. In the end, all family routines change. This is inevitable as children grow up, of course. What you want, therefore, is an interior décor that works now and in the future to support the changing needs of the family.
