Alex Gladwin Blog

When you have young children, redecorating can sometimes feel like it’s just asking for trouble. You can’t watch your children 24/7 so it’s only a matter of time before they run in from playing outside and kick off their muddy trainers on to the nice furniture you’ve bought, right? Because of this, lots of families put off redecorating until their children are older. If you’re careful about the kinds of furniture you buy, though, you can find something that’s both functional and nice to look at. Here are some tips on choosing furniture that the whole family will enjoy.

Get the Child Involved

The first step to making sure your home stays how you want is to go straight to the source. To get the kids involved, ask them what they'd like to see, or let them choose from a few paint colours or fabric samples you’ve narrowed it down to. This is a great way to make them feel like they’re a part of the process. While it will never be perfect, with any luck they’ll develop a little more respect for their surroundings even from a young age.

A Little Colour

One of the benefits of choosing furniture with a child in mind is it gives you an excuse to add some more colour to the room. Clean whites are in fashion but they aren’t really suitable for a kids growing up unless you want to see them quickly start to grey, or worse, over time. One of my favourites is the Etienne range. This has a distressed and rustic look, but the light blue accents still give it a playful, modern touch. A little colour or pattern goes a long way in camouflaging those inevitable spills, fingerprints, and other accidents that become a part of daily life. Take a look here for more pictures of the Etienne range.

Choose Tough Materials

It’s made from birch, too, which is perfect for families with young children. Hardwoods like this will be much more resilient than most softwoods so it won’t pick up marks easily. The rustic look is also ideal for masking any bumps and bruises it will get from thrown toys or shoes. When you’re looking to accessorise, try and stay away from over flowing fabrics on top of the furniture. While they might be nice to look at, for young children they’re just asking to be pulled on. They’ll also attract hair from any pets you have so a clean, no-fuss look is the best way to go.

I hope this helps you get the furniture that makes the most out of your home. Take a look at more tips on home decor here to improve your home’s look as well as keeping it child-friendly at the same time.

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