When you think of the design of your home, you want to balance both practicality and self-expression. If you’re designing it with kids in mind, there’s a way to do so in such a way that you can raise them comfortably and still be able to make a house that is completely centered on just the kids without having a functional space for the adults to thrive. You can even take inspiration from the many commercial interior designs you see in magazines and websites, which perfectly balances functionality and aesthetics. Here are a few options you can look into when making your own design choices:
-
Future-proof the design of your children’s room
Even though it may be tempting to fully deck your children’s room in a way that is a perfect dreamland complete with a built-in play area, a full-on cartoon mural for the walls, specially made princess or spaceship beds, and stuff like that, try to avoid going that route. Your kids will eventually outgrow this in both their sensibilities and their actual size, so go for a more manageable set-up that still looks like it could cater to a kid through every stage of their life.
Pick out playthings that aren’t nailed down and easy to store and swap out. Use furniture that can work as they grow up, and make it feel cozier by adding elements through your lighting, rugs, comforters, and the colors you use in your accents. If you really want to make it more suitable for children, don’t shy away from using wallpaper or wall stickers, so it’s easier to replace as they change growing up.
-
Make room for a big kitchen with a sizable island
You’ll notice in luxury commercial design that there is a penchant for maximizing the negative space in the room and using highlight pieces that not only focus the attention of people but also actually provide more functionality in the space. A great way to incorporate that sensibility in your home is by doing so in the kitchen. If you have the freedom to plan out the floor plan, make enough room for your kitchen so that you can all comfortably get around the area and your kids can hang out in there with you and maybe even help out on a sizable enough island you can all work on.
This helps them develop important cooking skills and a penchant for helping out while also being a great bonding moment for you and your kids. A lot of children have the best memories in the kitchen with their parents, and some studies even show that parents that cook meals with their children have shown a higher tendency for the kids to eat healthier than those that don’t have the same experience. It also encourages good eating behavior.
-
Consider going open for your living areas
Open floor plans are seeing a lot of popularity in both commercial and residential design mostly because it can make an entire space feel bigger and less enclosed, which is especially useful if you don’t have as much square footage you can use. Getting rid of those borders makes it easy to keep an eye on your kids when you have to while still being able to do your own thing in a different area.
It’s also a great way to make the ambiance of your living areas feel airier and inviting, given that you are strategic with your placement of furniture. Make sure you take some care in this area as it can feel confusing or messy if not done well. For what it’s worth, a study has also revealed that open floor plans increase the value of a home. Practically speaking, it is also easier to clean over the years and more forgiving should you want to make some changes (given that you keep things tidy).
-
Be creative with storage
As your kids grow up, the more stuff you will accumulate. You could actually make do with getting rid of a lot of these things over time, as, across the world, countless polls reveal that people have too much stuff in their homes. A lot of it is also junk and ends up increasing your time spent cleaning, decluttering, and looking for things you can’t find.
Commercial spaces get creative with storage because that is not the focus on those areas. If you want to make the most of your space and make sure your kids’ stuff stays clean and tucked away nicely, you can follow suit by using multipurpose storage spaces that also work as side tables, chairs, and other multipurpose features. You can also make use of the vertical space you have to maximize this.
These are just some ways you can prep your home design-wise for kids without worrying too much about having to update everything every few years.
