Being a parent is amazing! It’s also pretty stressful some days, especially if the little ones are throwing their food on the floor, refusing to go down for a nap, or just generally being difficult. That is why I think it’s vital that you have a space in the home that you can relax and recuperate in. A haven of tranquillity where you can come together as a family and spend some quality time. For us, this place is the living room, but getting this room right can be tricky, especially if it has to cater for multiple generations. However, with a bit of thought and planning, it is possible. Just read on to find out how…
Low Stress Strategies For A Kid-Friendly Living Room
Creating the right space
The first strategy in creating a kid-friendly living room you need to consider is how you will clear out the old place and make room for the new one. Before the kids arrive, you may have chosen to transport any waste or recycling to the rubbish dump yourself in order to clear the way for an improved living room. However, when you have a young family the sheer effort and hassle of having to do this all on your own may put you off completing the project. Luckily though, it’s entirely possible to visit dirtcheaprubbishremoval.com.au and sites like them to recruit some help with disposing of any wanted furniture like old sofas and sideboards. After all, if you are struggling through sleepless nights, the last thing you will want to do is lug about a load of old furniture and junk, exhausting yourself before you have even got the decoration part of revamping the space.
Clearing out the old space is a vital step before creating the new space you want.
Decoration
Once you have cleared the space, you will want to decorate the room to create that perfect environment for you and your kids to spend time in. This will entail some decision-making, as you have to choose whether to go for a room that is warm and cosy or one that is fresher and more modern. Whatever style you pick for your family though, remember that comfort and practicality are vital in creating a room that will serve you well. In particular, picking wall colours that are not bright white and therefore don’t mark and get dirty when little, possibility grubby hands touch them can be useful. Cream carpets, while the height of style, are never really the most pragmatic decision when you have little ones either, especially if they are likely to have snacks or do crafts in that space. The only exception being those carpets that can be bleached and scrubbed without causing any problems.
Remember to think about the window dressing as well, as blinds often look neat and modern, but they can be a real safety risk to smaller children, as the evidence if you visit zoneinteriors.com.au suggests. This means curtains may be an attached and also more responsible option for a family friendly room in this case.
Sofas
Once the basic wall and floor decoration have been completed, it’s time to start thinking about the type of furniture that you will install in your family-friendly living room. The sofa probably being one of the most important pieces that you will buy. However, like everything else in a family-friendly space, it’s vital that you pick a sofa that will withstand some serious use and still look great. Otherwise, you will feel like you always have to hide it with throws or blankets.
Leather sofas make a great choice for a family room.
That means certain fabrics, especially the delicate ones such as satin are out, and more robust choices like tweed and chenille are in. This is because they will provide a comfortable seating space, but also withstand a little more rough and tumble too. Leather sofas like the ones shown at pinterest.com.au can be a good option as well, as its comfortable and stylish and best of all wipe clean, perfect for moms that don’t want to spend most of their day scrubbing the kid’s sticky handprints off the material. Although if you do find yourself in that predicament, you can get some great sofa cleaning tips by visiting popsugar.com.au.
Of course, the colour of the sofa is important as well as the fabric it is created from as well, so white or cream is never a clever choice even if it is in a chenille or leather. Primarily because they will require a lot of work to keep them looking pristine in a room that can be comfortably used by all generations.
Furniture
Apart from the sofa, you will also want to furnish your family living room with others items. What these totally depends on you, your family’s need, and the style that you are going for. You may choose to have end or coffee tables something you can get advice on if you visit qt.com.au Alternatively, bookcases, and even entertainment units in your space may be more your style.
However, one thing to bear in mind is that it’s always a great idea to have some storage furniture like the products offered at amartfurniture.com.au in the living room area, as this is a wonderful way to minimise clutter from the kid’s books and toys while still allowing them to have their things close to hand during family time.
Something else that you should keep in mind too is safety when it comes to living room furniture. Larger pieces like shelves and bookcases and entertainment units need to be secured to the wall with brackets, something you can learn to do if you visit www.youtube.com, as this will to ensure that they don’t fall down if adventurous little ones decide to climb them. In addition, pieces with sharp corners can benefit from the use of bumpers and other safety measures like the ones described at choice.com.au. Bumpers are rubber or plastic covers that childproof them, meaning that if the kids do take a tumble in their direction, they will be protected from the worst sorts of injuries.
Lighting
Lighting, not everyone considers its potential to be relaxing and help adjust your mood, but it is certainly something that can help to de-stress the whole family after an active and busy day or perk them up if they are feeling sleepy in the morning.
Use clever lighting to create the atmosphere you want.
In fact, a range of lighting effects can be achieved to encourage particular moods. Clusters of low lighting fixtures can create a softer more relaxing feel. While halogen uplighters placed halfway up the wall at points in the room can make a space seem bright and inviting. Table lamps can also be useful for providing light to particular parts of the room while keeping others darker. Something that can be useful if the kids like to take their afternoon nap in your living room space.
Although one of the best ways to use lighting as a part of your everyday stress relieving routine in the living room is to make use of the new Smart bulbs systems that are now on the market. These include special light bulbs and control hubs that allow the user to switch the lights on and off at will, control the brightness, and even adjust the colour, all from their smartphone. These are fantastic additions to a family living room space because they have so many possible uses. For example, you may choose to turn the light down if one of the children has fallen asleep to ensure they don’t wake up for a while. Alternatively, you may choose to synchronise the lighting effects in the room to a film you are all watching, enhancing your experience and getting more out of your family time.
Accessories
Last, of all, no living room is complete without some finishing touches and accessories. These are usually a matter of taste for the family inhabiting the room, although safety also needs to play a factor here too.
That means heavy or fragile objects that are unsecured like paperweights, or fine china are probably not the best items to display in a family living room, even if you love the way that they look. Instead, why not go for decorative accessories in the form of photographs and artwork. In fact, choosing to display photos of the family and key times in their lives can work very well to make a living room seem comfortable and appealing.
Rugs are also a very popular addition to a family living room space as they can make it seem warm and more appealing, as well as do a wonderful job covering up any hard to clean stains on the carpet. Unfortunately, as the article at mamamia.com.au suggests rugs can become problematic when you have kids as they have a tendency to slip and slide about, especially if the little ones are running about when they shouldn’t be. To get around this problem invest in some rig grip that will hold them firmly in position. A device that allows you the benefits of a rug without the stress that they may be a danger to your family’s safety.
Of course, if you really can’t do without your precious knickknacks, choose to display them somewhere well out of the kids reach such as a high shelf. A special cabinet with a glass front that can be locked up safely is also a good choice as you can display your treasured items without the stress of wondering whether it will come crashing to the ground when you leave the kids alone for more than 60 seconds!
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