Family-Friendly Spaces With Style

Creating family-friendly spaces with style seems like the ultimate contradiction. While you want to make safe and comfortable rooms for your little ones to play and grow, you still want your home to have joie de vivre (and not look like the set of The Wiggles!). The secret is in selecting clever pieces to adapt to each stage while also concealing life’s inevitable messes. Even with a house full of kids, you can still have plenty of chic. We’ve compiled 6 stylish tips for creating kid-friendly spaces the whole family will love.

Rugs are a beautiful way to both frame your living zones and express your personal style. They’ll also offer a soft place to land for little kids learning to walk and bigger kids wrestling with dad! Think prints and dark colours to conceal the spills and Vegemite smears. Avoid deep shag – unless you’re a glutton for stepping barefoot on rogue Lego bricks!

Your sofa is going to get a serious workout from toddler to teen, so invest in durable pieces that will go the distance. Leather is hard-wearing, easy to clean and timeless in any setting. But it’s not your only option. Blended-fabric sofas, such as the Slouch, are also easy to clean with a damp cloth after spills, and the removable covers can even be dry cleaned.

Sharp corners on coffee tables are an open invitation to knock little noggins. You can baby-proof them with corner protectors or bypass the years of tears by simply selecting a round coffee table. The same applies to all of your furniture in high-traffic areas. If you can’t keep sharp-cornered pieces out of the thoroughfare, consider going round.

Fighting the tide of scattered toys and shoes across the living-room floor needn’t be a daily chore. Get open shelving with easy-access baskets for a quick clean up that even your toddler can handle. Select a TV unit with cupboards or drawers to stash video games and controllers, while a trunk is perfect for stashing extra blankets (and hiding Easter eggs!).

Family-friendly spaces with style are about shared zones that everyone can enjoy. But if you don’t want the glitter glue, crayons and craft paper to be a permanent fixture on the dining room table, give the kids a dedicated space to create. A big desk with lots of surface space and drawers will keep the crafting chaos clustered and homework organised.

Nothing invites story time more than a cosy nook to curl up into. And you don’t have to have a big home to have big style, even in small spaces. Create a cushy corners and chill zones with lots of plush pillows and snuggly throws to inspire quiet reading time for the kids. Or snatch a quiet moment for yourself with a cuppa or end-of-day wine. Ahhh, bliss.