Having children transforms the way you look at your home. Things you might never have noticed before suddenly take on much greater importance — every parent has memories of the trials and tribulations that accompany "baby-proofing" their space, after all. Eventually, though, you reach a stage where you can move beyond decorating your space as a reaction to having children by designing it to support the whole family's needs instead. As children age or as your family grows larger, finding the right furniture is an essential but tricky task.
When searching for kids’ furniture, many parents find themselves thinking about how to adapt the rest of the home to the realities of a growing family. A quick look at some ideas for how to approach that task can inspire and inform your own search. What's worth considering?
Think About Giving Yourself More Than the Space You Need Today
There's one thing to keep in mind about having a growing family — they grow! Not just in terms of the number of people in your household, should you decide to have multiple children, but also in terms of physical space. A smaller sofa or loveseat set might be okay when the children are very small, but what about when they get older and want more room to stretch out while relaxing during family time? It's important to think ahead, so look for furniture that not only meets your needs today, but exceeds them.
This area is where sectionals can prove especially useful. They allow you to easily fill a space with seating, and when you can easily rearrange a sectional, you can enjoy a broader range of options for configuring your space. Make the most of your space in the room, give yourself room to grow, and enjoying having an abundance of seating for when the grandparents stop by for a visit. Do you want to forgo the traditional coffee table? Add oversized ottomans to go along with your seating and use them as a convenient flat surface, too.
Fabric Upholstery or Leather? The Material Debate
The type of furniture your family should consider is far from the only aspect of importance. In fact, perhaps just as important as allowing yourself room to grow while retaining functionality is what material you choose. Will you opt for leather furniture or something with fabric upholstery? For parents, there's really only one good option here — and it's not the leather.
Think about it this way: leather furniture can be stylish, modern, and attractive, but it comes with specific care requirements that pose a bigger challenge for parents. That's not to mention that when leather suffers damage, it is much harder to repair. On the opposite end of the spectrum, fabric upholstery provides you with tons of options in terms of colors and patterns while providing the resiliency necessary for a growing family. Add to that the ease of cleaning when spills happen, and you should be able to narrow down your selection more effectively.
Make Furniture Functional for Storage
Ever feel like you're living in a toy store and not your own home? It's a problem practically all parents face at some point, but you can help to control the explosion of toys and other objects that can spread across your living areas. Take advantage of the space in your living room to add storage wherever possible. Some ottomans come with storage space inside, for example, while you can also use crates and baskets as easy, convenient storage that slips onto shelving. Combine small fabric containers with kid-sized furniture as an easy way to clean up after playtime is over.
Avoid Sharp Edges and Favor Rounded Shapes
You may not need to "baby-proof" your space any more, but that doesn't mean you can't do anything to make it safer. Avoid harsh angles and sharp corners that can make for an unpleasant afternoon if when little feet trip and cause falls. Rounded coffee tables allow you to not only make the space a little safer overall but also makes the flow of movement through the room smoother. When you pair appropriately with the other furniture in your room, a rounded table can be an excellent visual complement that helps to unify the entire space with purpose. Avoid materials such as glass, which can be dangerous, and revisit the idea of using ottomans instead of a table. Don't forget to consider future functionality here, too.
Carve Out Some Space for the Kids
When busy comparing and contrasting upholstery options, sectional or loveseat sizes, and other facets of your furniture-buying decisions, don't forget to think about making some space in the room that's functional specifically for your children. Everyone likes to have a little quiet space of their own to retreat to from time to time and making a spot in the living room where your kids can feel at home on their own is an excellent way to allow them some supervised independence. Just as you'd select a child's bed to emphasize comfort, look for ways to make a cozy kids' nook in your living room. It might be a small space behind the sofa, or an activity table placed off in a corner all their own.
The arrangement you choose for your furniture can help to facilitate the creation of these spaces. They can be ephemeral, too, changing as you change the room. The best furniture solutions allow you to mix and match what works best for your family without an undue hassle.
Explore Your Options in Depth
At the end of the day, there are no universal solutions for family furniture, but there are plenty of good ideas out there you can use for inspiration. Whether it's exploring options for a big, comfy sectional or visiting kids’ furniture stores to look for something for the kids' own special area, long-term usefulness is the important thing to keep in mind.
At Home Zone, we can help you explore the different levels of comfort for your growing family - with access to our modern, stylish home accents and affordable living room collections - the possibilities of what you can achieve are nearly endless. If you have any questions, start by getting in touch with us directly.