Tips for Creating a Family-Friendly Living Room
Your living room should accommodate the needs of everyone in your house and should balance style with functionality. It might seem impossible to integrate your children’s brightly colored toys with your own, more mature interior design tastes, but with some careful planning and a little effort, you can make a space that’s enjoyable for everyone. These tips for creating a family-friendly living room will help you design a room that’s stylish, fun, and easy to maintain.
Provide Enough Seating for Everyone
If you and your family are fighting over who gets to sit on the couch and who has to take the floor, it might be time for a seating upgrade. A living room should comfortably accommodate your entire family, whether you’re a family of two, three, or ten. Bigger families might want to consider a sectional sofa. A sectional is an incredibly versatile piece of furniture that can accommodate more people than your average sofa. If you don’t have the room for a bigger sofa, consider getting armchairs, ottomans, poufs, and other small, space-saving places to sit.
Opt for Durable Fabrics
Your sofa, chairs, and pillows can take a real beating. They’ll be climbed on, jumped on, spilled on, and—if you have particularly creative children—drawn or painted on. Nobody wants to spend their day cleaning and patching up furniture, especially when they know they’ll have to do the exact same thing tomorrow. By investing in fabric options that balance comfort and practicality, you can cut down on cleaning and start worrying less. Look for fabrics that are durable, with tight weaves and high rub counts. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, leather is a good option. You can easily wipe off spills from a leather couch, and you won’t have to stress over marks or scuffs. Slipcovers are another great way to protect your family’s furniture. You can pull them off and wash them with the rest of your laundry.
Make Room for Fun
Another tip for creating a family-friendly living room is to make room for fun. The living room is where families gather to spend time together, whether that involves talking, watching television, or playing a competitive round of board games. When you’re designing your living room, fill it with fun activities, such as video games, board games, musical instruments, books, toys, and anything else that will keep you and the rest of the family occupied. Set aside space for a play area and hang shelves to store your favorite knick-knacks and books. Storage cubes are a great way to keep toys and other fun activities hidden but still easily accessible.
