As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
When kids arrive in clusters, the rate of wear and tear on your home multiplies, too. If you weren’t aware of the devastation they could wreak when you first decorated your home, you’ll have to be more strategic when it comes time to replace the ruins. Keep these tips for family-friendly decorating in mind for interiors that will survive in style.
Transitional Bedrooms
You probably splurged on adorable, light-colored gliders and pillows for your first-born, carefully displaying the delicate keepsakes you opened at your baby shower. Yeah, those days are over. Unless you want to completely redecorate bedrooms under the direction of pre-teens with questionable taste, replace the baby furniture bit by bit with classic pieces you can use forever. If kids want to express themselves through design, let them have free rein over less-expensive linens, accents, and artwork. At all costs, avoid one of the biggest mistakes parents can make: letting kids choose the paint for their rooms. You may repaint a decade later, but the terrifyingly purple flashbacks of Grape Surprise never really go away.
Multipurpose Fabric
There are all kinds of sofas on the market, but right now, you need the hardest-working coach in the neighborhood. Take your time shopping because, if you’re going for more than a campus-thrift-store vibe, your sofa has to have it all. Leather material or solid-colored upholstery may seem like smart choices for the long haul, but eventually, they show stains, rips, bare spots, and the vestiges of years of stomach viruses. A better—and more stylish—the choice is a pattern you love in a material that’s dark, durable, and comfortable enough to lull kids into naps. The pattern will serve as camouflage until you finally break down and buy slipcovers. Pro tip: The weather-proof upholstery you want is in the outdoor fabrics section.
Farmhouse Chic
It may sound counter-intuitive to create an atmosphere where farm animals would feel at home, but the most recent variation on rustic décor can work in your favor. High-end farmhouse furniture is more expensive because it’s pre-distressed, but your furniture can achieve that finish in just a few months. If you choose a wooden dining set and don’t mind roughing it up a bit, it will soon attract scratches, colorful marks, and mysterious stains. It’s appropriate for kids and even celebrates them. One day, when you’re able to have grownup furniture again, you can strip down the wood and re-stain it with high-polish varnish for your new, sophisticated aesthetic.
You can always surrender to the chaos and describe your interiors as “cluttercore,” which is actually a recognized trend. But a few tips for family-friendly decorating can give you a home that reflects your taste, not your toddler’s. “all-white minimalism” is out of your reach, but settling for “distressed contemporary” is better than giving up entirely.
Sincerely,