Family Friendly Living Room Ideas

5 Tips for Family-Friendly Living Room Ideas

By Nick Elam of Zillow

Well-designed living rooms welcome families and guests to enjoy each other’s company. When it comes to a family friendly living room, kids inevitably scatter toys, cushions and crumbs throughout the shared space. Confining kids to a playroom isn’t family-friendly and rooms labeled “off-limits” never truly work. So, how can a living room be stylish yet still convenient for the family?

Family friendly living room design involves creating ideal spaces for kids’ day-to-day routines. Yes, children are messy and carefree, but rooms shouldn’t be dull nor empty to combat inescapable mishaps. A balanced, attractive design that provides kids with the space to use their imaginations is more than achievable. Review these five tips to minimize mess and maintain a family-friendly ambiance in the living room.

1. Optimize Storage

Source: Sharone Lavi via Zillow Digs

At the end of the day, tangled cords, piles of toys and dirty fingerprints become the focal points of a family’s living room. Minimize clutter by optimizing the living room’s storage to accommodate everyday usage. Purchase furniture with extra storage space such as a two-tiered coffee table for additional flat surfaces and utility. Place stylish baskets and boxes into open shelves and allocate containers for daily items. Store baskets and bins at kid level to promote quick and easy clean up.

2. Choose Durable Materials

Disasters and repairs are inevitable with kids, so why not purchase furniture that can withstand the spills and scratches? Search for heavy, solid furnishings with quality craftsmanship. The price may be intimidating at first, but cheaper and poorly-made furniture needs replacements that add up. Choose natural fabrics for window treatments such as wool, felt, leather and twill for durability. For safety, purchase clear corner guards for sharp edges to prevent accidents and preserve quality furnishings.

3. Increase Color and Texture

Source: TZS Design via Zillow Digs

Simple patterns and pale colors dramatically highlight stains and blemishes. Use color and texture throughout the living room to camouflage spills. Dark colored floors and walls absorb mishaps better than light colors, while textures and patterns distracts the eye from smudges that would otherwise be obvious. Visit Zillow Digs for more ideas to mask décor imperfections with dynamic color and texture.

4. Dedicate Areas for Kids

Source: Erin Burke via Zillow Digs

Fit the room to the family, not the other way around. If kids use the space to roughhouse or practice sports, plan for it. Accessorize on walls rather than tables and avoid trinkets. Allow space for kids to be active without the stress of potential accidents. Let children help design to create a sense of ownership. The project not only teaches responsibility, but it encourages them to appreciate well-designed and orderly spaces themselves. Thoughtful design transforms sophisticated rooms into comfortable, family abodes everyone can respect and enjoy.

5. Prioritize Lifestyle

Design a living room for the way it will actually be used. Avoid the cliché “pretty room” that no one is allowed to use. Rooms that don’t align with a family’s lifestyle often result in clutter and chaos. Blend a casual and comfortable style with low maintenance upholstery and colors. For example, if the living room is an active space, eliminate unnecessary trinkets and accessories that often break and take extra time to dust and clean. Focus on layout and functionality. Make an easy thoroughfare for heavily-trafficked areas and place appropriate seating for group TV viewing.

Whether shopping for child-proof décor or renovating a living room, these five tips are sure ways of achieving a family-friendly design. For parents, precision and order may seem unattainable when the living room is used for a variety of purposes. Work to find the middle ground; design for comfort and practicality. Make the shared space welcoming to all residents.

Thinking of transitioning to a new home or rental property, and want to make sure the living room is a fit for the family? Find homes available to buy or rent in Kansas City on Zillow.