Decor tips for a young family

Merino Laminates, October 24, 2024

Our homes are our safe space and offer a secure atmosphere in which our family grows and thrives. Families at different stages have different requirements and any home must be designed in such a way that it adapts to the changing needs of the occupants. A family with older children would require a much different approach as compared to a young family which would require child-friendly home design. Young family home decor is much more challenging and must address many factors to ensure that a family has a peaceful stay without a fear of accidents or harm to the little ones. Here are some tips to follow to create a beautiful and progressive environment to support a healthy and wholesome lifestyle for the inhabitants:

1. Create more storage for the kids

One of the things that is a must in every home is storage, and it is all the more crucial in a home with kids. Young family home decor predominantly focuses on creating ample storage that is required to store varied things like toys, clothes, books, home essentials etc. It is advised to go for wall mounted, closed storage and make sure that storage is designated to cleaning supplies and other products that may be hazardous. Make soft corners for the storage units or install corner protectors to prevent any accidents that are commonplace in homes with kids. Free standing storage units can be dangerous as there is a risk of the unit falling on the child, thus always go for wall mounted storage. If you have a childrens’ room or space for kids, make sure that the storage is easy to manage by the kids themselves so having movable plastic tubs, collapsible boxes, drawers, open shelves etc are much better options as the child can independently take things out and put them back.

While allocating storage in the kitchen, place baskets for knives, forks etc at a much higher level and ensure that any sockets, wires of gadgets etc are out of the child’s reach. Likewise, any crockery units are best placed at a height or they should have a lock to ensure that children do not reach them.

2. Choose the right colours

One of the most crucial things to consider when you are looking at home decor for kids is the usage of colours. Having too many colours and very bright colours across the house can be over stimulating for a child and choosing very dull colours across your home can make the space boring and unpleasant for a child. Thus, it is very important to find a balance in the use of colours and seek a balanced mix of soft neutral colours, bright colours and darker hues where needed. There are many ways in which you can achieve this, for instance, you can have simple off white walls and add soft pastel laminated wall panels and pair this with darker furniture that makes it easy to clean and maintain. In this way, not only have created a pleasant and comfortable space ideal for a young family, you have also ensured that your furniture and walls are easy to clean and maintain with the right use of material. You can use colours like light blue, yellow, soft oranges, pinks and pair them with hints of dark green, brown or grey to create a fun and relaxing space for your family to relax in. Avoid using too many dark colours like maroon, deep red, dark grey, black etc as it make a space look smaller and more claustrophobic when used in large amounts.

3. Child friendly patterns and finishes

As mentioned above, the colours around a child can have a lot of impact on the well being of a child. Similarly, the incorrect usage of patterns and finishes can also impact a child’s overall well-being. While it is best advised to go for finishes that are easy to maintain, one must opt for subtle patterns  that are not too overbearing on a child’s mind. Children are at an age where they are full of imagination and ideas, and their home is the space where they exercise their creative freedom to its maximum potential. However, when there are too many designs, patterns and textures around- this can overwhelm and limit the creativity of a young mind. You can have patterns like small motifs inspired by nature, self patterns in mellow colours, lively prints that kids like based on their favourite stories or hobbies, minimally used geometric shapes etc. Apart from this, we also have to look at safe home decor hacks and apply the same when we choose the finishes for our home. For instance, having too many full length mirrors across the home may not be the best idea with children around, as the mirror can break and harm a child. However, you can choose Super Glossy laminates (https://www.merinolaminates.com/en/product_category/gloss-meister/)  from Merino Laminates as a smart replacement, as they offer a high reflective index while being strong, easy to clean and long lasting.

4. Creating niche spaces for kids

Child friendly home design is one that not only makes the space safe, but it should also encourage learning, rest and overall growth of a child. Thus, the design of your home must have spaces where the family can come together to spend time learning, playing or simply relaxing. It is important to dedicate spaces to learning together, be it in the form of a full fledged study room or a simple reading nook based on the space you have. This space should have comfortable seating, ample task lighting and a comfortable table and storage space. Whether you sit down to solve a puzzle with your child, or your child sits down to study- this space should adapt to the needs of a growing child.

5. Choosing the right accessories and fitting

Another factor to bear in mind when we look at young family home decor is the smart usage of accessories and fittings. One must be careful in choosing the varied fitting and their placement when the house caters to a family with young children. There are many finer nuances to designing a home with safe home decor that are often overlooked. For example, it is advised to not use the knob style door handles as there is a risk of a child locking themselves in a room, or the placement of bolts and latches on lower levels should be completely avoided for the same reason.

Lights are another important accessory in every home and an ample amount of good light is needed when kids are around. Avoid harsh direct lights and instead create layered lighting so that the space is well lit, while not looking too unpleasant. Motion sensor lights in their wardrobes, ceiling and wall mounted lights in their room are more things that you can consider for your child. Ensure that you avoid floor mounted lights, sockets at lower levels and any form of devices or accessories that can easily fall on a child.

Safety and a pleasant atmosphere for a child to grow into the best versions of themselves is the core of any design that caters to a young family. Apart from this,easy maintenance and the ease of adaptability must be focussed upon. We hope that you can create a beautiful, safe and tranquil space for your loved ones with these simple tips.