People with children face special challenges when decorating their homes. The adults may want a stylish, grownup space—but also want their kids to feel comfortable (and not ruin high quality furniture). To help you balance those concerns, here are some suggestions of the best furniture designs that can keep everyone in the family happy:
- Leather Couches and Chairs
Forget your dreams of white upholstery until your kids are in college. Opt instead for leather, which is durable, comfortable and—most importantly—easy to clean. Wiping with a microfiber cloth (and maybe a leather conditioner once a year) is all you need to remove fingerprints, shoe prints and anything-else prints. As long as you soak it up as soon as it happens, even a grape juice spill won’t take out leather furniture.
Leather is a design element that bridges many design styles, and you’re not limited to the overstuffed look. Consider carrying the theme over into other rooms, scouring dining furniture stores in particular for leather-covered seats that can make spaghetti night stress-free. There are even dedicated leather furniture stores that can make your search easier.
- Ottomans and Trunks
We’ve all been there: You’re walking by a coffee table, thinking you’ll clear it, when you misjudge the distance and end up with a nasty bruise on your leg from the sharp decorative corner. A corner that might be shin height on you could be eye or head height for your toddler, so cut out the wood coffee table altogether and choose a padded ottoman instead.
Side tables can present a similar hazard, so try trunks with rounded, brass-covered corners instead. As an added bonus, you can store living room odds and ends inside them. Ottomans often include storage as well, a welcome addition to any home frequently in need of a quick toy cleanup.
- Vintage-Look Wood Pieces
It doesn’t matter whether your furniture is vintage or merely vintage-looking, but either way you should opt for wood that already has a few artistic grooves or scratches. Buying a piece that already has some character adds warmth to your home, and will hide the extra marks your furniture will inevitably accumulate over the years.
What do you think are the best furniture designs that are also family-friendly? Share in the comments. Find more on this here.
