Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Decorating Tips for a Child-Friendly Apartment


Just because you have a kid doesn’t mean you have to give up on good-looking, stylish apartment decor. Read on for decorating tips to make your apartment a happy place for everyone in your family, younger and older.
Child-friendly decor
One of the easiest ways to create apartment decor that is fun for you and your young ones is to brighten up your apartment’s color pallet. Wall murals or bright paint colors automatically lift the mood and energy of your home.
Patterns are another great way to add a free-spirited lift to your apartment decorating. Fun, geometric shapes or unusual designs in primary colors can be both sophisticated and charming, while adding vibrancy to your decor’s look.
Think soft, rounded and comfortable when it comes to furnishings. Bean bag chairs are a casual way to add seating to any room and are perfect for kids to lounge in. Look for smart fabrics and patterns that add panache to your room. Papasan chairs are also comfortable and stylish, along with any kind of sofa or arm chair that is well-padded. Avoid glass table-tops and cabinets, as well as furniture with sharp corners, if possible.
Stylish storage
We’ve all seen homes — perhaps our own — where the parents seem to have yielded the space to create a play area for their kids. If your apartment living room remains toy-strewn all the time, focus on good-looking ways to store the knick-knacks and reclaim the apartment for the entire family.
Though it would be great if kids kept all of their toys in their rooms, it’s an unlikely challenge. Common space in your apartment is also the best place for playtime, so consider common storage that works for the whole family. Shelving units with bins provide plenty of places to stow toys, with drawers that are light and easy for little hands to handle. Cleanup can be easy and fun.
For the living room, look for decorative chests with hydraulic hinges so that children’s fingers are safe from falling lids. Ottomans with hollow interiors or shallow storage boxes that can slip under a sofa could provide discreet hiding places for the household’s toys.
Safety precautions
Regardless of the type of child-friendly decor you decide on, it’s important to follow some basic child-proofing guidelines. First, secure all heavy furniture pieces that might be climbed on to the wall with brackets — especially shelves and dressers. Secure cords and cables underneath plastic wire guards, and use power strip covers and cord shorteners to keep cords out of tripping or pulling distance. Likewise, all blind cords should be wrapped and secured out of children’s reach.
Furniture corners and edges, as well as fireplace hearths, can all be padded with the use of adhesive strips and rubber covers. And don’t forget basics such as cabinet safety latches, gates, and outlet covers. No matter how child-friendly your decor is, you’ll want to make sure you’ve made it child-safe, too.
You can have it all when it comes to apartment decor by creating a space that makes both you and the kids happy. Think bright, soft, light and rounded and you’ll design a home that is friendly, safe, and stylish for all ages.
Just because you have a kid doesn’t mean you have to give up on good-looking, stylish apartment decor. Read on for decorating tips to make your apartment a happy place for everyone in your family, younger and older.
Child-friendly decor
One of the easiest ways to create apartment decor that is fun for you and your young ones is to brighten up your apartment’s color pallet. Wall murals or bright paint colors automatically lift the mood and energy of your home.
Patterns are another great way to add a free-spirited lift to your apartment decorating. Fun, geometric shapes or unusual designs in primary colors can be both sophisticated and charming, while adding vibrancy to your decor’s look.
Think soft, rounded and comfortable when it comes to furnishings. Bean bag chairs are a casual way to add seating to any room and are perfect for kids to lounge in. Look for smart fabrics and patterns that add panache to your room. Papasan chairs are also comfortable and stylish, along with any kind of sofa or arm chair that is well-padded. Avoid glass table-tops and cabinets, as well as furniture with sharp corners, if possible.
Stylish storage
We’ve all seen homes — perhaps our own — where the parents seem to have yielded the space to create a play area for their kids. If your apartment living room remains toy-strewn all the time, focus on good-looking ways to store the knick-knacks and reclaim the apartment for the entire family.
Though it would be great if kids kept all of their toys in their rooms, it’s an unlikely challenge. Common space in your apartment is also the best place for playtime, so consider common storage that works for the whole family. Shelving units with bins provide plenty of places to stow toys, with drawers that are light and easy for little hands to handle. Cleanup can be easy and fun.
For the living room, look for decorative chests with hydraulic hinges so that children’s fingers are safe from falling lids. Ottomans with hollow interiors or shallow storage boxes that can slip under a sofa could provide discreet hiding places for the household’s toys.
Safety precautions
Regardless of the type of child-friendly decor you decide on, it’s important to follow some basic child-proofing guidelines. First, secure all heavy furniture pieces that might be climbed on to the wall with brackets — especially shelves and dressers. Secure cords and cables underneath plastic wire guards, and use power strip covers and cord shorteners to keep cords out of tripping or pulling distance. Likewise, all blind cords should be wrapped and secured out of children’s reach.
Furniture corners and edges, as well as fireplace hearths, can all be padded with the use of adhesive strips and rubber covers. And don’t forget basics such as cabinet safety latches, gates, and outlet covers. No matter how child-friendly your decor is, you’ll want to make sure you’ve made it child-safe, too.
You can have it all when it comes to apartment decor by creating a space that makes both you and the kids happy. Think bright, soft, light and rounded and you’ll design a home that is friendly, safe, and stylish for all ages.