Tips for Decorating a Family Home

When it comes to decorating a family home you have to think about the practicalities.  Let’s face it that unless you have perfectly behaved children chances are things may get ruined if you do not plan ahead. Obviously some things apply more to young children than older; the number of people in your home and how often rooms/things are used. As a mother of four boys here are a few tips for decorating a family home that I have picked up along the way.

White as the Colour Scheme for a Family Home

You may think that white is a crazy colour scheme for a family home as it is going to show up dirt more easily. The thing is white is also much easier to clean without worry about the colour fading (this applies to cupboards, white goods, walls, bathroom suites and allsorts!). You can also go over parts (thinking paint) without having to match up with the whole wall. Plus it is cheaper and you won’t need to worry about lining it up with the wall and not getting it over the ceiling.

A Leather Settee or Throws for a Family Home

A leather settee is my personal choice because it does not matter what sticky hands get on it, or any spills – or the dreaded potty training accidents happen on it – it can just be wiped clean. Alternatively if leather isn’t your thing for one reason or another (not comfortable enough or too expensive) then getting some throws which can easily be thrown into the washing machine will make your life (and that of your settee) easier/longer.

Laminate Flooring is Perfect for a Family Home

Floors can easily get dirty even if you have a policy of taking shoes off at the door. The beauty of laminate flooring is it is so quick and easy to clean. Whether it is mud dragged in from football boots, spilled paint, dropped food or craft that involves glitter – it can be simply swept or mopped up. For a really good clean we use a steam cleaner too. You may want to outweigh the noise of a laminate flooring when planning whether to have them upstairs in bedrooms or not. We even have laminate flooring in our bathroom – just make sure you get waterproof bathroom suitable slats.

Storage Solutions in a Family Home

Families can have a lot of things but you do not want your home to appear cluttered. A great way to get around this is good storage solutions. We have a shoe cabinet right by the front door for example. Remember you want to make it easy for children to access (and hopefully put away) things for themselves. Think bookcases and cupboards that match your décor. These can be space saving as well as to help the family home look tidier. For example we have a folding table and chairs which we use in the living room for meal times; the chairs then fold up into a cupboard in the kitchen out the way at other times.

What other practical tips for decorating a family home do you have?

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