Decorating Ideas for Families
More than putting those little clips on your cabinet doors, and making sure sharp objects are kept at a safe distance, there are other ways to make sure your home is family-friendly, as you can see from my tips and ideas below.
- Use an outdoor rug indoors. Choose a rug that is durable and easy-to-clean. Heavily-patterned rugs are also a good idea, so that stains and crumbs are less visible. Rugs on hardwood floors are a good idea, so that there is something soft for children to sit on, near the sofa.
- Choose durable materials for upholstery, solid furniture and wall finishes.
- Have non-upholstered chairs in the dining room. Spills and scratches are inevitable, a rustic wooden table will make it look intentional.
- Make spaces easily transitional. This is especially important in the bedroom. While it may be fun to deck-out a child’s bedroom in pink or blue, having a too-young bedroom when your children start to get older may make them feel out of place. Instead, try to use elements that can be easily updated or re-purposed for when your children get older or change their favourite colour.
- Create a space where people of all ages can be comfortable. In the picture below, you’ll notice a white pouf. I recommend using things like poufs and ottomans, and rocking chairs for people to be able to be able to sit comfortably. It can be difficult for small children to climb up on a higher sofa, so having a variety of pieces to sit on is key. You’ll notice that the kid-friendly furniture doesn’t look like it is just for children.

Though this picture shows an all-white space, there are definitely kid-friendly elements to focus on.
2 interior photos sourced from: finn.no

Having a family-friendly interior means staying away from certain elements that may have been perfect in your home before — like glass-topped coffee tables, things with sharp edges and delicate materials.
How to make children feel like they have a place in your home
- Though some areas of the home may be off-limits, like the home office and garage, ensure there are plenty of places where children are welcome. Set up a place to play. If you don’t want to have toys spread everywhere in the home, set aside a room or area where children are free to play, yet stay close enough for you to keep an eye on them. One idea I’ve seen is a curtained off area in the living room/main room. This allows children to be in the same space, (and even put on some plays), yet you’ll be able to close off the area when you have guests over.
- Frame children’s art work.
- Have a place for children to be messy. A mudroom, if available, is a great place for children to not have to worry about tracking in mud and getting in trouble.
About the Author: Tazim Damji left behind her career in interior design to live in Vancouver, Canada, where she writes the home organization, travel and DIY blog BeingTazim.com. She enjoys the mild West Coast weather, and sharing her passion for home décor.
These decorating ideas are absolutely awesome! I love these! So simple and family-friendly as well. Two thumbs up for this post!
I really love the rustic look myself. So much more livable.
Great tips – We did just that with the kids’ toys. I got so tired of toys everywhere so we moved the girls in the same bedroom and turned the extra one into a playroom. It’s a fun place for them that only OCCASIONALLY needs to be cleaned! 😉
Great ideas! I love framing my children’s artwork. It makes them feel special.
I love your suggestion for transitional spaces. It’s a must in a small house like mine.
Wonderful tips! I very much agree about walls. The Girl would love bright pink walls right at age 4, but at 14 I doubt it. I live the vinyl wall stickers. We just took down the ones frat have been up since she was born.
Great ideas! I love the idea of using an outdoor rug indoors…so much more durable!
we have a family room and 1/2 of it is the kids and 1/2 of it is ours. We set it up for everyone and we all kind of decide how it is going to look.
I agree on allowing there some area for kids to help decorate and have some fun! we also have lots of wall decals for their rooms so that way they don’t pick something that they aren’t going to like in a few years and it be a pain to remove.
although, if i didn’t have kids.. i’d have some modern rustic white room like that!
Love these ideas. I especially love the thought on making your children feel like they have a place in your home. How wonderful!