In an ideal world, everyone would live in houses with enough space for all the occupants. Sadly, this is hardly ever the case. Most homes do not have the luxury of a separate playroom. Parents in these households have to deal with the dilemma of sharing the living room with their children’s toys.
Toddlers are not known for their tidiness. It is easy to imagine how a previously serene living area can quickly be overrun with toys, books and other types of clutter that are characteristic of children’s daily routines.
Thankfully, there are simple ways of transforming the living room into a place where both youngsters and adults can relax. A few tweaks in the room’s furnishing and décor can bring a surprising change, allowing good design and plastic toys to coexist in relative harmony.
Sharing the living room with children
Before transforming the living room, parents should first take a good look at the available space to get an idea of what they are working with. Any changes that are introduced have to fit in with the room’s functionality and location within the house.
There are several ways of making the living room welcoming for children and adults.
Designing a fun and playful living room.Spacious and colour-filled living rooms can incorporate everybody’s needs. In order to pull off this look, parents should strive to create a room that is fun without being overly childish. Brightly painted walls coupled with patterned rugs and large, comfortable furniture pieces would blend in perfectly in this room. This way, kiddie tables, stools and toys will not seem too out of place.
Children are naturally lively and rowdy so any furniture selected for the living room ought to be durable enough to withstand constant wear and still look decent.
Dividing the room into separate areas.A large living room can be divided to provide a formal area for adults and a more relaxed space for children. Instead of opting for expensive building solutions to achieve this, homeowners can choose to use B&Q shutters.
Bespoke shutters can be designed to match the room’s decor, creating a sleek and sophisticated look while still maintaining privacy and providing adequate light and ventilation. Additionally, when the occasion calls for full use of the space, the shutters can simply be pulled back out of the way.
Being creative with storage.
Since children’s toys and books will inevitably end up in the living room, it is important to designate special storage areas for them to avoid unnecessary clutter. There are numerous options on the market to suit all tastes. Toys and other knickknacks can be housed in drawers, storage boxes and baskets or neatly put away on shelves. All these can be color coordinated with the rest of the room.
Safety matters.
Parents should always keep their children’s safety in mind when redesigning the living room. Sharp-edged pieces of furniture need to be baby proofed to avoid injuries and any delicate trinkets and ornaments should be kept far from the reach of children.
