Child-Friendly Home Décor

The best time to think about creating a child-friendly décor is before the child arrives. Having some time to plan will allow you to consider different alternatives and find a solution that works for you. Decorating plans can be combined with child-safety measures to get the house ready for the little one.

If you already have a child in the home, think about how some of the following tips can work with your current décor plan. If your children are old enough, solicit their opinions on certain things— make them feel involved, particularly when you are decorating their spaces.

Baskets under a coffee table make convenient toy storage.

• Decide which areas of the house will be for adults only, and make sure they can be closed off with doors and gates. Reserve fine or breakable items for those areas only, and make everything in the rest of the house at least somewhat child-friendly. Don't try to make part of every room an adult area. You'll end up with broken things and frayed nerves.



Make your children's toys accessible to them.

• Make sure that the things your children are allowed to use are placed within their reach. If they have special bowls or tableware, put those items on a low shelf so they can help set their places at the table. Keep toys and children's books within their reach so they can develop some sense of independence.



Keep children's tableware where they can reach it.

• On the other hand, make sure things they aren't allowed to play with are well out of reach. Keep plants, flowers and decorative items off tables where little hands can reach, and make sure to adjust the limits as the children grow taller.



Create a child-sized computer workstation.

• As much as possible, let children help with decisions on how their spaces will be decorated. Of course, it's not possible to cater to their every whim. But listen carefully to discover their likes and dislikes, particularly when it comes time to decorate their bedrooms. Those spaces should reflect their tastes more than they do yours.

• Use latex paint for easiest washability. The flatter the finish, the more difficult it is to remove stains. Stick to satin or semi-gloss for any walls that might be subject to crayon murals or dirty hands. (High-gloss is scrubbable but works best for trim.) Look for special, stain-resistant formulas of paint for children's rooms.
  
  
• Avoid draperies that hang to the floor, especially when children are in the toddler phase. One good yank could bring a heavy cornice or bracket tumbling down on a child's head.
  
  
• Look for blinds and shades with cord-free mechanisms for raising and lowering.
  
  
• Display your children's art projects. Let them know you are proud of their work by setting aside a special area—perhaps in the kitchen or breakfast room—to show off their pictures.
  
  
• Use chalkboard paint to create a wall for them to draw murals.
  

• Use fabrics that are easy to wash, and cover as much of your upholstered furniture as possible in removable slipcovers. If you keep an extra set of the covers on hand, you can always be ready for company with a fresh look. If extra covers are beyond your budget, set aside bedsheets of the proper size to be draped over each sofa and chair.
  
  
• Look for patterns that hide stains. A white, silk divan might be the sofa of your dreams, but just one errant juice box will make it a nightmare.
  
  
• Look for plaids, floral and paisley upholstery, and Oriental-style rugs (but not ones that are valuable.) The patterns will be so busy that they will hide a little grape jelly here and there.
  
  
• Avoid using pieces with sharp edges. Glass-topped tables are a particular hazard. Put them away until a small child is older, or pad the corners with foam and cover the surface with a thick fabric.
  
  
• Children who are just learning to walk don't have much control over where they are going, so spread the furniture out a little bit to give them some room. Open up as wide a space as possible in a family room or den so there will be at least one place for toddlers to try out their moves.

Wall-mounted, hard-wired lighting has no cord to tempt little grabbers.

• Dangling electrical cords are a temptation for little grabbers. As much as possible, use wall-mounted lighting that is wired into the wall. It may cost a little more to have an electrician wire the fixtures, but using cords that hang down the wall defeats the purpose of mounting the fixtures.
  
  
• In areas that are designated for child use, make sure the lighting is appropriate for the task. If there is a space set aside for homework or reading, include task lighting set at the child's level to avoid putting strain on young eyes.

A small desk and chair give a child somewhere to draw and play.

• Use furniture that is scaled in size for children. Tiny artists and readers need chairs and tables their own size.
  
  
• Install a dimmer control instead of a traditional switch. Dimming the lights instead of using a nightlight gives children a sense of control over their environment that makes bedtime less troublesome.
  
  
• Use neutral colors for walls and floors, and incorporate colors in linens and accessories. This color scheme makes it easier to update the room as the child's tastes change. It's much simpler to buy a new set of comforter and pillows every year than to undertake a complete repainting.
  
  
• Stimulate young minds with many different colors, textures and shapes. The more children see and feel around them, the more their curiosity about their world will be peaked. Make a "Museum of Textures" by putting a variety of fabrics and other materials in open frames, labeling them with descriptive words and hanging them in a child-level arrangement. Help the child learn to connect the words with how things feel.