Create Space to Bring the Family Together
Kylie here this week!
I don’t know about you, but my kids are getting bored with my husband and I. They are tired of looking at us and are excited for summer camp to start! They really don’t want to be hanging around mom and dad (and mine are only 3.5 and 7.5 years old! Good grief!)
What about you? Sound familiar? Your kids lock themselves up in their room first thing when they come back to the house and you feel like you haven’t spent real quality time together in a while? Bringing the family together can be challenging. Different schedules, different passions. We’re looking today in how the interior design of our homes can improve our family quality time. Here are tips on how to create space that is inviting for all family members to spend time together.
The kitchen, dining room and living room are the heart of the house, where the family gathers for dinner, to watch a movie or play games together. We want to make sure those rooms are inviting. The first important aspect is to take everyone into consideration. What we mean by that is that you want to make sure that not only there is enough room for everyone to be there at the same time but also that the style and practicality of the room is inviting for each member of the house.
Seating Areas
Does everyone have a good and comfortable seat to hang out? Or does the youngest kid always get the uncomfortable corner chair that no one else wants to sit on? Make sure no one is left behind!
A sectional or corner sofa might be a good alternative to offer more room or a fun bean bag that can be added and moved around. Do you know what I did at the beginning of the pandemic?! I went against all of my mom instincts and I put the TV on the first floor (I know I’m a mean mom usually) and then I put blankets and pillows all over the floor. The kids thought it was the greatest thing EVER. Now, granted, that worked for a good six months and yes, it was right in the middle of our walking path. But the idea still remains: creating a cozy seating area with floor pillows is a great way to gather the kiddos around! Just don’t put it right in your entryway like I did :-P I was desperate…so sue me.
And for those of you with smaller spaces, there are ways to add seating I promise! You can add ottomans that can double as a coffee table or pulled out as extra seating. X-Benches are a great way to add seating without taking up space. Check out the image below…using a console table to pull the benches up underneath allows kids to pull them out when needed. Best part?! You can upholster them in some really fun fabrics to add a pop of color to your space!
Make It A Cozy Space
Add soft texture such as rugs, cushions, blankets. They add this feeling of coziness and are inviting to snuggle down. It is also a great way to absorb sounds which can be very valuable for a family house. One trick that I learned from Mary early on was how to use throws on chairs year round as a styling piece, but that can also be used for cozying up - check out how to drape it over the back of an armchair below and styled perfectly with a lumbar pillow.
And don’t forget to pay attention to the lighting of the room. Is it too harsh, too bright, too dark? Try adding different sources of lights using floor lamps and table lamps and see how it changes the atmosphere of the room. We can’t say it enough: LIGHTING IS SO IMPORTANT!!!!!!
Create more storage for everyone
Keep the living room clutter-free and inviting at all time by offering easy storage for everyone. Use unique rattan baskets, free up some drawers and shelves, that way the main space can stay open and more inviting to come and hang out.
I can’t say it enough - baskets baskets baskets. With virtual learning this year, my kids have a TON of school supplies in addition to all the other toys lying around. It was driving me INSANE. But baskets are an easy way to organize because it’s also accessible for the kids so that they can easily put things away (no more excuses!!!)
Check out this creative idea that the Bees helped with. The clients’ son had a ton of Legos and so we used an old antique letterpress drawer to organize all the little Lego people! OMG HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!
Personalize Your Space
Your living room should be unique to you and your family. Showcase art pieces that everyone enjoys, family portraits or landscape pictures of your last vacations all together to bring up good memories. Family gallery walls are always a great use of wall space. We also commission art with a couple of our favorite artists to make artwork that is completely custom and personal to their own families! Check out Liz Ricketson and Trisha Shaw’s work for some amazing custom paintings! (In fact, Liz did the painting below, based on the client’s favorite barn!)
Use open shelving, for example on top of the sofa, to display travel memories, plants, books or your family’s favorite games. Make the walls look more unique to your family. Now, I can imagine some people are getting anxious about this idea. I get it - I have a love/hate relationship with open shelving. It’s GORGEOUS, but if you’re not up for dusting all the time or clutter drives you insane, it’s not for you!
Choose Durable Furniture
You don’t need to compromise on your stylish interior once you have kids. It is advised on the other hand to make some smart decisions when it comes to furniture and decoration. You want to have a house where your kids and family feel they can move freely and play in. If they have the feeling that they might break something or get yelled at because they scratched the brand new expansive couch by mistake, chances are they will want to stay in their bedroom more.
We ALWAYS start with a stain-resistant or indoor-outdoor fabric for upholstery. It’s SO important to be able to let go and relax if you have upholstery that you don’t have to worry about!
That means you’re making an investment, though. We custom build our sofas and sectionals with a local vendor. Why? Because we know what we’re getting in terms of quality. The frames are made of solid maple and the owner has each client in half way through building the frame so that the client can sit on the frame and it can be determined on site if we need to adjust the depth of the sofa slightly based on how your body sits. And yes, we source custom fabrics. It’s an investment. But in our opinions as both mothers and designers, it’s worth it. Of course we can go source a budget-friendly coffee table, but the upholstered goods is where you want to invest. That way it lasts a long long long long time! And you can even get it reupholstered after 20 years and have a brand new sofa on the same frame because they are so well made! Bonus: this helps the environment - less trash in the landfill!!!
Same for light shades, pick them made out of fabric instead of a fragile material. This will spare you to feel stressed when the party gets a little too out of control and avoid disaster around the house.
And remember - by including your entire family in the redecoration and design of the family rooms, they will also feel more engaged and want to spend more time out of their bedrooms.
Now that your space is well thought of for more family time, schedule some time in the shared calendar to spend high quality time together on a regular basis.
Need help redecorating your space to fit everyone’s needs and create a more homey feeling for the entire family? Let us know, we’d love to help you create magical moments with your loved ones.