Kid Friendly House
It is already hard to find a home that suits your style and needs, and it is definitely harder to find a specific kid friendly home. I have 2 little kids, age 5 and 6. When we looked for the house that we currently live, our oldest one was only 3 months old. There are some specific features that I look in the house and I made some changes as well to make sure the house is kid friendly.
One level home vs multilevel home
Nowadays, it’s really hard to find a one story home, especially the updated one. Depending on the age of your child/children, I personally prefer a single story home since at the time we browsed for a home our kid was still a baby. I didn’t want to worry about her climbing up and down the stairs, especially when she was still learning how to walk.
Another friend of mine, whose kids are teenagers, prefers a two-story home. She said when her kids’ friends come over, they can stay downstairs and my friend can be upstairs without feeling interrupted. It is basically a nice separation.
For multi story home, I will look at the design of the stairs. I feel like the one that has more landing is safer, it’s not too steep, just in case the kid falls when climbing up and down the stairs.
Rounded Edges
Most of the one story homes are older homes, at least that is the case in where we live. Older homes tend to have squared wall edge. Kids run around all the time, including inside the house. Rounded wall edge definitely safer for them. This rule also applies to your furniture selection, indoor and outdoor. Round corner furniture is more kid-friendly than the square (sharp) corners.
Flooring material
I like hardwood floor the best since it is not as hard as tiles, it also is not as cold as tiles during winter time. If your kids have allergies, carpet definitely is not a good choice. Carpet accumulates dust or pollen, especially the one that has deep pile like shag rug. I If you have little kids, you must experience sick kids who vomit without warning, or kids who always make a mess when eating or had “accidents” during potty training. Hardwood floor is definitely easier to clean than carpet.
The downside of hardwood floor is it is easily dented when your kids started throwing things on the floor. But it should not be so bad and the floor can always be redone when the kids are older.
Wall paint
Matte is normally is the preferable wall paint for most people. But turns out semi-gloss paint is better since it is easier to clean, especially when your kids love to draw on the wall.
Furniture choices
Since our baby was born, I become pickier when picking out any home decor/home design related items. Make sure it has round corners and not easily stumble when kids are running around, material that can withstand the kids mess and not easily getting dirty or easily clean, i.e. couches with slip cover that can be washed.
There’s a lot choices and a lot to consider when choosing the perfect house to make a home for your family. At the end of the day, whatever you choose will be perfect as long as you fill your home with love.