You love your furniture, and you love your kids more, but sometimes, the two just don’t get along! Here’s how to ensure détente between them.
An elegant home filled with happy, rambunctious kids is possible, but there must be a way to safeguard one from the other. Young children especially have a contentious relationship with furniture, leading to bumps, bruises, and scratches inflicted by and upon one another. But be at ease. There are ways to keep your furniture looking luxurious without losing all the fun! Here’s how to protect luxury furniture from kids (and vice versa).
Tough but Lovely
If you aren’t ready to declare certain rooms no-go zones, be sure to set them up with furniture that looks good but can take whatever the kids can dish out. Handcrafted, custom wood tables, chairs, sofas, and so on are your best and most beautiful options, offering a wealth of shades, patterns, and stains while providing solidly built construction that stands up to use. Rules are rules, though, and kids should know to use a coaster and not do their homework on the table using sharp-pointed pens and pencils. Live-edge wood furniture retains its rustic and natural look even under stress. Just give it a periodic wipe down with a microfiber cloth!
Lumps and Bumps
Kids just learning to walk face a world-sized obstacle course in your home. Keep things sparse while they’re younger, then add more pieces as they learn to negotiate their own path. A low to the ground coffee table, for instance, may look sophisticated, but it’s also a potential tripping and collision hazard, even for kids who learned to walk long ago. Discourage using the living room as a jungle gym, and add a plush rug in case of falls.
Aim High With Accessories
Here’s another way to protect luxury furniture from kids (and vice versa). When you decorate with objet d’art, display it proudly higher up. Little fingers will seek out anything bright, sparkly, or simply interesting. While you should always encourage and reward curiosity, don’t do it with a priceless heirloom. Provide plenty of floor-level toys elsewhere and leave the eye-catching items out of their sightline, especially breakables that can cause injury.
Throw Pillows and Blankets Add Security With Style
Invest in plenty of throw pillows and blankets for your furniture. They’ll encourage the kids to snuggle rather than wrestle on the furniture (though you’re guaranteed to see several forts built). They also provide a layer of protection between the kids and the materials of your furniture. Pillows and blankets also let you keep the room’s look fresh, adding textures or colors as needed.
Peace between your progeny and favorite pieces is not only possible but also practicable. Keep both looking lovely and dear through these suggestions!
