Your living room is a place for the whole family to enjoy, so it needs to be kid-friendly. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be designed with bright colors or overrun with toys. It is actually possible to design a family-friendly living room that’s a fun hangout for the kids, a relaxing retreat for the grown-ups, and looks stylish and chic.
These are some of our favorite living room ideas for families who want a stylish and comfortable space the whole family can enjoy.Soften the Edges
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If you have little ones toddling around, keeping furniture with sharp corners and hard edges out of the equation definitely cuts down on bumps and mishaps. A simple and family-friendly furniture choice for your living room is going with round side tables and round coffee tables instead of squares or rectangles.To reduce the bump factor even more, swap out your coffee table for an upholstered ottoman. It’s a softer choice, and a stylish one, too. Plus an ottoman provides additional seating and a place to put your feet up after the kids go to bed. Style your ottoman with trays to hold your remotes and magazines and provide a solid surface for beverages.
Stock Up On Storage
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The secret to maximizing the functionality of a kid-friendly living room, while keeping it clutter-free and a place where you’ll want to spend time, as well, is storage. Lots and lots of storage. And when it comes to toy storage, the more hidden it is, the better.Add as much function to your space as possible by working in storage wherever you can. Even if you have built-ins. Some of our favorite pieces are storage ottomans and benches, end tables with drawers and cabinet space, and storage shelves that are deep enough to hold large baskets. There can never be enough places to stash the kids’ toys when playtime is over. A look we’re loving right now is using labeled storage baskets. They’re easy to work into any design style, add fun texture to your look, and offer a ton of flexibility because you can slide them under console tables and tuck them into corners.
Find The Right Rug
Selecting the perfect rug for your kid-friendly family room is about more than finding the right size and colors. We think that the perfect rug for a living room that gets used by the whole family needs to be easy to clean, durable, will stand up to rambunctious kids and playful pets, and is free from toxic chemicals. And it should look great with your decor, as well.
While puzzle piece foam mats are a popular choice for lots of family rooms, they can come apart during play, liquids can seep through the pieces, and they don’t always fit in with neutral decor. Foam play mats that look like area rugs are an excellent option because they’re soft, durable, waterproof for easy care, and available in beautiful and modern designs.Add Comfy & Flexible Furniture
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Keep your furniture options open by adding an array of comfortable and convenient choices. Kids will gravitate to poufs, ottomans, and floor pillows for comfy lounging and watching movies. Nesting side tables can be spread out when you need them, and tucked back into place when you don’t.
Having a selection of flexible furniture options truly puts the “living” in your family-friendly living room. This space is where life happens. Having plenty of seating and table space will give the kids and adults lots of room for lounging and relaxing.Choose Functional Fabrics
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It goes without saying that spills will happen in your family room. So you might as well be prepared for them. Leather is the most forgiving since spills wipe up easily, and scratches only add to the patina that develops over time. For a budget-friendlier option, look for tightly-woven or textured fabrics, which are more likely to camouflage dirt than smoother fabrics. Patterned upholstery hides a multitude of messes, making it a great option for accent chairs, rugs, and pillows. And if you think white slipcovers just aren’t a kid-friendly option for your living room, some parents swear by them. Why? Bleach.Stylish Foam Floor Mats For Your Family-Friendly Living Room
Comfort Design Mats are designer baby play mats that look just like area rugs, but they’re made from non-toxic foam. They’re soft and squishy, which makes them perfect for tummy time and crawling, as well as big kid play. And because they’re waterproof, clean-up is a breeze. Grown-ups love using these foam play mats for exercise time, too.
Comfort Design Mats come in a variety of modern patterns and colors to complement your decor, so you don’t have to compromise on style -- or roll them up and put them away after the kids are done playing.