How to mix kids and a stylish home


IKEA kids room
Kids are a good excuse to bring fun features into your home
© IKEA

Despite the rumours, it is possible to have both children and a stylish home. Follow these five top tips to create a sleek home design that is friendly to your little people.

Get indestructible walls:

Sticky fingers and crayons will at some point come into contact with your décor, so avoid wallpaper and opt for a washable paint. Crown’s Easy Clean emulsion (£17.99 for 2.25L)is a super strong, stain-resistant and scrubbable paint (available in brilliant white and 26 shades). Wood, doors and radiators can be subjected to knocks from bikes and school bags, so try Dulux’s ReaLife cupboard paint (£15.49 for 600ml) which boasts being 10 times tougher than regular satin paint.

  • Tea Time Design Plasticated Table Cloth

    Let them express themselves:

    Keep your walls Disney-sticker free and buy some grown up stickers yourself. Look at floral flock wall stickers (£29.99) from Not on the High Street, or car wall stickers (£30) from John Lewis for something playful and vibrant. Let the kids get involved in choosing where they go.

  • WINSLOW SOFA 1.5 INC LEATHER FC

    Hide the multi coloured plastic:

    Avoid being taken over by toys, books and colouring equipment with clever storage. The Trofast Storage Box, £3.50 from IKEA, hides a multitude of kids' stuff without compromising the look of your room. Sideboards are also great for board games and computer consoles. Look for one with multiple drawers and cupboards like this Espacio Brilliante sideboard (£638.40).

  • Double up:

    Dual-purpose furniture works wonders. Look at coffee tables that incorporate hidden storage, like the Akira (£179) from Habitat. It's somewhere to sit and draw and it gives them a place to put away their colouring kit when they’ve finished their masterpiece. Spread out the Tea Time Design plastic table cloth (£24.50) for any messy accidents.

  • Cedar Shoe Rack (3 shown)

    Make everything washable:

    Upholstery can be problem. Leather sofas, like the winslow leather sofa (£2830)from The Conran Shop are easy to wipe clean, but beware of stray felt tips coming into contact. Removable covers are best. Buy two sets so you can use one while the other is cleaned. Most are machine washable but read the manufacturer's instructions to avoid shrinkage, and wash all the covers at the same time to avoid uneven fading.

Have your say

1 vote
80% loved

Have your say

laurenbrewster

Posted | 16th January 2009

There's some great stuff on the market at the moment for children that's both stylish and practical and this just highlights the range

1000 characters left

Tags that relate to this article

Help us improve: give feedback