Being surrounded by things that bring you happiness is a necessity in your home life, especially as it’s where you spend the majority of your time. However materialistic these things may be, they can make a massive impact on your mood, your feelings towards your home, being confident when inviting guests into the space and most importantly, your overall happiness

Families make a lot of sacrifices when it comes to their children, but we are here to tell you that living in style shouldn’t be one of them! If you’re not familiar with the interior industry and aren’t educated in fabric protection or furniture manufacturing, we want to let you in on a few secrets about how to achieve your very own stylish, child-proof interior.

So, if you’re under the impression that you have to wait until the kids move out to invest in a stylish interior, then this one is for you!

Living Room.

*Photo from the Tailored Space Interiors Tweed Heads Showroom.

Dreamt of that plush fabric sofa with luxe duck feather seat backs? Something so beautiful and inviting that just calls your name after a busy day? But instead have opted for a leather, foam filled sofa to avoid those inevitable spills and stains that come with raising a family? We have some serious news for you.

Fabric sofas have come a very long way over the last few years! Fabrics manufacturers have managed to produce suitable family fabrics that have been made with built in barriers against spills and stains. These amazing fabrics will give you the look and feel you’ve dreamt of with none of the stress and worry.

For example, the very popular ‘velvet’ trend that has taken over the interior industries can now be an achievable look for families with a fabric such as Warwick Fabric’s ‘Lovely’ range. This fabric is entirely constructed from polyester as opposed to silk and cotton fibres that stain easily & you would never know the difference! The Warwick ‘Lovely’ range is also one of the many fabrics they have available that have what’s called the ‘Halo’ protection. This is a built in protection that will prevent any spills from being absorbed into the fabric itself. Instead they will ball on top of the fabric, making it very easy to wipe clean. These types of fabrics are ideal for families with young children, pets… or husbands.

If the built in fabric protection isn’t giving you enough peace of mind, there are companies out there that offer additional protection from stains, fading with the sun, mould and general wear and tear.

*Photo from the Tailored Space Interiors Tweed Heads Showroom.

Side note: We have been working closely with the team from Premium Surface Protection for years. These guys ensure that we get the most out of the furniture we use in our furniture hire packages and we couldn’t recommend them enough! The furniture goes out of style before the fabric protection wears off! Here’s what they had to say when we asked them to contribute a little something to this blog:

“Having your upholstery and rugs protected with Fiber ProTector will keep them looking new longer. It also prolongs the overall lifespan of upholstery and carpets as it reduces the need for excessive cleaning.”

Now let’s talk rugs… Try to stay away from wool, silk, linen, jute or rattan fibres. Although these rugs are beautiful, you can quite easily source rugs of similar styles, look and feel that will be more family friendly. Your best friend with be polypropylene. Yes, this is a re-constituted plastic, but you will be amazed at the stunning look and beautifully soft underfoot feel of these rugs. The best part? Cleaning them is a breeze! Vacuum as often as you need and any tough stains can be dealt with by any generic stain remover and a chux cloth. (Some will even allow you to hose them off in the backyard! Contact us to find out more) 

Dining Room

*Photo from the Tailored Space Interiors Tweed Heads Showroom.

As I mentioned in the living room section, you do not have to be afraid of fabric furniture as long as you know your options. So fabric dining chairs are a realistic option for families, as long as you do your research and opt for a heavy commercial fabric.

When it comes to selecting a child friendly dining table, timber tables are definitely an option, as long as they have a varnish, sealant or some sort of protective layer on top of the wood. This will protect your furniture from condensation from water glasses, hot food plates as well as food and drink spills. Alternatively, a marble or any other type of stone table top will be suitable for your family. Stone top dining tables will be investment pieces but if they’re treated right, they will last forever!

The same rules apply for bar stools, side tables and coffee tables.

Accessories.

Don’t put off accessorising your home because you’re afraid of the havoc your children might invoke in your interior, just be smart about it.

*Photo from the Tailored Space Interiors Tweed Heads Showroom.

Trade in your real plants for artificial ones. Swap out your glass framed wall art for printed canvas style prints. Accessorise your coffee table with books instead of ceramic vases or homeware pieces and try swapping the kids bean bags for some beautifully made fabric floor cushions that will compliment your interior style.

My last tip that I can offer to parents out there who feel like their children have completely taken over their interior, is to encourage them to keep their toys in their own rooms. Kids are always going to make a mess, that’s just their nature, but as parents we can try to contain this mess by giving them boundaries. Try to teach them to respect that the family areas are a space that the entire family should enjoy being in and be kept clutter-free.

Hopefully you will be able to apply some of these tips in your own home and be confident with your decisions. I’m going to leave you with the one of the sentences I started with:

“Families make a lot of sacrifices when it comes to their children, but we are here to tell you that living in style shouldn’t be one of them!”

If you have more questions about interior options for families with young children, please do not hesitate to pop into our Tweed Heads showroom, give us a phone call or email us at info@tailoredspace.com.au !