Family-Friendly Design:

A Guide to Harmonious Spaces for Every Home

Want your home to look great and function well for your family? It’s possible to have both. For the full scoop, check out our guide to family-friendly design.

Photographed by Ellen Vanessa Photography

When it comes to home design, you may think it's only possible to have either a beautiful or family-friendly space — form or function. But that’s not the case.

You can have the best of both worlds — a space that’s beautiful and functions well for your family at the same time. In this post, we’re reviewing how to design your home with your family's needs in mind without sacrificing style.

What Is Family-Friendly Design and Why is it Important?

First, it’s worth defining what family-friendly design means and why it’s important. Essentially, it focuses on creating a home that functions well for your family with a beautiful cohesive design. But there is more to it than that.

Family-friendly design ensures that your home:

• Is practical in terms of layout and functionality

• Gives each family member their own space

• Is safe for young children and pets

• Is designed to last wear and tear with durable low maintenance materials

• Promotes bonding and quality family time

Family-friendly design not only balances aesthetics and functionality but takes a holistic approach so that everyone's needs are met.

Photographed by Ellen Vanessa Photography

How to Create Family-Friendly Spaces in Your Home

If you need spaces to accommodate multiple family members, we’re covering how to design your home with your family's needs in mind. Keep reading for our expert advice.

Photographed by Kat Alves Photography

Layout and Space Planning

Whether you’ve just bought a new home or are updating your current space, carefully planning your home’s layout is an important first step.

Open floor plans are usually preferable for families, especially with younger kids because of the extra sightlines it offers. You can cook in the kitchen while keeping an eye on the kids playing in the living room. Or even if your kids don’t need to be supervised, it allows you to feel more connected to everyone when the rooms are open and there’s a nice flow to the space. In general, it helps promotes family time and bonding.

The downside of an open floor plan is that because the rooms blend together it can feel a little chaotic at times. That’s why you’ll want to think about creating designated zones for different activities. In general, you’ll likely need play areas, workspaces, and relaxation spots. You don’t necessarily need to have separate rooms for each activity with careful planning and furniture selection and arrangement you can designate zones for various activities, so the same room can accommodate multiple family members.

Childproofing and Safety Measures

If you have a baby or young children, ensuring your home is safe and childproof is vital. You’ll want to prevent them from getting into anything that could be harmful. Consider things like:

• Outlet covers

• Cabinet and drawer locks

• Fridge lock

• Toilet safety seals

• Secure electrical and blind cords

• Anchor furniture

• Window locks

• Baby gates

• Safety measures for staircases

When selecting furniture go for sturdy pieces, rather than delicate ones, and opt for pieces with rounded shapes and curved edges over sharp corners.

If you don’t want to use cabinet or drawer locks because your kids are older, you’ll want to be mindful of where you store items in your kitchen and bathrooms. Keep things you don’t want them handling or using secure and out of reach.

Durable and Easy-to-Maintain Materials

When selecting materials for your home go with durability in mind, so that your home will be designed to withstand ware and tear and last you for years.

We love hardwood flooring because it’s beautiful and durable. Spills and messes are easy to wipe up. Rugs can add visual interest and a softer surface for little ones. If you prefer carpet for kids spaces go for an option that is stain-resistant and has zero VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). VOCs are found in older paints and carpets and release harmful toxins into the air.

When selecting furniture and upholstery we recommend performance-grade fabrics. They’re designed to be low maintenance, durable, and easy to clean — resistant to stains, spills, and scratches. Luckily there are a lot of beautiful performance options available.

Photographed by Davies Imaging

Storage Solutions and Organization

With family life comes lots of stuff. From kid's toys, books, activities, and equipment to everything that makes your life functional. Design your home with maximum storage and organization in mind. So that your spaces are clutter free and clean.

Opt for furniture with built-in or hidden storage solutions like a bedframe with extra storage, a console table with drawers, a bench, or an ottoman with a storage compartment. Don’t forget shelving and bookcases which can turn a room from chaotic to tidey.

Baskets are a great stylish storage solution and can be incorporated into nearly any room of your house. Tuck away anything you want out of sight from toys and electronics, to extra blankets or toiletries. We love Sea & Grass baskets which we designed in collaboration with them.

Closet and drawer organizers can take your storage spaces from cluttered to neat and clean. Focus on extra storage and organization for high-traffic areas or drop zones like your entryway, mudroom, or laundry.

A well-organized home will streamline your life and help make everything run smoothly when you have multiple schedules to manage.

Photographed by Davies Imaging

Multi-Functional Furniture and Spaces

To optimize every square inch of your home you’ll want to invest in versatile furnishings and design your spaces with more than one purpose in mind.

Perhaps you’d benefit from a playroom that doubles as a guest room or a home office that’s also an extra bedroom. Or a versatile kitchen counter or island that works as prep space, a breakfast bar, and a homework zone.

Some multifunctional furniture pieces you may want to consider are

• Expandable dining table

• Kids' bed that converts as they grow

• Murphy bed

• Convertible sofa

By designing your home with versatile functionality you’ll be able to adapt your spaces to meet the needs of everyone in your household, not just now but in the future as well.

Feeling inspired by this guide but want hands-on professional guidance? We’re here to help! KED is a Sacramento-based full-service interior design firm with plenty of experience creating timeless family-friendly designs. We’ll take the time to listen and get to know your needs to create the perfect space that blends style with function so your family can thrive for years to come. Get in touch with us today to talk about your project!

Ready to get started? Contact us today to discuss your unique project goals and needs.