Designing interiors for a family with young children is more science than art. But childproofing doesn’t mean letting go of style and luxury; it simply means recognising the hazardous zones and rendering them harmless as well as smart designing choices to maintain the renovation for as long as you can.

 

1. CHOOSE FORGIVING PAINT

Kids touch everything, whether their hands are clean or not. To save yourself some heartache, we advise families to use an eggshell finish on their wall paint. While walls painted with a flat or matte sheen look great, they are much harder to clean and everything sticks to them. In contrast, an eggshell finish has a slight sheen and is extremely washable without harming the surface of the wall. If you’re feeling bold or have a more modern space, we suggest trying a dark paint colour in a high gloss sheen; it’s very current and high design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. CHOOSE ENDURING MATERIALS

Spills are going to happen and the high porosity of natural stone tables & countertops such as marble or granite would make them difficult to maintain as these materials would absorb any spills, moistures leaving them vulnerable to damage and staining. We would recommend for families looking to renovate with young children to choose materials that are hardy and non-porous such as sintered stone and komacplus as these materials are just as stylish and natural as marble and granite.

 

 

 

 

 

3. CHOOSE SAFE FLOORINGS

If you love the texture and feel of natural hardwood flooring but find it challenging to maintain with the occasional spills and (vomits when children are unwell!), opt for eco-resilient flooring and decking such as vinyl flooring. Both eco-resilient flooring and decking are warm underfoot and feels similar to natural hardwood. They are both slip resistant, scratch-proof and aesthetically pleasing. Most importantly, if there is a wet puddle of water if one left the windows open during rainy days, the flooring will not be damages to the puddle, on top of that the high slip resistant feature helps to reduce the probability of falling. If you have children or elderly at home, be sure to let our Designers know so that they can help you in your planning process to factor these elements into your house renovation designs to make your house a safe yet stylish one.