Hi Friends! A bit ago I shared a Real Postbox Project for a fun family done up in the Boho Chic Style. I shared how I styled their eat-in breakfast room AND a mini kitchen makeover.
Check it out HERE (I’ll wait) before I share the rest of their project with you!
But before that, I got to thinking-the vast majority of my client’s have kids in their home. So they want a beautiful space BUT one that has to hold up to real life. I wouldn’t be a very good designer if I designed a gorgeous space but was done up floor to ceiling in dry-clean only, breakables when they have a toddler running around.
When I design a space, I take into account not only your style, but also your budget, and what YOUR life dictates. If you have three Saint Bernard pups I’m going to design in a different direction than if you are pet-free. And having kids in the house means you need a whole different level of cleanability and durability.
So what are some tips to decorating when you have kids, but don’t want the entire space to be splashed in Dora and primary colors?
TIP #1: Slipcover everything. I’ve learned the hard way that kids are messy. The only reason my white couch has lasted me a decade with raising three kids and three dogs? It is because I can throw it in the wash and bleach it whenever I want. And I do! So in this Living Room I specified an IKEA slipcovered sofa and chair that comes in a half dozen colors. The covers are inexpensive so I suggested buying at least two. You can switch out covers while you are washing them, or change them out with the season. Best part? New covers start at just $49!
Here is Version #1 of their Living Room, the “rustic” look she likes:
TIP #2: Love the distressed look. The great thing about this popular look is the first nicks and dings are already in it for you! Especially with a coffee table, having a piece that covers a multitude of sins is a life saver. Kids ARE going to scratch your table. And they ARE going to draw on it (so only stash washable markers in the house!). This coffee table (#3) invites Lego play!
TIP #3: Invest in some nice pillow inserts…then go crazy with fun covers. Like Tip #1-stuff is going to happen. It is so nice to be able to take off the cover and throw it in the wash. Plus, switching out pillows is the easiest and least expensive way to get a whole new look. Every pillow I found for this project has a cover that can be removed-and these covers start at just $1.97!
TIP #4: Always think about clean-ability. Tricks such as using an outdoor rug indoors is a lifesaver. Using materials such as leather, plastic, and rustic woods are going to score high with being easy to clean. Be aware when decorating with silks, woods, linens, or highly polished woods. These are more fussy surfaces to clean. For this project I suggested painting all of the walls in a washable paint-it costs more than standard paint but it is worth every penny!
TIP #5: Go dark. If you aren’t going to use slipcovers, I would suggest choosing darker upholstery. In Version #2 I chose upholstered pieces instead of the slipcovered pieces in Version #1. This West Elm sofa (#3) has a charcoal fabric and I paired it with a navy side chair (#11, below). Choose fabric that has a pattern to it to further help hide stains. While this sofa looks solid gray, it has a subtle pattern to it.
And here is Version #2-the Boho Chic style she also loves! She loves both this style and Version #1’s “rustic farmhouse” style, and luckily they can work quite well with each other-I designed both versions so she can mix and match for her own customized look!
TIP #6: Don’t buy a piece that will make you cry when it gets ruined. I’m sorry to say, but when you have kiddos, now is NOT the time to invest in precious antiques or expensive pieces that will bring tears to your eyes if something happens to it. I have literally shed tears over furniture getting ruined by my precious kiddos. That is SO not worth it. That is not to say all of your furniture needs to be disposable for the next 18 years. That is no way to live. Honestly, this is a good time of life to pepper your rooms with items from stores like Target, Home Goods, Ikea, etc. You can get a great look without spending a fortune. Then after you have those college tuitions paid for, THEN buy that dream sofa. All of the items I selected are budget friendly so there are no “off limits” pieces in their room.
And here is the rest of Mood Board from Version #2:
As you can see, I made her two different Mood Boards, one for each style. I chose to do her 3D Perspective of Version #2. All of the fixtures and furnishings from Version #2 are shown in her actual room. They can visualize what their brand new room will look like!
But I want to pair up pretty with practical. I always include a floor plan that shows all of their new furnishings to scale in their space. In this Living Room I completely flipped around the existing arrangement of their room to make it more streamlined. I pared down the furniture to make the room look larger. So I included their Floor Plan with notes on it, showing them where to put everything!
So there you have it! A Real Postbox Project for a Real Family. They can live comfortably in this space without thinking constantly of how to kid proof their space. Items are comfy, gorgeous, and practical for life with little ones.
Whatever your style, whatever your budget, Postbox Designs can help YOU create your dream room too. Plus it’s a good excuse to get some REALLY fun mail! This client got a Postbox of over a dozen drawings plus tons of free samples:
Just email me and we can talk through what you would love to see in YOUR home!
Cheers,
Joan Merrell says
Love the ideas and tips! Very inspiring. I hope that maybe some of your sense of style will rub off on me, or that I will get a better sense of style by looking at your pictures and getting ideas. 🙂 Really liked the post and what you had to say.
Dana says
Tip #2 made me smile! And you’re spot on with it, Children and pets only continue to add charm to distressed pieces. Luckily (?) I have neither at this stage, but these are fantastic tips for people like me who are continuously entertaining or often housing international guests – believe me, they can often cause more damage than toddlers do!