Creating Family Friendly Spaces Chapter V-Review, 750 Designer Secrets

From experience, most of us moms already know how to create family friendly spaces; use soft, cushiony, washable, furnishings, and, create areas for recreation, task and study, and reserve room group living areas. We, as moms, know to change a hard edged coffee table for a over stuffed ottoman, make sure seating fabrics are durable and kid-friendly. Too, we swap out structured, formal seating for upholstered, comfortable, multi-purpose seating. But, what about the newbie mom? Or the newbie dad?, Or those who haven't had the luxury of little ones underfoot for a while? Decorating family spaces can be a whole lot of fun. Here's a few primers to follow and you're good to go. When planning decor think...

• comfort,
• relaxing seating
• open spaces
• entertainment
• grouped seating arrangements
• ease of access to food and snacks
• accommodations for friends, guests and pets

When shopping, here's what to look for...

• pillows-lot of pillows for the floor and sofa. pillows on the bed should only be used for older children
• overstuffed sofas and chairs, and do consider sectional seating where older children are concerned
• game chairs for use with handheld devices; game chairs are lazy boy style chairs that sit close to the floor. they come in rocker and other styles, but, their purpose is uniform-comfort while game playing
• portable seating like bean bags and futons
• if access to the family room is not close to the kitchen, then a portable refrigerator comes in handy
• mix form and function; craft built-in's for the tv, bookcase, etc. to create more family living space now here's are some ideas from the design experts...

Idea # 279 "For a room that can absorb dogs and children, establish a comfort level without pretension."
Idea #289 "Use overscale, slipcovered furniture in a family room for a soft, casual look."-Gary McBournie
Idea #299 "Eschew fancy furnishings and choose good quality modern pieces mixed with a few antiques for a soft, cozy atmosphere."-Celia Cabral Domenech
Idea #312 "Choose furniture that's substantial without being stodgy."-David Netto

Translation? Dress down your home or rooms with ease and an informal quality. Where you probably would want to reserve some means and areas for formal entertainment, conform your household style, generally, to that which meets the needs of the family. Children and family living require special accommodations, however, that doesn't mean the whole house should be totally "an informal comfort zone." Children also need to be reared in, and need to see the more formal side of life. Thus compromise by both reserving rooms (or areas within larger rooms) for formal occasions.

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