How do we design our house in a kid-friendly way?
Basically, choose furniture that fits both their needs and yours, and fabrics and materials that can withstand a kid-beating. “You don’t have to ditch chic furniture at the door when you have kids,” explains L.A.-based interior designer Jennifer Delonge, whose namesake company makes modern chairs in kid sizes (like the “Ava”), as well as modular storage pieces (the “Audrey” and the “Charles”) that fit kids toys and junk, but when closed, look like modern side tables or nesting boxes. Susan, a Manhattan mother of 9-month-old Fletcher, says that she designed the most open space possible, so that “once they start scooting, you’ll worry less about what they’re getting their fingers on.” For rugs, Delonge recommends Flor tiles, which can be pieced together to build whatever size rug you need, “and if a child spills on it, you can pick it up and clean it one tile at a time.” Avoid jute or sea-grass rugs, says Susan. “They’re too rough for babies to crawl on them. And if you spill juice or even water on it, it will never come out.” Then, cover your couch and chairs in kid-proof fabric. If you don’t want to choose dark colors or patterns that hide spills, pick a fabric that will resist stains, or cleans easily. “There is a fabric called Crypton that has this amazing stain-resistant superpower something going on,” says Delonge. “You can pour things on it and it puddles and pools, but it doesn’t stain.” Susan bought pre-shrunk cotton slip-covered Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic furniture. “It gives you the white modern look, but if your baby stains it—mine pooed all over the couch once -- you just toss it in the washer with a capful of bleach and detergent, and it comes out stark white.” Finally, consider painting the kid’s rooms with glossy paint -- “the higher the gloss level, the easier it is to clean,” says Home Depot’s Judy Scott. “You can wipe off pen and crayon marks with a damp cloth that you couldn’t do with flat paint.”
by Amy Spencer
6/19/08
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