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Creating a Kid- and Pet-Friendly Home
We love our kids and pets, but let’s face it, they have a tendency to wreak havoc on almost everything they touch. From drawing on the walls with crayons, to bouncing on every piece of furniture, not to mention the seemingly constant spills and stains, your home has to stand up to a lot. Here are our best tips to help your home be up to the challenge of its most destructive residents.
Creating a Kid and Pet-Friendly Home
START WITH A GOOD BASE
Set yourself up for success by choosing durable fabric! We’re happy to offer a range of Decor-Rest Performance Fabrics that are highly stain repellent, moisture repellent, durable, and easy to clean – because you shouldn’t be scared of using your furniture. Check out on our Blog how Meredith Deanne and Stacey Kasdorf designed their own sofas with us to create pieces that can handle the tough love their families will give them, without sacrificing style.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT RUG
Rugs are great for adding warmth and interest to your space, while also acting as a cozy spot to play. We know it can be a little scary placing a rug somewhere it’s bound to get spilled on, but fear not! Darker colour rugs make hiding stubborn stains easy, and so do patterns. Plus, opting for a flat-pile rug, versus a shag rug, also makes it easier to clean messes and dirt.
CLEAN STAINS RIGHT AWAY
We know cleaning up spills isn’t anyone’s favourite activity, especially when you’re in a rush, but attacking the stain right away makes it a lot easier to deal with. The longer you leave a stain, the harder it will be to get out – and the less motivated you’ll be to clean it! We also recommend having a stock of standard stain-removers in your home all the time so you’re ready to tackle stains when you need to.
KEEP YOUR WALLS LIGHT
Light paint colours are significantly easier to touch-up than their darker counterparts, so we recommend opting for airy neutrals in high-traffic areas, or areas your kids and pets spend a lot of time in. Things are bound to get a little beat up, but it helps if you set yourself up to fix marks and scuffs easily. Bonus tip: eggshell or satin paint is significantly easier to wipe clean than matte paint, so choose your finish wisely in spaces that are likely to get bombarded with fingerprints and nose prints.