Is a Chic Home Possible with Kids?

At ADJ, our answer will always be ‘yes’ when we’re asked ‘I have kids/pets. Is a chic home even possible?’ 

Just because you have kids or pets running around your house (in a crazy good way), it doesn’t mean you have to give up on your design dreams for your home. Life is too short to sit around thinking about what you’ll do when the kids move out or when your puppy is more ‘mellowed out.’ Your time together as a family under a shared roof should be enjoyable, livable, and dare we say, stylish — all of which we firmly believe is possible! 

If you have a design aesthetic in mind, here are our tips to help you achieve your desired look in a kid, or pet, friendly way. 

Go back to the basics. 

There are so many ways to upgrade a room! If you don’t love a space, think about what changes you can make within your set budget to make it more liveable. 

Maybe your current wall color is not doing your living space’s natural lighting justice. Or it could be that your kitchen light fixtures are dated and making your whole kitchen feel drab! Going back to the foundation of your room’s design — wall color, light, and flow of the area — can give your space a fresh new look and feel.

Do product research. 

If there’s one thing we know about kids and pets, it’s that they always seem to find the mess — and bring it with them everywhere they go! 

But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your aesthetic because you’re fearful it will get ruined. 

You should also consider that a less expensive furniture piece has the potential to cost you more in the end. Whereas, a quality piece will be not only beautiful but also durable and made to last. And quality doesn’t always equal the most pricey option either: just because something is expensive, doesn’t mean it’s the best quality. 

There are many kid- and pet-friendly products out there for every budget. Some of our favorite products in a busy home include: 

• Wood. Choose real wood and not veneer products for easy touch ups. We love wood fill pens that quickly fix small scratches or scuff marks! Bonus: If you shop local for your wood products, like a custom table or headboard, repairing a piece is painless with the help of your local designer.
• Indoor/outdoor fabrics. These fabrics sometimes get a bad rap for being scratchy or not visually pleasing. However, they have come along way, with manufacturers now making polyester-based indoor/outdoor fabrics that look and feel like silk and even velvet! These durable fabrics are also super easy to clean — perfect for when your coffee gets knocked out of your hands. 
• Branded nylon or wool. We love rugs in branded nylon or wool because they take general wear and tear (and then some) very well! Short of dropping nail polish on them, you can clean almost anything from these rugs. 

Besides investing in durable materials, other ways to make your furniture and floor accessories last longer include frequent vacuuming (yes, including your couch cushions) and implementing a no food/drink rule (this applies to you too, moms and dads). 

Organize, organize, organize. 

Kids, or pets, come with lots of stuff. That’s why it’s important to have a space for everything. This not only helps clean-up time go more quickly, but also creates order in the chaos of life! Getting clever with your organization will be key to maintaining your dream home aesthetic. 

If you have a mudroom, use it to your advantage as a drop zone to hang coats, store shoes, organize mail, and so on to keep the everyday things organized. If you don’t have the luxury of a mudroom, place items that are left out or in the wrong area in containers labeled with your child’s name. (Hint: This also gets the kids involved in putting their things away!)