Antique Furniture And Children At Home: Decoration And Safety Tips

As parents will know, keeping your home in mint condition with children running around is a challenge! It can often feel like it’s a full-time job making sure that your carefully chosen furniture pieces aren’t damaged. Here are some tips when it comes to purchases, decoration and safety with children in mind. After considering these tips, you’ll be able to browse antique dealers such as Westland London to find those timeless pieces which will add beauty to a family home without being wrecked.

Fabric Choices

Firstly, genuine leather and faux leather are most definitely your friends when considering child-friendly furniture options. Leather is durable, long-lasting and extremely easy to clean. The inevitable spills which will happen can be easily wiped away and quickly forgotten about, rather than causing lasting damage to your furniture. Investing in this fabric is a smart move to avoid any expensive mishaps and still allows you the opportunity to purchase a stunning, stylish statement piece for your home and even for apartments in Bee Cave.

Similarly, microfibre fabric is a great durable fabric choice for furniture. Made with synthetic fibres such as polyester, it is stain-resistant and water-resistant, meaning you have a better window to clean any stains or spills before they set in. Certain restored or reupholstered vintage pieces may use microfibre. It’s a stain-resistant and comfortable choice perfect for households with children.

A top tip with children in the house is to have your fabric cleaner close to hand to deal with those mishaps as quickly as possible! And when you first purchase your furniture, it’s also advisable to spray it with a fabric protecting spray to help protect it against stains and spills. But make sure you carefully read the instructions before using anything on your items to ensure it is compatible and won’t have any damaging effects.

Invest in Covers

One solution to avoid lasting damage to your items is to invest in covers or throws to use on your favourite chair or your much-loved recliner. Buying a cover you like, whether quirky, patterned or classic in style can add a much-needed layer of protection to your items. These covers will take the impact of potential mishaps that may come with children and food, drink or felt tip markers. If you’re using a cover, you can put the cover in the wash if there are any stains and then place it back on your items for protection, ensuring the item underneath is as good as new.

Using a cover has the added benefit of not limiting your selection of pieces. When the day comes where your children are slightly older, you can remove the cover and showcase your items in all their glory without risking any damage to their condition.

Colour Schemes

Another important consideration when bearing children in mind is the colour of the pieces you buy. A stark white sofa or dining table chairs will be much less forgiving to messy handprints, spills and dreaded crayon scribbles. Think carefully about what colour item you want to choose when selecting your antique pieces, and choose colours that will be more forgiving. Darker colours, such as warm greys, are much better at hiding certain stains or marks that may happen over the years.

Safety Proof Your Home

Once you’ve selected your items and they’re in your home, it is important to childproof each room to make your child as safe as possible. Ensure that any hard edges on furniture such as dining room tables or coffee tables are covered with edge guards in case your child falls against them. You want to avoid any nasty cuts or scrapes. Ensure that any heavy furniture is anchored correctly and safely to the wall or floor so that your child can not pull the item of heavy furniture onto themselves.

Conclusion

Having children in a family home doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your style and decorating dreams. Following the above advice can mean that you have the best of both worlds, stylish antique pieces for your home, as well as peace of mind that they won’t get ruined by those little hands. And with a few safety measures put in place, you can rest assured your children are safe at home too.