Life-Proofing your Home Design
We see the magazine designs, they are immaculately staged. Joanna Gaines designs another room with a white sofa on a white rug with white walls. If you’re like me you laugh and think, Unless no one live
s there, it won’t be long until that thing is dingy grey and spotted with stains?”!?
But we get it! When you find a white sofa you love or a one-of-a-kind piece, you want to go for it and enjoy the aesthetic you love, but when you’re investing in the home you live your life in – the home your kids eat snacks in, the one your pet enjoys, and that you and your husband enjoy a glass of red wine in the living room in – you want to invest in pieces that are more than stylish! You want to invest in a design that is beautiful but also livable and functional.
So here are our top tips to life-proofing your home design.
Choose your fabrics carefully. Buying furniture for your home is an investment. You want to choose pieces that will be durable and last for years. Leather or vegan leather is a great option because you can wipe it down easily. But fabric technology has come a long way too. We carry lines of highly durable, often bleach washable fabrics that make a great base for your sofa or dining seats because they will resist stains and clean up like a breeze. Don’t believe me? Head over to our blog post showing us cleaning stains off a beige sofa fabric.
Pattern is your friend. If you have some crumbs or pet hairs lingering around, we would rather not notice them and point out that it has been a couple of days since we pulled out the vacuum. because let’s be honest, no one is vacuuming their house every day! I even own a Roomba, and my house doesn’t get a daily sweep. A pattern on the floor, whether on a rug, or some texture in your hard floor surfaces will help minimize that mess until you have time to clean.
Rethink a cocktail table for an ottoman. This is especially important if you’re in the babyproofing era of your life. Sharp corners and edges are not ideal when kiddos are running around. One of our favorite designs that we customize for each room is this hybrid ottoman table with a removable tray for easy cleanup!
Baskets, Bins, and Hidden Storage. You want a clutter-free home? You need a place to stash the clutter. Toys, remotes, blankets, mail, life is cluttered, but baskets, bins, and hidden storage like a storage ottoman, mail bin, junk drawer, are easy places to move the clutter out of sight so your home feels more put together with minimal effort.
Less is more. Keeping your home design simple means less to maintain. Skip the 12 pillows on your bed and opt for two shams and a pretty decorative pillow. Reduce the clutter in your bathroom by keeping the accessories to a minimum. Use the kid’s toys as decor in their rooms rather than introducing additional items. Buy a dining table with a pretty top so you don’t feel as if it needs an accessory.
Embrace the perfectly imperfect. Furnishings with texture, patina, or a rustic finishes will age well because the wear over time looks purposeful. This allows you to stress less about dings and scratches that will inevitably come from your family over time.
