Kids Interior Design

Should the living room be kept as a play free zone for the kids?

How might i include my kids in the adult areas of the home without letting these social spaces become a play room. Should the living room be play free? Where do you draw the line and how much do you take your kids into account when decorating your home? I am redesigning my house and have many things i need to consider. If you have any personal experence and wouldn't mind sharing it i would be greatful. Thank you -w

Public Comments

1. You just have to make 2 separate spaces. Make one area the sitting area with the tv, couches, chairs, etc. and on the other side of the room (or maybe just a corner of the room) a place where their toys are.
2. Have a play room with a door and cubbies for toys. Homes are lived in, and you're going to have messes everywhere. Keeping play areas in one space only sets you up for a very sterile feeling environment. Try having a den and a livingroom. One for guests, at the front of the house, and one for the family, where the kids can play without care. Thats always worked best in our houses.
3. toys belong in the room designed for toys. you can play anywhere in the house. it's your home. no toys outside of the room designed for toys. unless going into the trash. social areas for socializing. play areas for play.
4. I probably won't be of much help, but our house is OUR house. That means the whole family. I don't have kid free zones, except the medicine cabinet and the cleaner's cabinet. I only have one child, and I don't have the "nicest" things. I will worry about that when she is older and accidents don't happen so much. I would rather let her be a kid while she is one! Good luck!
5. it's really up to you. if you're redesigning that makes it easier to plan out a space designated for the kids. ttry kid friendly fabrics and carpets, things are easily cleaned. get them a lil table n chairs. some bean bags or something. i have a small apt. so my 5y and 10m old kind of roam free. they eat at the table but they play everywhere except my room and bathroom. and im ok with not having new furniture until my youngest is 2.
6. You want to make your home child proof but at the same time kids need to learn from the beginning that there are things that are not for them. If you baby proof your entire house, then what will they do when you go visit the grandparents or friends who are not child proof. Do what ever feels right to you, but make sure that if an area is not 100% child proof that the child is not left unattended, and they will learn in time what they can and can not do.
7. It really depends on the age of the kids! We have a play room it works good but toys still end up in the living room. You could keep some toys discreetly hidden in the living room with out your home look like a toy bomb went off!!
8. You should take your kids into consideration when redecorating. If you have the extra space, say in the basement make that the play room. This is where they can play with their toys and do kids type stuff. Also make their bedrooms play zones as well. If you entertain in the living room make the living room the reading, watching tv/movies, playing video games section only. Just make certain spaces for certain things. Bedrooms and play room are play time. Your bedroom, dinning room, kitchen, and office are off limits. Living room is a reading, tv/movie, video game types space. As far as decorations go keep in mind not to get stuff that is valuable or incredibly breakable because they'll break it. Stay away from glass tables because you are going to be wiping finger prints off all the time. Things that are breakable put higher up where they can't reach them. Keep lamps and things like that kid friendly so they can turn it off and on. Carpet decisions should be made with the idea they can spill things if you let them eat in the living room.
9. Every area in my house is a "play full" zone. I keep toys in every area so that no one area is overflowing. And that way my child feels a little freedom and doesn't need to be in the same room as me, but can if he chooses. If you are in a room, it is likely your child will be there as well, and if they don't have "kid" toys, they are going to play with your toys (or decorations).
10. Our boys keep their toys in their rooms. They come out into the living room to play but it is their job to clean it back up. When we have company over we have a 1 toy rule. You do need your own space and a toy/clutter free zone. Give them their own space that is appropriate for the rooms. Our children have tasteful bean bag chairs in our living room. It is their own special thing in the room.
11. well first of all i have a 6.5 year old and im a neat freak so i understand.what you can do is set a schedule for the kids,that way you could do family time in the living room.meaning watch a family movie together or play board games.then you might want to give them a play room all toys stay in that room and they can have play time in that room only.if you get involved in creative activities with your children they really wont have time to mess up the house.if you dont have an extra room you could put a play corner in the social areas of your home.you might b worried about the storage for the toys but no worry there is plenty of stores out there with storage that matches the decoration of your home.just remember a family schedule will give your kids strucure so they'll learn how to b responsible adults.
12. i have toys hidden everywhere in my living room. put toys in drawers, and in toy bens under tables.
13. CERTAIN AREAS OF THE HOUSE SHOULD BE OFF LIMITS TO PLAYING. SAFETY ISSUES. I HAVE LEANED FIRST HAND THE HARD WAY. THE LIVING OR FAMILY ROOM IS JUST THAT, FOR WATCHING TV, SPENDING QUITE TIME IN A RELAXED STATE. JUST LIKE TO KITCHEN IS A NO PLAY ZONE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS
14. I made my living room a play-free zone, and it was such a great idea!! Toys generally don't come out of the bedrooms, and it cuts down on my housework exponentially, and I don't have to worry about my baby finding stray legos to eat. We still have family time in the living room- watching movies, playing games, etc.. We just keep the barbies & matchbox cars in the bedrooms. It's nice to feel confident that even surprise company will walk into a clean living room.
15. If this is all you have to worry about OMFG. You got it foking EZ. You're living on Easy Street lady to worry about something like this...
16. Our entire house is a playroom. There is no stopping our 14 month old from dragging her things around the house, not to mention using the things we have as toys (dishes, canned goods, books, etc). My suggestion would be to designate a "playroom" in your home. We have a room that is just that - a playroom. All of our daughter's toys are kept in this room, as are the toy boxes, shelves, and stuff that contains toys. It's not to say that she only plays in this room - she goes where her little legs will take her. But that is where we put the toys when she is done with them for the day. Eventually, she will get it, and keep things in that room (at least that is our dream for our house. . .). But right now, she will at times play in her playroom, but most of the time, she will pull the toys out and hang out where everyone else is hanging out. Kids want to be social. I find that if I am in the kitchen, she is playing in the kitchen or dining room (where she can see me), and if I am sewing, she is in my bedroom with me. If I am working on scrapbooking, she is in the basement with me playing. She likes to hang where we are in the house. When my husband is home, she will find one of us and play where we are. As for consideration for decorating - nothing too formal, lots of sturdy, nonbreakable things, lots of high shelving, and things that sit rather flat and are not easily tipped. Also make sure that the corners are rounded, and not too pointy, and NO glass tables. They don't last well with kids. . . Look at your kids' ages, and figure out what would work well for all of you. Keep in mind that your instincts (gut feelings) will guide you well, and you will know from knowing your kids. Good luck!!