When you are a young family with little sticky fingers and muddy feet running in and out of your home, you will need to consider how you will decorate your new home. Just remember your home needs to be safe, and the furnishings and fabric, and wall coverings must be easy to clean.

Your décor needs as much protection from your young children as they need from your décor. Ensure that your designer glassware or crystal ornaments are on a high shelf. Children attract dirt from their play in the garden or sandpit, and they like to touch and fiddle. Don’t let your guard down as they grow older; they will track more sand, mud, grass, and animal hair from their sports fields, horse riding, or playing volleyball on the beach.

Start with the walls; ensure that you choose to paint with a washable high gloss enamel which will look smart but more importantly, it will wash easily with a wet cloth. Suppose you are going to use alternative wall coverings. In that case, many on the market are washable; not only marble or tiles but the wallpaper in different shades and patterns can be easily cleaned for young family homes.

Choosing to decorate your sitting room with fabric covers will be a good idea. Make use of slipcovers. They are available in numerous colors, patterns, and sizes, and buy at least 2 sets so that the other can be used while one is in the laundry. Other options to consider are leather couches, a once-a-day wipe-down will keep them in good condition, and the leather products for upkeep are not too pricey. Going for a more casual indoor-outdoor feel to your home, choose a cane or rattan suite with zipped cushion covers to remove and keep clean easily.

We mentioned that you want your home décor to be safe and washable whilst you have children in the house. When deciding on carpets, tiles, or wood floor coverings, many young families with toddlers will choose carpets as the children are still learning to walk. This brings its own problems as they do tend to spill food, drinks, and have other accidents. A great tip is to choose commercial carpeting as opposed to residential carpeting; in this way, you will be able to remove stains easily, and the carpet is made for heavy foot traffic.

Furniture to avoid would be glass tables, antique chairs, heavy lamps that can be pulled over and hurt your child. All tall furniture, including bookcases, must be secured to the walls or bolted into the floor, and this includes flatscreen TVs, computer consoles, or stereo equipment.

As your child grows up, your décor will grow with them, and you can begin to re-introduce your great-grandmother’s antique tea set without fear that it will be used in the garden at a teddy bears picnic. When they remember to wipe their hands on the napkins and not the arms of the sofa, your décor is safe, and so are your children.