When it comes to decorating a home fit for a family, the good news is there’s no need to forgo style in favour of practicality for your brood – furry friends included.
Jessica Viscarde, interior designer and stylist at Eclectic Creative, specialises in transforming houses into homes creating fresh, eclectic and unexpected looks while ensuring they’re still functional.
“A family home has to reflect your particular and very unique lifestyle needs,” Jessica explains. “Your home not only has to speak to you aesthetically, but also function and operate according to your family dynamics.”
The key to creating a family home you love comes down to smart choices, such as options that are suitable for wear and tear from foot traffic and a little rough and tumble from little ones (and pets).
After you’ve thought about your practical needs, then it’s time to do the fun stuff – sourcing stylish pieces.
“Key trends at the moment that are great for family homes include timbers, natural fibres such as rattan, oversized artworks and photography prints, simple lines and woven textual flatware style rugs,” Jessica reveals.
Here are the top things to consider if you want to create a stylish yet functional family home this spring:
Colours & fabrics
Colours and fabrics offer the perfect chance to inject a little fun into a family home – so have fun with it.
Of course, strategic colour selection and opting for patterns and textures will camouflage wear and tear and any mishaps.
“Choose darker fabrics, like greys and charcoals, in commercial or heavy domestic-grade fabrics for your big-ticket items like your sofa or armchair,” Jessica advises, “and have these protected to eliminate spills and mishaps,” she adds.
To ensure you lighten things up, go for walls painted in a crisp white with a wash-and-wear paint so you can wipe them clean.
“Then depending on your style, introduce colours through artwork, soft furnishings and objects,” Jessica says.
Art & decor
To really let your family style shine through, art and decor is a great way to put your personal stamp on your home.
From family heirlooms to things you’ve collected on your travels, use these things dotted on table tops around the home to really tell a story.
Next, Jessica advises, add statement artwork to really make your home pop. Go for something “oversized and hung at eye-level on your main wall,” she explains.
Perfect to be hung at eye-level on the main wall in the living area, The Frame by Samsung is a framed television panel that transitions from TV viewing into an art experience.
Available in white, beige wood and walnut frames, you can opt for one of The Frame’s 100 available pieces of art, curated from 37 international artists and designers, or upload a gallery of your children’s artwork.
All of this is controlled via an app on your mobile – a great way to get the kids involved in the fun.
Furniture & storage
While you don’t have to abandon style in search of family-friendly furniture, you do need to get a little savvy to account for the clutter that comes with more people living under one roof.
So rather than looking for specific products, like a couch, you’ll want to shop for functional, dual-purpose pieces in durable materials such as coffee tables with drawers or space to fit baskets underneath and beds with additional storage.
“Oversized upholstered ottomans instead of a coffee table are great for young children and provide extra seating options in a living area,” Jessica says. “Modular-style sofas, provided they fit in your room layout, are also great for a growing family.”
Considering multi-functional zones in your home is important, too, Jessica says.
“It’s perfectly okay to use the dining table for homework while you cook dinner; have a dedicated section in the pantry or cupboard for storing away pens and workbooks once finished, or better yet plan this idea into your new build or renovation,” she explains.
AND THE WINNER IS…
The lucky winner of a brand new Frame TV by Samsung is Erika Zaccani from Camperdown, NSW!
Keep an eye on realestate.com.au/Lifestyle for more awesome competitions and giveaways – and your chance to win BIG.