Baby-Proofing Your Home the Stylish Way

If you’re preparing for a new baby or raising a toddler, one of your must-dos is baby-proofing or childproofing your home. Psychologists advise parents to ensure that their homes are suitable to the needs of their children. Of course, nothing beats adult supervision. But we also have to remember that very young kids do not fully understand a possible hazard. 

Some parents overreact by removing all their furniture, but you can actually retain the look and feel of your home with a few adjustments. While many baby-proofing products are not exactly en vogue, there are great ideas available for parents who want their homes to stay safe and stylish. Here are some of our best ones! 

Choose Easy-to-Clean Paint or Wallpaper

Use wall paint or wallpaper that will stand the acid test of a rambunctious toddler. If you love patterns on your walls, choose vinyl or vinyl-coated wallpaper. It’s extremely durable and doesn’t absorb water like other materials. In fact, you can even put them on your bathroom walls!

If wall paint is more your thing, choose an easy to clean paint finish. Satin is not only durable, making it best for high-traffic areas, but it also has a beautiful velvety luster that looks great in bedrooms and family rooms.   

Move Things Up

There’s no need to ditch the porcelain or that expensive jar. You can keep your room’s theme by moving your stuff above the waist. Place hanging shelves that keep the fragile furnishings out of reach. Everything else that’s soft like stuffed toys and cushions can stay where your kids can easily reach them.

Use Your Walls 

Avoid that drab and cold mausoleum look by using your walls. Inject color and vibe by displaying your favorite artwork and family photos. Maybe now is even the best time to invest in striking art pieces that add personality to your home. 

Set Up a Play Area

Once your baby starts becoming more mobile, you can keep their scribblings and other works of art in a more manageable “creativity space.”  Playpens and baby gates come in various colors and materials, so you can choose wood, fabric, or plastic in different colors depending on your theme. Set up a chalkboard, toxic-free art materials, and cushions for your child to enjoy his personal space.

Choose Timeless Yet Functional Pieces

Think long-term when you start baby-proofing. Children grow so fast, so you want furniture that grows with them. This means that your child’s room doesn’t exactly need to have a “baby” theme. You can dress your child’s space in stylish soft neutrals, which easily blend with other colors in case you need to redecorate.

Choose textured waterproof fabrics for your furniture instead of hard materials. You can also have your furniture custom-made to ensure both functionality and personal style. 

Storage is Everything

To avoid clutter, think of practical yet chic storage solutions. Baskets come in all sizes and create a warm, cozy ambiance. Multifunctional furniture such as upholstered ottomans or window seats with drawers or shelves can be fashionable while providing hidden storage space for your child’s knick-knacks.

Upcycle

Before selling your old furniture, consider using them for your child’s space. Perhaps that old drawer can be upcylced and transformed into a unique changing table? Or maybe those bookshelves can be repainted and used for toys and books?

While you might need to do away with glass and sharp corners, there are a lot of other options to babyproofing your home in a stylish way. We hope these ideas will add to the excitement of welcoming a new family member!