Childproofing a beautifully designed home interior isn’t easy but it is possible to create a safe environment for children without impacting your style or design sensibilities.
This guide explores the many ways you can create a child-friendly space for your little ones without compromising on the design of your home.
Why childproof?
When babies begin to discover their surroundings, it can often lead to dangerous situations because anything within their reach in the home is a potential accident waiting to happen. Simple everyday objects such as cupboards, remotes, cords, fridges and ovens can turn lethal when curiosity gets the better of them. As a parent, it’s natural for you to worry about your baby accessing anything from medicines to cleaning products, or falling off furniture. Is your home safe enough for your little one to explore freely without risking injury?
When there’s a baby or toddler in the house, the interior spaces need to be childproofed, and you will need to prioritise practicality over personal design preferences.
Electrical points
You will need to consider design from the point of view of a small child. What can they grab onto from their level? Appliance cords should be completely out of reach of children. If they have to be on the floor, bundle them together and consider taping them to the skirting boards or the wall so little hands can’t pry them away or little teeth can’t sink into them. Also, power outlets should be covered.
Windows and doors
Install gates where you need to block access, especially the top and bottom of the stairs, and kitchen doorways. Ensure your windows don’t open much, especially if you live in a multi-storeyed building. There are devices that can help prevent your windows from opening more than a few centimetres; alternatively, you can install retractable fly screens or security screens on doors and windows to allow ventilation without compromising the safety of your child.
Blinds and curtains
Regulations require blind cords in new homes to be fixed to the wall so that children cannot access them. Those living in older homes can ensure safety by keeping the blind cords short so little hands can’t reach them or at least by storing them high up. If you have a choice, consider installing cordless blinds or curtains.
Cupboards and bookcases
Bolt furniture such as bookcases and chests of drawers to the wall so there’s no risk of them falling on a child. Invest in childproof drawer guards so children can’t open drawers. Install corner guards to prevent injury to children and buy cupboard locks so you can safely store bathroom, cleaning and kitchen products away.
No need to compromise on style
Baby-proofing a home doesn’t really mean compromising your interior design with ghastly gadgets and furniture modifications. There are plenty of ways you can design your home to look beautiful and stylish, and yet be child-friendly too.
When it comes to furniture, there are alternatives that are safer for babies. Kids around hard furniture can be a dangerous proposition. Replace coffee tables with ottomans to provide children a softer furniture piece to climb onto while avoiding the hard corners and sides. Placing furniture close to each other will provide babies with a convenient surface to grab onto as they learn to walk.
Decorative ornaments
How safe are your beautiful curios, souvenirs and other collections from the inquisitive eyes of a toddler? For a few years at least, put them in storage and replace them with lightweight alternatives that not only look good but are also safe around children. If you want to keep some items on display without any danger of little hands making a grab for them, either place them towards the back of the display tables or simply put them higher up so you can see them but babies can’t.
Rearrange your furniture
Change the orientation of your furniture to limit access as well as block out any potentially dangerous spots. For example, if you have a trunk or table that you want to keep out in the living room, place it in a spot that blocks power points or cords so your child can’t access those risky elements. You can also place the furniture in a way that still looks lovely, but keeps your baby out of important cupboards or areas. A cover on the fireplace should prevent the child from exploring it.
Rugs on hard floors
Stylishly soften all your hard floors using child-friendly rugs. Choose rugs that not only add a sophisticated touch to your living space but are also soft to touch, durable and easy to clean. Rugs would also protect babies and toddlers if they fall.
Finding the right mix of style and safety
For stylish and discreet screen designs, talk to the experts at Artilux Australia and get a tailored no-compromise screening solution for your home. All Artilux screens are designed to ensure homes that are functional, trendy, and secure.
