Juice Boxes & Vases: How to Have a Stylish Kid-Friendly Home

Hey y’all! Grab your coffee, your cold Diet Coke, or that half-empty La Croix you left on the counter (no judgment, I’ve got one too) and settle in. Because if there’s one thing toddlers are great at, it’s showing us exactly what doesn’t work in a house.

With one baby who just turned one (and another on the way!), I’ve quickly learned what décor makes sense when little tornadoes are involved. It’s tricky — I want a beautiful home, but I also don’t want to spend a fortune only for it to meet its demise in a juice-box explosion.

Here’s the good news: your home can be both beautiful and kid-friendly. (Yes, really. You don’t have to turn your living room into a foam-padded daycare unless you want to.) The trick is finding décor that’s functional and fits your lifestyle.

So here are 5 practical design tips that have actually worked for us — plus a few favorite products you can try right away.

1. Fabrics = durability, safety, and function

Easy-to-clean surfaces are your friend: microfiber, performance fabrics, leather… basically anything you can wipe down without crying. For rugs, go low pile — it’s much easier to keep clean. (We don’t need a Cheerio graveyard in the family heirloom rug.)

Psst… I used to think wool rugs were off-limits with kids, but they’re actually super forgiving. As long as they’re low pile, they’re stain-resistant and clean up better than you’d think.

2. Furniture = rounded edges, sturdier pieces (and maybe skip the glass)

Glass coffee tables? Gorgeous, but also toddler magnets for bumps and fingerprints. Rounded edges and sturdier materials are just safer.

We’ve found two approaches that work:

• Thrifted/distressed pieces (scratches? Blends right in!)

• Quality built-to-last pieces for areas that don’t get as much toddler traffic

  
  

We do a mix. (Our kitchen table is budget-friendly and our sofa is washable, but our TV stands that are going under the windows — safely out of the way — were worth a little splurge.)

Wish I’d known sooner: a washable sofa is life-changing. Seriously, spaghetti night isn’t nearly as stressful now.

3. Storage, storage, storage

If it hides toys, it’s a win. Built-ins, ottomans, benches, cubbies — all of them help.

Because sometimes I just want my living room to look like adults live here… at least after bedtime. (Spoiler: it doesn’t, but the illusion is nice while it lasts.)

4. “When in doubt, put it out”

Not everything has to be toddler-proof. Kids do need some practice learning boundaries. If your great-aunt has a china cabinet full of glass figurines, they’ll eventually need to learn how to be around it without turning into little wrecking balls.

That said, fragile things don’t need to live at toddler eye-level. (Your antique vase will thank you.) And baby gates + furniture anchors? Still heroes of the story.

5. Let the kids help (if they’re old enough)

Small choices — like picking a throw pillow or basket color — give kids a little ownership. With any luck, they’ll also want to help keep it clean. (Fingers crossed!)

We also try to lead by example: if we put our things away, the hope is they’ll follow suit. (Hope being the keyword here.)

A Little Reminder for Parents

Whenever I’m eyeing beautiful décor I know won’t work right now, I tell myself this:

This stage is temporary. One day, I’ll get to put a beautiful vase right in the middle of the coffee table again. (Right now, it would last about 14 seconds, tops.

Kid-Friendly Décor Ideas You Can Use Right Now

• Battery-operated candles – cozy, safe, toddler-proof.

  • Amazon and Pottery Barn

• Wood figurines – décor + toys = win-win.

  • knots, arches, blocks (throw them in a cute bowl)

• Vases – no shattered mess to worry about.

  • Try wood, woven, acrylic, plastic

• Coasters – let's avoid flying glass frisbees.

  • These are the ones I am going to go with!

  • Other great choices: woven or cork

• Baskets – Hide the toys, call it décor.

  • This is the one we just bought! Y'all, it has so much storage! I’d love to add a bench cushion on top so the kids can sit, cuddle up, and read.

  • Other great picks: seagrass, bamboo, rattan

    
    

    

• Stacking Storage Boxes – cute storage that’s safe.

  • I recommend these

• Faux Books - Hidden storage inside! Throw a wood knot on top a your done!

  • See these faux books

• Poufs – extra seating + toddler jungle gym.

  • Here are some fun poufs

• Throws/blankets – cozy layers that feel high-end

  • You can usually find great deals at HomeGoods, but make sure to grab something with a little fluff so it feels more high-end.

  • This is my absolute favorite blanket. — a bit of a splurge, but so worth it if you want one special piece.

• Washable/changeable pillow covers – because spills happen.

  • See these go-to pillow covers but really any washable covers will work great.

    Quick tip: buy inserts one size bigger than your cover for a fuller, more expensive look. I’ve even doubled up inserts before, but that can get pricey.

So yes, you can have a home that looks put-together and is still kid-friendly. (Will it stay spotless? Absolutely not. But at least it’ll look good in the photos.)

These are the things that have worked for us, but every family has their own secret weapons. What’s yours? Share below so we can all learn from each other.

Designing with a little faith, a lot of coffee, and the occasional DIY fail—see you in the next post!  

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