Kid-friendly small home design ideas
Do you have a growing family? Discover how you can design a small home that's perfect for your little ones.
Making a kid-friendly small home
Small homes are very popular among Kiwi families, and what’s not to love? They’re small, cozy, and they have a lot of heart! But sometimes, having a small home can be a bit of a challenge when you have little ones.
In most cases, a small home doesn’t always have a kid-friendly design—they’re usually more suited for single people or couples who haven’t started a family yet. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a small home for your family; it just means you need to get a bit creative with the design!
With a few clever tweaks here and there, you can come up with a small home design that you and your family can live in comfortably, without worrying about typical challenges small homes put up.
How to create a small home design that’s perfect for a family with kids
Here are a few design considerations for a kid-friendly small home:
Open floor plan
Use an open floor plan that will make the living areas feel spacious and interconnected. This also helps to keep an eye on your kids while you’re doing other chores such as cooking. Also, an open layout helps in selecting flexible furniture and can adapt to your family’s needs.
Built-in storage
Install a built-in storage system to keep messiness at bay and make the most out of your space. This can include installing under-stairs storage, shelves, or hidden seat compartments. Clever storage options will help keep toys, books, and other stuff safely packed away.
Play areas
Create a play area—however small it may be. This could be a corner of the living room with toy storage or a loft area converted to a kids’ area. Devoting an area of the house as a playground can help you avoid mess and give your kids their own little space to have fun in.
Indoor-outdoor flow
Build a seamless flow between your home’s interior and exterior using huge windows or doors that are mobile. Not only does this design let in natural light and enable a good view of the outside, but it also encourages your little ones to go out and explore the outdoors.
Adaptable spaces
Create a space that can grow and evolve with your family. For instance, you could include a nursery in your small home design that can easily be converted into a room for a toddler once your child is old enough or be turned into a storage space if your child changes rooms.
Natural light
Natural light is always good for a growing family. So try to incorporate large windows into your home design to let in plenty of sunlight. This can also help give your kids a great view of the outdoors that may encourage them to start exploring nature when they’re old enough.
Create a beautiful small home for your growing family
Here’s what our customers say about us
FAQs
Look for durable, easy-to-clean flooring options such as laminate or vinyl. Carpet tiles and rugs can add warmth and comfort, but make sure to choose materials that are stain-resistant and easy to wash. Also, consider installing slip-resistant flooring.
This comes down to your small home design. Generally, a small home should comfortably accommodate two parents and two children. If you have a bigger family, speak to your home builder about optimizing the design to accommodate your whole family.
Small homes require less electricity, cooling, and heating than their larger counterparts. This makes them more energy-efficient. They’re also easier and cheaper to maintain.