Adults v kids: design for household harmony

With family life comes stuff galore, and a once tidy, tranquil room or garden can quickly become less peaceful when it’s awash with gaudy plastic toys. But it is possible to create harmony across the generations – even when school’s out for summer.

Few people have a spare room to turn into a playroom. But even if a dedicated room isn’t possible, choosing one room – whether a child’s bedroom or a reception room – as the focus for indoor play can help keep children’s clutter contained, avoiding toys and mess being spread across the whole house.

Wherever they play, storage for toys and other paraphernalia is essential. Wheeled or stackable wooden or plastic storage boxes are great; opt for those with a lid to keep the clutter out of sight and out of mind. Footstools or side tables that offer hidden storage can also be a great option, offering somewhere to stow any discarded toys or books once the children have gone to bed and helping you to quickly reclaim the space as your own.

Kids love being outside. But aim for a garden design that lets you quickly switch from children’s playground to sophisticated entertaining space. If space allows, consider sheds, storage boxes or simply a screened-off an area where the Cozy Coupe can park up at night. For larger objects such as swings and climbing frames, designs made of wood will offer a natural aesthetic that blends into the nearby trees, plants and fences, offering a more tasteful backdrop for serene evening drinks than brightly coloured plastics.

With no school to keep the kids occupied, chaos at home is to be expected. But with a bit of thought about design and – crucially – storage, it is possible for multiple generations to coexist harmoniously.