You have to make a lot of important decisions when you become a parent. Making sure you live in a kid-friendly home is a crucial - but often ignored - part of welcoming children into your life.
While its true that raising young, energetic kids in your home affects your design choices, there are lots of ways to create a space that will appeal to children and adults alike. It is possible to create a family home that combines aesthetic appeal with the safety and exploration that children need.
After all, wear and tear is an inevitable part of life with kids! Tracking in dirt, scratching floors, and making messes is an inherent part of any childhood, but that doesn't mean you can’t have a beautiful home alongside the growing pains. We'll teach you why tiles are an ideal match for child-friendly homes and provide some interior ideas for you to explore.
Just because you have kids in your home doesn't mean you have to sacrifice function for style. You can still have the interior design of your dreams with kid-friendly and stain-resistant options!
Why are tiles great for a kid-friendly home?
Durability should rank high on your list of essential qualities when you have kids at home. While hardwood and carpet are stunning and cozy options, the former is easily scratched and damaged while the latter attracts dirt and stains.
Materials like porcelain, ceramic, and glass, however, are resistant to hard play. They also offer multitudes of styles to complement any home. They're durable, easy to clean and resist stains and spills. Plus, they come in various colors and textures, so you can create a fun and inviting space that your kids will love, while still feeling that your home is appealing to adults. Tiles are a safe low-maintenance floor option, too, since they don't harbor dust or allergens like carpets. And if you ever need to replace a piece or sheet, it's relatively simple and inexpensive to make your floors and walls look like new again!
So how do you transform an interior space from sleek and curated into a practical, safe, and stylish environment that caters to,messy little humans? Keep reading for more info on family home design and kid-friendly material ideas.
Advantages of Tiles for a Kid-friendly Home
When it comes to spills, porcelain is a great way to keep things tidy. With their easy-to-clean surfaces, you can find aesthetically pleasing designs that keep up with your family's busy lifestyle. A great choice? Our triangular Melange wall and floor tile. It has a visual pattern that's modern and lovable, with porcelain durability that’s easy to clean.
They're low-maintenance - We all know a parent’s job is never done. Wouldn't it be great to cut down on cleaning and have more time to play with your kids? Thankfully tile floors and walls are a low-maintenance dream! They easily wipe clean so you’ll spend less time out of your busy day scrubbing stains out of carpets or markers off your walls. You can easily clean up spilled food and muddy footprints with a damp cloth.
Want an all-white interior but worried about pristine surfaces with kids around? Turn your dreams into a reality with glass tiles! These beautiful mosaics resist both stains and damage. Take it from this chic coastal design using our Fabrique White Hexagon Glass Mosaic.
Damage-and-stain-resistant walls and floors - White carpets? They stain. Kid’s shoes? They get dirty. Tiles? They are your saving grace for years to come. Splashes, dropped food, and tracked-in mud are the norm with kids at home. But there's no need to despair – mosaic floors are remarkably resilient.
Need more reasons? These kid-friendly home materials are durable, stylish, and easy to care for – everything you need to keep your home looking its best. In addition, they aren’t damaged by spills while hardwood floors or laminate can warp and swell if they come into contact with water.
Create a Hygienic Home
We especially love that tile is a hygienic choice for a kid-friendly home that doesn’t harbor allergens like pet dander and dust. And while these irritants may settle on the surface, tile is the easiest material to clean and disinfect. If you want to soften areas where little ones play, washable area rugs are a great option to toss over your floors.
Finally, they're safe for kids -
Since safety is a primary concern when it comes to raising kids, it’s important to choose slip-resistant flooring for bathrooms, kitchens, showers, and even patios. When you opt for a slip-resistant floor, you're choosing peace of mind when it comes to the safety of active little ones.
Tiles are an optimal flooring material in wet areas to help avoid little ones from falling when they get out of the tub or take a shower. In addition, using a mosaic pattern on the floor provides more grout lines - more grout lines equals more grip and less risk of slipping getting in and out of the shower or bath.. As for walls and accent spaces: the rounded corners of pencil and bullnose trim pieces eliminate sharp edges around fireplaces and shower walls.
So, as you can see, if you're looking for a durable, easy-to-maintain flooring or wall-covering option, these family-friendly interior ideas should be at the top of your list.
So, what types of tile work in a kid-friendly home?
There are so many tiles to choose from, so how do you choose the right one for your family's home?
We have you covered with kid-friendly home building materials that can stand up to spills, stains, and scuffs.
Here are a few materials that are perfect for homes with kids:
Chateau Blue Sprig is an excellent choice for a family home. It has visual movement and a fun color palette that's kid-appropriate.
Ceramic tile is a great way to add style to your home while making it more appropriate for children. Not only is it easy to clean, but it's also hypoallergenic. That means it won't contribute to the Dust Bunny population that seems to take up residence in every home with young children. Plus, it's durable and stain resistant, so you won't have to worry about your little ones ruining your beautiful new floors or scrawling markers across your walls. So if you're looking for a wall covering that is both stylish and child-approved, ceramic tile is the way to go.
Sea Glass Blue Hexagon Glass Tile adds a soothing, coastal vibe that kids will love. The handpoured look of these stunning designs are also stylish enough for adults who love interior design!
Glass tile: Shiny, bright, and glossy – Glass is a perfect choice for family homes. It's highly durable, stain resistant, and make for a low-maintenance floor or wall tile design. They’re quick to wipe clean, so you can scrub off macaroni and cheese with ease. In addition, there are gorgeously bright colors that work well for a boy or girl's bathroom.
Glass mosaics look fantastic with visually interesting mosaic patterns that can catch the attention of children. Whether used as a backsplash, accent wall, or on shower walls and bathtub surrounds, glass tile is a practical finish that’s eco-friendly, impervious to water, and easy to care for.
Porcelain tile: Porcelain is a great choice for high-traffic areas because it's strong, slip-resistant, and durable. We especially love porcelain for its amazing chameleon qualities. It can resemble natural materials like wood or even luxurious marble. Unlike their natural counterparts, however, porcelain won’t absorb water or stains. Plus, it's easy to clean and maintain, making it perfect for families with kids. Hello, longevity (a rarity in a family home!).
Button tiles are a fun option for your home. They come in an assortment of bold colors that kids will love. Plus, the porcelain bodies are low-maintenance.
The outstanding features of porcelain make it a sophisticated and desirable choice for a low-maintenance home. Its superior strength and hardwearing qualities mean it can be part of daily life for spills, accidents, or scratches…and survive, making it a low-maintenance floor for busy areas in the home.
Delivering the appearance of distressed hardwood accompanied by the exceptional strength and longevity of porcelain, Retro Blanco Hex is a kid-friendly flooring option that’s sure to stand the test of time.
With these options, you can create a beautiful and durable space that your family will enjoy for years to come.
Family Home Interior Ideas To Inspire You
As previously mentioned, it’s possible to create a stylish home while keeping it functional enough for a growing child. There are plenty of kid-friendly interior ideas that don't sacrifice style for utility, so you can create an environment the entire family will enjoy for years to come.
Family Kitchen Design Ideas
When designing the heart and soul of the home for family meals and enjoying each other’s company. You’ll want to think about layout, storage, durability, and of course, ways to add style and charm. As you may know, the kitchen fascinates our tiny humans. After all, it’s a space with many drawers to open, buttons to press, and all the yummy things!
Kitchens floors are sure to take the most punishment from active little ones. Low-maintenance flooring with wood-look porcelain combines durability, high quality, and exquisite allure, making it a brilliant interior idea.
- Open up the space
If you’re building from new and need a space to accommodate the youngest members of the household, consider a kitchen layout that enables plenty of movement. This is best achieved with a central island or an open floor plan. Maintaining easy flow within the space is key to functionality.
Designing a kid-friendly home still allows you to inject distinctive personality into your décor scheme. Spanish Siesta Mosaic is both functional and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. We’re sure your little one will love the bold play of color and pattern while you’ll love the creative style and low-maintenance!
And the best part is you can infuse style and pizzazz by creating an eye-catching design statement around the kitchen island. Glass mosaic tiles look stunning laid on the base of the island, adding visual appeal and extra dimension to the scheme of things.
To infuse a sense of movement and cohesion in your kitchen, use the same style for a striking backsplash or accent wall. The best part about backsplash tiles? They require minimal upkeep when cleaning up after dinner and putting little ones to bed!
- Create a pantry with style
If you need a unique kitchen solution for a chaotic breakfast-before-school war zone, a butler's pantry may be the perfect integration. The biggest brag about having a sizable “behind-the-scene” space is that it eases a high-traffic family kitchen of all the gear from day-to-day morning routine and keeps it running smoothly.
Choosing a unique pattern, like this black and white Boulevard Nero Marquina and Carrara Marble Mosaic, is enough to liven up the space in a white pantry.
But unlike your regular old pantry, a modern-day butler's pantry can be a handy addition that combines style and functionality. An easy way to inject character is to create an accent wall behind floating shelves. Little ones will love creative kitchen storage with baskets of snacks they can grab themselves (and that you approve of).
Alternatively, you can keep your walls neutral and set the scene with an eye-grabbing floor design. The strength, high rigidity rating, and moisture-tight surface of porcelain floor tiles, whether neutral or bold, make it a brilliant choice for a space prone to spills, scratches, and high foot traffic.
The Bathroom
The bathroom is another room in the home that kids find fascinating. To create a space that encourages your little ones to “do it themselves”, make sure to incorporate these stylish, functional, and easy to clean interior ideas.
Perfect for every corner of the house, White Striped Diamonds Marble Mosaic is functional and practical without sacrificing style and sophistication. This wall and floor tile will last for years, even with kids in the house, provided it is sealed periodically. If you’re looking to create an upscale and refined kid-friendly home, this material is not only useful but alluring too.
- Consider safety first
Installing both open and closed storage is an excellent way to keep your bathroom organized and safe for little ones. A closed medicine cabinet allows you to keep things like medication out of reach. Add in low open shelving means bathroom essentials are visible and easily accessed by all ages. Combining safety and accessibility are key for a kid-friendly home.
You can always take inspiration from this home’s bathroom. The use of a luxury metallic tile creates an elegant space. Thanks to the porcelain body, it’s sturdy and strong. So, this time bath time is mom-and-child-approved! Spa day for you, and splash time for them! A win-win, in our opinion.
- Lay non-slip floor material
It's crucial to consider puddles and messes that may result in slippery surfaces. Anti-slip floor tiles provide enough grip to decrease the likelihood of falls and injuries at bathtime. And because there are so many styles available, you can can create a playful and safe floor design!
- Add a practical yet stylish backsplash
Inevitably, kids will splash a lot of water around the sink. As a result, a backsplash that’s waterproof and easy to clean makes for a great fit! This is a fantastic spot to create a focal point with a striking backsplash that packs plenty of texture. For instance, a brightly colored mosaic backsplash tile that continues up to the ceiling protects the drywall from getting soggy while giving presence and personality to the room’s overall design.
Our Blue and White Hexagon Glass isn’t only a practical choice for busy mornings, but its blue tones inject a sense of calm, making this space a fun escape for your little one.
Kid-friendly interior ideas are bound to be fun. Diamond Mauve Rose Glass is the perfect addition to a little girl's bathroom. The glass tile can stand against messes and provide a beautiful backdrop for years to come.
While marble tiles require more upkeep than other materials, they make the list of family-friendly interior ideas. Why? They are durable and, quite frankly, gorgeous to look at. If you want to create an atmosphere of chic luxury, marble is our top pick. This beautiful primary bathroom uses our Daisy Paper White Mosaic as an accent wall design.
This kid-friendly home is a prime example of how you can have a luxurious, glam interior, even with small children. Using a durable and gorgeous hexagon mosaic glass on the wall infuses the space with style. This room is the perfect balance of form and function.
Family Living Area Ideas
A living room designed with kids in mind doesn’t have to sacrifice style. With the right finishings, this space can be turned into a fun and uplifting room your kids will enjoy.
- Create a fun living space
When designing a kid-friendly living area, use it as an excuse to create a space that evokes a fun atmosphere. We encourage going bold with material choices as a way to make the room feel warm and welcoming.
Our Norwegian Rose and Thassos Mini Scale Marble Mosaic adds striking appeal that’s sure to capture the heart of anyone who steps into the room! Add a fireplace grate or barrier to create a safe distance between children and wood-burning or gass fireplaces.
This can be achieved by adding tile to your fireplace surround or transforming one wall into an accent feature that draws the eye. With a huge range of patterns and visual textures to pick from, mosaic patterns add creativity walls without detracting from the rooms’ other design elements. Unlike wallpaper or painted walls, you don’t have to worry about stains from markers, paint, or other splattered substances. Use soap and water or a gentle cleaner to wipe up any messes kids might make.
Decorating a family home can be a challenge. You may want the warmth and beauty of hardwood floors, but the reality is that small children and pets can do a number on delicate surfaces like wood. Fortunately, there is the perfect balance between form and function: porcelain wood floors. Our wood-look Kasai floor tile captures the look of reclaimed wood floors, but it's durable enough to stand up to heavy use, thrown toys, and accidents. Best of all, it's easy to clean, so you can keep your home looking its best. If you're searching for stylish and kid-friendly flooring, porcelain wood floors are the way to go!
- Large-format tiles with fewer grout lines
Committing to large format tiles will not only simplify the look and feel of your interior but also give the impression of spaciousness and fewer dirt-attracting grout lines. Minimal grout lines mean less upkeep and we’re all for that!
Staying organized is always a challenge with young kids at home. However, having a centralized spot to enter and exit the house makes things easier. We love this home's mudroom design using our Teardrops Marble Mosaic Waterjet. The bold pattern makes this entryway adult-approved, but unlike wallpaper, the material can keep up with the splashes from wet dogs or dirt tracked in from your little kids.
It's no secret that kids can be messy. From sticky fingerprints on walls to crayon marks on the furniture, it can sometimes feel like they're constantly leaving a trail of chaos in their wake. So one of our favorite tricks is to use peel-and-stick tile as a backsplash design. Not only does it add a touch of flair to the room, but it's also durable enough to stand up to even the most active kids. And when it's time for a new look, peel off the old designs and apply new ones. It's the perfect solution for families who love change.
We mentioned that button tiles could be an excellent option for home designs with kids. Well, now we're showing you why! This laundry room got a facelift with our bold Turquoise blue button rounds for a backsplash behind the washer and dryer. The fun color will delight your kids and brighten up laundry day!
Those are just some of the inspirational kid-approved designs we have for you to explore. There are plenty more ideas for kid’s bathroom and flooring options for family homes that have both pets as well as kids.
Create Your Kid-Approved Home With Tile
Kids are messy. It's a fact of life. You can try to limit their messes, but eventually, they will happen. And when they do, you will want a surface that's easy to clean. That's where tiles come in. In sum, they are the perfect solution for all your family's less than pristine moments. They're easy to wipe down and don't require special cleaners. Plus, they come in a variety of colors and styles so that you can find the perfect match for your home. So next time your kids make a mess, reach for the tiles. They're the best way to keep your family home looking its best.
