Davis Remignanti, lead Design Consultant at Furniture.com offers this helpful advice on furnishing a functional home for any family.
* Bunk It: In kids' rooms, bunk beds and lofts are obvious choices for maximizing floor space and today's styles are often packed with built-in storage for clothes and toys.
* Reuse and Recycle: Children's dressers tend to be narrow, with easy to
open drawers and pulls that are close together to fit the proportions of small hands and shorter arm spans. When a dresser is outgrown, move it into a closet for extra storage.
* Creative Storage: Large, colorful plastic storage cubes can hold lots of stuff and can be used as seats or tables. Nesting tables are not only to move between rooms for various uses, but when homework, games and projects are done, they "nest" together to save space.
* Flex Your Furniture: In the living or family room, sectional sofas are cozy for one and comfortable for many. Best of all, these versatile furniture forms often have multiple configurations, which means they'll adapt to any room - and even a new address. If a smaller home is in the future, separate the pieces and use in different rooms.
* Cushion Strategy: Fabrics with a higher thread count and tighter weave are more durable while flat weaves are less likely to fray with frequent use. Regular rotating and vacuuming will prolong the life of sofa cushions.
Removable, washable slipcovers provide protection and easy cleaning for day-to-
* Home Work: Most families designate the kitchen table for homework and paying bills. To host the family computer, choose a corner in the kitchen or family room to tuck away a workstation desk or hutch. Some feature doors to enclose the electronics.
* Sit Right: Regardless if homework is done at a desk or kitchen table,
ergonomics are important. Use an adjustable desk chair, or "raise" the seat with pillows to position children at a comfortable height for the work surface. Avoid dangling feet by adding a footstool or box.
* Plan for Growth. As a family grows, furniture will be transitioned to
different rooms. Selecting classic designs that complement many different decors will ease the move. Even simple styles can be livened up with accessories while maintaining maximum versatility for use in a different room.
"Planning ahead and making the right choices about home furnishings now can go a long way towards ensuring a comfortable, kid-friendly home as your family grows throughout the years," said Remignanti.
About Furniture.com Furniture.com (http://www.furniture.com) offers consumers the best of Internet shopping by merging the convenience, accessibility and ease of online shopping with the proven infrastructure of North America's largest furniture retailers. At Furniture.com, consumers quickly browse, compare and buy brand-name furniture and accessories, find decorating advice and product information, and utilize
interactive design tools. To complete the experience, Levitz, Harlem, and RoomStore Furniture in the U.S., and Leon's Furniture in Canada, provide customer service and fast, in-home delivery.
