4 Family-Friendly Home Design Ideas to Make Life Easier

Have you ever thought about ways to make your house work harder for you so you can take things a bit easier? As residential architects, we think about that every day. More than just beautiful, more than just functional, we design family-friendly houses that help smooth the way for their occupants. It’s important to us – and our clients – that a home simplifies daily tasks. Nurtures a sense of refuge and respite. And makes it easy to have fun! Here are four of our favorite ways to ensure your home helps make life easier for your family:

1. Focus on the mudroom

We all know how hectic leaving the house can be. Take mornings, for example: between making breakfast, packing lunches, gathering backpacks and homework and permission slips, and finding that last missing shoe, it can be a challenge to get out the door on time. A carefully planned mudroom can simplify your exit routine any time of day and allow every member of the family to leave the house without rush, worry, or frustration. We love to create a combination of mudroom storage that includes hooks, benches, open shelves, and concealed cabinets to corral everything from snow boots and soccer cleats to sunscreen and library books. This way, everything has a designated space to be stored, and can easily be retrieved when it’s time to leave the house.

2. Incorporate a kitchen island

We could devote countless blog posts to the many benefits of having an island in your kitchen – and we have! One of the biggest is that an island acts as a natural magnet. Guests love to congregate around one while you cook. They’re great for setting up buffets. They’re also ideal as homework spots, craft project assembly areas, and places to spend a free moment together connecting at the end of a busy school day. Seal the stone on your island to prevent stains from magic markers and red wine, include comfy seating around it, and you’ll have created one of the best places we know to bring people together.

3. Provide quiet space for reading and studying

Of course, sometimes, we all need a sanctuary removed from the hustle and bustle of household activities to focus on quiet pursuits. Teens will appreciate privacy and seclusion as they study. This could take the form of a desk, upholstered chair, and reading lamp in their bedroom. Or it could translate to a dedicated study space meant just for homework, with workstations for each child that include a horizontal surface, charging stations for laptops and e-readers, and file drawers. A desk placed beneath a window in a less-trafficked area of your home can entice you to pen a thank you note or pay a bill – or relax with a cup of tea as you dream about next season’s garden!

4. Easily entertain kids and other families

There are so many ways to make your house the one where everyone loves to gather. An outdoor sport court or a basement gym are always a big draw. So are media rooms and swimming pools. Bunk rooms make it a breeze to host extended family at holidays, or the entire soccer team for a weekend overnight. Include refrigerator drawers in your kitchen plans and guests will always be able to help themselves to beverages without crossing the cook’s path – as long as you site the drawers outside your work triangle.

After more than thirty years in the residential architecture and interior design business, we know a thing or two about designing family-friendly homes. For more great ideas and inspiration, check out our website. Or follow us on Pinterest and Instagram, where you’ll find inspiration galore!

Morgante Wilson Architects provides architectural and interior design services in Chicago, Deerfield, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Northfield, Ravinia, Wilmette, and Winnetka – along with Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Utah, Wisconsin, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.