Whether you live in the city or have land, living in a small space with kids requires careful planning. It requires thoughtful attention to your furniture choices, layout, and flexible spaces. You need to make your home feel comfortable, healthy, safe, and fun for your family with kids.

Vertical Space
If you don’t have space to spare, that doesn’t mean you have to give up your floor lamps, lush palm trees, and favorite books. Install smart furniture, like an entryway shelf, and use incidental shelving, like a ledge above your bed.

Hang Freely
Love plants but don’t have enough space for a big, beautiful pot? Try hanging plants from the ceiling. Not only get a dramatic, flowing display of plants, but you’ll also keep your floor clean. In addition to the patio area, you can hang them along the tops of kitchen cabinets. More sunlight for the plants; more space for you and your family to play and relax.

Smart Shelves
One of the most obvious solutions, but a great one nonetheless. Modern shelving allows for smart display space and storage. While you may have used a small shelf near your front door, corner shelves or long shelves near the ceiling are a great way to utilize open space and draw the eye upward.

Play with Layout
You can play around with the layout of your home a bit. For example, place two modern rugs that separate the living room from the flex area. Similar in color and texture, the rectangular rug hosts the living room furniture while the round rug serves as a place for the kids to play and relax. Comfortable, plush rugs are a great way to create visual separation in a space and contribute to a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.

Keep It Open
If you like open, minimalist spaces, get rid of the kitchen island when you move into your new home. Even if you have less room to store your kitchenware, mugs, and dinnerware, you’ll have more room to move around, and the ability to add a mid-century modern dining table for entertaining friends and family.

–sh