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36 bmag.com.au I Read Brisbane’s Best
bliving
Interiors
Child’s play
Actually, there’s more than fun and games to consider
when creating a children’s playroom, writes Rachel Syers
A
playroom for the kids is usually the
brightest space in your home for
maximum fun and games, but before
you even begin dreaming up the colour
schemes and funky furniture, the most
important consideration has to be safety.
No matter what the age of your mini-me,
the aim is to provide a space for them to
grow, learn and blossom...all the while
staying safe. “When furnishing a room
to be used by children – especially if
there will be times that they may
be unattended – you want the
furniture to inspire and introduce
a sense of fun, but you also need
to make sure it is going to be safe
for them without having to worry
about accidents,” explains David
Liekari, director of Bambino Home
at Underwood. “To achieve this balance, a
lot of it comes down to common sense and,
thankfully, most products now have a strong
focus on safety through the use of rounded
corners and safety bars.”
You won’t need to hunt high or low either,
with many items easily accessible from stores
such as Bunnings, which stocks everything
from popular child safety gates that fit
hallways, stairs and doorways, to keyed outlet
plugs to block electric wall sockets.
To keep up with changing technology,
there are even flat screen TV straps that secure
the back of the television to the wall. “If not
mounted properly, a flat screen television
becomes a hazard that could easily topple
over,” says Paul Bailey, home hardware
and safety buyer for Bunnings. He also
recommends the use of corner protectors.
“Sharp table and bench corners are often at
a toddler’s head height and are a common
hazard for injuries,” Bailey says.
David Liekari suggests sourcing innovative
designs that combine fun, function and
safety. “Novelty chairs and couches are all
the rage and there are padded chairs in the
shape of soccer and basketballs, as well as
those shaped as hands, which combine great
fun and visual impact with the safety of thick
padding and protection,” he says.
Another playroom practicality to consider
is maximising play space and storage for all
those toys and games. “Keeping the design and
layout simple, whilst avoiding too much clutter,
can certainly help in freeing up space for your
children to move around in,” says Liekari.
To clear the clutter, the key is to have a
place for everything adds Cathy Player, the
organisation expert at Howards Storage World.
“For example, placing items in baskets within
a cupboard is much more organised than
simply placing items on shelves...and put
labels on everything – kids love to show off
how well they can read,” says Player.
She emphasises that storage options can be
inexpensive and far from boring, with designs
like Tubtrugs from $13.95, which are colourful,
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