Children's furniture in the family area - one place for everyone

We are big fans of combining children's and parents' areas in such a way that both children and parents benefit and feel comfortable. Separate rooms for separate living areas make sense, of course. But especially with (small) children, family life often takes place in the shared living area. And that's a wonderful thing, because security and closeness are the key to a trusting relationship between parents and children and are particularly essential during childhood.
We have collected a few arguments and concrete ideas on how you can turn your family area into a child- and adult-friendly place where you can play and learn, chat and talk, laugh and cry, cook and eat and simply live together.

Imitation

Children learn an incredible amount through imitation. They look at how adults do things and then simply do the same. When parents are in the kitchen cooking, children naturally want to join in. There's nothing better than placing the UMI play kitchen for the little ones right next to the large kitchen. This way, the children can spend time in their kitchen alongside their big role models and learn a few tricks. Everything is at eye level and easily accessible for little hands.
The kitchen equipment here can be very simple and individualised. With the help of a child's imagination, they can conjure up the most delicious dishes from a few buttons and chestnuts anyway.

Belonging

Children are part of our families and part of society. It is therefore also important that they are given the space to be present. And, of course, without them being expected to behave like little adults, but in such a way that they can simply be children. Even outside the children's room.
If there are clear areas for the children's play materials in the family's living area, children realise that they naturally belong and that there is space for their needs and interests.
Our SHIZU play stand can be used as an open shelf for this purpose, where play materials can be sorted and stored in baskets or boxes and everything has its place.

Low-hanging RIN shelves with books or smaller play materials also enable independent access and show the selection options. The contents can be rotated from time to time and orientated to the season, current interests or upcoming events.

Independence

Furniture designed for children should fulfil several criteria. One of these is: promote independence. This means that it should take into account the size or short stature of children and that they do not need any help to use it.
Children's furniture in the family area of the home should therefore ideally also take place in the wardrobe area. A place where independence is particularly valuable and visible: taking the jacket off the hook and putting it on yourself. Put your shoes on yourself. What else is missing? Hat. Scarf. Grab it yourself, put it on, do a quick check and off you go.
Our YORI shelf, for example, is ideal as a small coat rack because its hooks and storage space allow you to hang up jackets independently as well as store hats and small items. With an AKI or HARU stool underneath, there is even a small storage or seating area.

Organisation

As time is a very abstract quantity for children (and to a certain extent for adults too), they are usually ‘exposed’ to our everyday routines to a certain extent. Information such as ‘in two hours’, ‘in two days’ or ‘in two weeks’ is difficult to grasp. It is therefore important and a relief for everyone if children have age-appropriate access to and an overview of their routines, appointments and special highlights in the year.
In order to support the sense of time in everyday life, it is often a good orientation for children if there is an accessible weekly schedule that is easy to ‘read’ depending on their age. Our MASARU pinboard shelf can be the basis for this and make everyday life with daycare, school, hobbies and appointments a little clearer for children too, so that they can be more involved in processes. In this way, organisation can become a common theme in which everyone can contribute and help shape.

Interaction

In the hustle and bustle of everyday family life with children, there is always something to do. The children are around you a lot at home, but you have to consciously set aside real quality time to really spend time together. In our experience, such important interactions between older and younger children are much easier to realise when the activities of both are closer together. If children can also play in the living area and not just in the children's room, such moments are much more likely to occur and lead to parents also letting go of their chores for a while and moving into the here and now together with the children. Simply enjoying the moment while playing or talking together is enormously valuable for the relationship between parents and children. Because as crude as it may sound, there is something to the saying ‘Our everyday life is their childhood’.
Thanks to their design, our ZINZAN and NOZOMI tables are not only wonderful play tables, but also great and aesthetic coffee tables. They can be used in different ways depending on current needs and are therefore suitable for the whole family.

Creativity

Creativity doesn't work at the touch of a button, that's for sure. And when a good idea comes up, it has to be realised straight away. It is ideal for this that there is a small creative corner that is easily accessible for children and where they can find a selection of materials to play creatively, paint or do handicrafts. This invites them to get started spontaneously at any time.
Our HARU Large stool as a small table and AKI as matching seating are perfect in combination for such a small creative area. Add a small trolley with materials and your ideas can come to life.

When furniture is beautiful, practical and suitable for children, it easily finds a place in the living space of the whole family and enriches life together. Although our GRIMM'S furniture is children's furniture and designed to meet the needs of children, it is not limited to children alone. That's why we deliberately call it children's furniture and not children's room furniture. They also take into account the need of many adults for aesthetic harmony and thus ensure a win-win situation for young and old.