Our homes should be a place that facilitates our health and growth—from our physical health to our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. One of the biggest positive contributors to our general well-being and our children is close family ties.
When kids grow up with supportive and affectionate parents, they are more likely to have healthy psychological functioning for the rest of their lives. Our homes need to be the first place that facilitates this connection. If you are building your dream home and want its layout and design to help cultivate closer family ties, here are some design tips and ideas to consider.
Opt for an open floor space plan
An open floor space plan is a home layout wherein two or more of the common areas are joined together to form one massive space. This layout has become the go-to for modern home architecture and became one of the markers of a distinctly 21st-century house. The reason this layout is so ideal for families who want to foster closer relationships is that it provides more chances to hang out and spend time together, even when everyone is doing different things.
Parents cooking in the kitchen can freely chat with their kids who are doing their homework in the dining room, while family members watching TV can always jump back to the kitchen to help other family members prepare some snacks.
There was a short time during the height of the pandemic when people started debating about the open floor space plan versus the traditional plan because homeowners and experts posited that COVID-19 might need families to have more opportunities for social and physical distancing.
Still, it was a debate that ultimately ended quickly since nothing beats an open floor concept in modernity and builds stronger relationships in the family. So not only is an open concept good for your familial relationships, but it will modernize and increase the value of your home, too.
Devote one area or room for entertainment and bonding
If you have an extra room, a basement, or an attic, consider dedicating that one room for family bonding times. No one is allowed to work or do homework; its sole purpose is for family members to talk, play, watch some movies, and eat together. Here are some key design ideas to remember when building this room:
- Make sure it’s as comfortable as it can be. If you live in a state with extreme weather, contact your heating and cooling service contractor to ensure that that room always has a comfortable temperature all year round.
- When choosing what games or entertainment units to place in the room, make sure that everything you put in is something your family will enjoy. A pinball machine or a retro arcade game may be a good conversation starter, but they rarely increase in value, and they mean even less if none of your kids are interested or find them entertaining. Know what your family enjoys—from games to music to movies and everything pop culture—and focus on those things for the entertainment room.
Know your family’s values
What are the values that your family holds dear? Is it education, integrity, faith, close relationships? Whatever it is that your family values the most, make sure that it is reflected in your home. One example is reading. If most of you have a love for books, consider adding a library to your home. A floor-to-ceiling shelf filled with your family’s most favorite and beloved books might be a wonderful haven for all of you.
If building close relationships with your community is important, make sure that your living room and outdoor living spaces are always ready to welcome guests. Entertaining guests together can be a good way to teach your kids how important it is to maintain close relationships with people you can trust, and it will allow your kids to grow in a safe, healthy, and loving community, too. It takes a village to raise a child, after all.
Make room for changes
And lastly, create a home that is always open to evolution and changes—especially if your kids are on the younger side. Understand that their interests may shift and that you may need to mix it up eventually. Let everything flow organically lest you make your children feel forced into spending time.
The home should be the safest space for families—one where children can feel safe to be themselves. Don’t neglect home design and let your children grow up in a house they can look back on with fondness and delight.
