Plan the Right Remodel for (and with) Your Kids

Today, we talk about how to plan for a remodel that can grow with your family. One of the things we can still do while we all #stayhome to flatten the curve is dream about and plan for the future. So let’s get into the details of planning a great remodel for (and with) your kids!

By the way, if you’re here for more practical advice on how to engage your at-home kids in design thinking, check out last week’s episode! That (plus some advice on how to re-arrange your existing spaces to make more room for everyone right now) was geared to the current Covid moment. This week we’re looking a little further ahead to how you may want to adjust your home for the future.

I’m going to cover a few related ideas today.

First, how designing for a family is a bit different than designing for a single person or a couple. (Hint: it’s mostly that homes for parents need to work even harder for their owners than the average house.)

Next, I want to underline this key idea: families planning a remodel need to design flexibly so that their homes can accomodate a lifetimes’ worth of transitions. The constant with kids … is change

Finally, your kids will always love their spaces more if they are engaged in the process of creating them. Let’s talk about how to help your kids plug into the design process without going completely crazy. I’ll share my favorite tip for kid-friendly DIY: family painting projects. I grew up on these and turned into an architect. What can it do for your kids?

sketch of modernist kids bunk bed on desk

In today’s episode you’ll hear …

The three best ways we can engage with design while we are all stuck at home during #shelterinplace [1:19]
What makes designing for families with kids different than designing for anyone else (hint: its that parent’s are working harder than the rest of us and need their homes to pull serious weight) [2:59]
My little rant about how you don’t need a formal living room (ever) but you might want a living room and a den in a household with kids or teen [5:05]
How … and why … to plan for change when you design a remodel for a household with children [7:36]
The ideal bedroom to kid ratio for your lifestyle. This might surprise you [9:05]
How having your kids help you with design uses one of my favorite green remodeling principles (go bold with the easily changed things) [15:40]
Why painting is the best DIY remodeling activity to get your kids engaged with … or try yourself … and how it may have turned me into an architect! [16:35]