The beauty of a newly built, customized home is that it can be designed with even the youngest members of your family in mind without sacrificing luxury or style. Designing a new custom home with child safety in mind is crucial for families with young children or those planning to have children in the future. Below are some child safety tips to consider.
Open Floor Plans
When planning the design of your custom home project, consider opting for an open floor plan. Open designs allow parents to keep an eye on their kids from various parts of the home. Open floor plans are also great for allowing natural light into your home, creating space for entertaining and embracing a modern feel.
Sharp Corners
When picking out furniture and countertops, look for rounded corners that pose less of a risk of injury to children. Rounded corners are also less prone to chipping over time from everyday use.
Electrical Safety
Building your new home from scratch grants families control over where electrical outlets are placed in the home. Outlets should be placed high and out of reach of small children and have tamper-resistant outlets. Once you have moved into your custom home, remember to keep electrical cords organized and out of reach.
Stair Safety
If you are building a multi-level custom home, ensure that stairways are not too steep and have handrails on both sides. When your family has moved in, install gates at the top and bottom if you have young children.
Window Safety
To keep your new home safely childproofed, avoid low windows that children can easily open. Install window guards or stops to prevent windows from opening too wide and keep window blind cords out of reach or choose to use cordless window coverings.
Flooring
An often-overlooked element to be mindful of when choosing child-safe features of your uniquely designed home is the flooring. Choose non-slip flooring, especially in areas like the bathroom and kitchen.
Fireplace Safety
If you have a fireplace in your new home, install a sturdy screen or barrier around it. Store tools and wood out of children’s reach.
Pool and Water Safety
If you are installing a pool or hot tub in your family’s dream home, ensure it’s surrounded by a self-latching gate. Install alarms on doors leading to the pool area and use a pool cover for added safety.
Tripping Hazards
Ensure there are no abrupt changes in floor levels, or clearly mark them if they’re necessary. Secure rugs to the floor.
Furniture and TVs
Anchor heavy furniture, such as dressers and bookcases, to the wall to prevent them from tipping over.
Nursery Safety
Make sure cribs meet current safety standards. Keep cords, including those from baby monitors, out of the crib.
Garage Safety
Store hazardous materials out of reach, ensure tools and machinery are stored safely, and consider door pinch guards for garage doors.
Elevated Areas
For areas like balconies or lofts, ensure railings are spaced closely enough that a child cannot fit through.
Alarm Systems
Consider integrated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and a home alarm system in your new home.
As your family grows and your children’s abilities change, the safety needs to be considered in your custom-built home will evolve. The benefit of building a home uniquely tailored to your needs is that you can update the features over time. As a team, LaFollette Custom Homes has over 65 years of combined experience in custom home building and custom home design. We are committed to ensuring your dream is built the way you want it, with the quality and attention to detail you expect. Contact us today to talk to a builder who understands your family’s dreams and desires.