Making It Home: Simple Decorating Ideas for the Whole Family

Posts contain affiliate links, see disclosure for more details.

Turning a house into a home doesn’t require a designer’s degree or a shopping spree that ends with a delivery truck blocking your driveway. What does it take? A bit of thought, some family teamwork, and a good dose of personality. Whether you’re decorating your first apartment, a shared rental, or a home that’s been in the family for years, making the space feel like you should be easy, fun, and totally judgment-free.

Start With the Stories

Decorating isn’t about keeping up with the showroom next door. It’s about filling your space with memories and meaning. That hand-painted mug your kid made? Put it somewhere visible. Grandma’s old lamp? Give it a new shade and let it shine. Whether it’s photos, travel souvenirs, or flea market treasures, these pieces are conversation starters and identity builders.

Your home should say, “This is us”—without needing to shout.

Choose Colors That Work for Everyone

You don’t need to go full rainbow to make a space feel family-friendly. Even neutral tones can be cozy with the right textures and accents. Try layering soft throws, adding cushions with playful patterns, or picking out one bold feature wall that brings energy into the room.

When in doubt, use color where it won’t scare you later—art, accessories, and soft furnishings can be swapped out easily without a full redo.

Art Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive

We’ve all stood staring at a blank wall thinking, “It needs something.” That something doesn’t have to be the original Picasso. High-quality, affordable art quality prints can bring instant personality to a room without draining your bank account. Choose pieces that reflect your values, your humor, or your favorite places. It’s your home—not a gallery—and what’s on the walls should make you smile when you pass by.

And yes, you can mix the kids’ artwork with professional prints. That combo? Heartwarming and stylish.

Everyone Gets a Say

Decorating shouldn’t be a solo act, even if you’re the one holding the measuring tape. Getting everyone involved, even the little ones, makes the space more meaningful. Maybe your teenager wants a reading corner. Maybe your partner is obsessed with cozy lighting. Maybe your toddler just wants a dinosaur pillow on the couch. It all counts.

Here’s how you can include the whole family:

• Make mood boards together from magazine clippings or Pinterest.
• Vote on paint swatches for shared rooms.
• Assign zones that each person gets to “style” (yes, even the entry bench).

It’s less about design rules and more about shared ownership of the space.

Small Changes, Big Impact

If the idea of redecorating feels like climbing Everest in thongs, take a deep breath. Focus on small tweaks that go a long way:

• Swap out old cabinet handles for something fresh.
• Add peel-and-stick wallpaper to the back of a bookcase.
• Create a seasonal centerpiece for the dining table using things from your garden.
• Rearrange your furniture—it costs nothing and can completely transform a room.

Sometimes the biggest difference comes from changing how you use a space, not what’s inside it.

Bring in Layers of Life

A home should feel alive. Think plants, soft lighting, cozy rugs underfoot, and playlists humming in the background. Let the air smell like dinner cooking or fresh laundry. Use textures—linen, rattan, velvet—to create a sensory-rich space. And always keep a soft blanket nearby. Because even design-forward people need naps.

Learn Together, Decorate Together

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys learning hands-on, even something unrelated—like an electrical instrumentation course—can influence your approach to home improvement. Understanding how things work builds confidence, and confidence makes it easier to say “Yep, I can install that pendant light myself.”

Let your curiosity spill into your space—it makes everything more personal.

The beauty of home is that it doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to feel like yours. So, grab your crew, dust off the idea board, and start small. Your next favorite nook might be just a new cushion—or a fresh coat of paint—away.