When you’re trying to increase the safety of your home, you’d normally fill it with corner guards, security devices, grilles, and non-slip floor mats. While they all do an excellent job, some of them can look unappealing or awkward in your space. But that isn’t really important, because safety should always come first before aesthetics, right?
Not necessarily. If you’re a design-savvy homeowner, you just won’t be able to stand seeing essential stuff in your home that obviously doesn’t belong there. It may be cheaper to just go with the lowest priced safety item, but if they will disrupt the aesthetics of your home, then it may be wiser to stretch your budget a little. Besides, the more coordinated and cohesive the features of your home are, the higher its value may increase, which will be advantageous when you sell.
That said, here’s how to combine safety and aesthetics in your abode:
1. Install Gates that Follow the Theme of Your Home
Your gates are the first thing neighbors, passersby, and guests will see. They’ll likely form an idea of how your interiors look like when they see your gates. Hence, it’s important to match its look to the overall theme of your home, so that speculators can envision an accurate picture of what your space looks like.
If your home lies on the traditional side, ornate wrought-iron gates may complement it well. Tuscan barn doors and rustic ranch gates are also suitable choices, especially in farmhouses or shabby-chic, or country-style dwellings.
On the other hand, modern and contemporary pads will look best with metal slat gates (usually black or white), a combination of timber and metal, mid-century-modern-style wood, or a wood-and-stone combo.
2. Plant Thorny Shrubs
Your landscape garden can be a safety feature, too. Though gates and fences are generally effective burglar deterrents, some persistent ones may still attempt to jump over them nonetheless. So give the rascals an unpleasant surprise by planting thorny shrubs along your fences, below your windows, and other strategic places.
But consider the innocent animals that could get hurt by them, too. If your pet cat frequently goes on a night stroll, it might be better to plant the thorny shrubs away from their usual route.
3. Bar Your Windows
Bars on windows don’t have to look unappealing. Choose customizable ones, and select from a range of trendy or classic styles available. Match them with your gates to establish uniformity and balance on your exteriors.
4. Install Non-slippery Flooring
To eliminate the need for non-slip mats in every room, consider replacing your entire flooring if it’s the biggest safety hazard in your space. Some of the best new materials to choose from are the following:
- Carpet – This material is soft, warm, and able to absorb sounds. But if you have a wheelchair-bound individual at home, carpet flooring may not make the wheels roll as smoothly.
- Cork – Cork is a good choice for rooms where there isn’t much furniture, like a kid’s playroom. It also has thermal and sound insulation properties.
- Linoleum – This may be old-fashioned, but linoleum just made a comeback due to its natural qualities, which consumers are now into. It’s a great flooring material for bathrooms, as long there won’t be seams where water can seep through.
- Vinyl – Vinyl will be one of your best options. It’s affordable, durable, and high-quality luxury variety is virtually waterproof. But like linoleum, water can also seep through its seems, so be mindful of it.
5. Install Stair Balustrades That Can Double as a Focal Point
If your stairs are highly visible in your space, the balustrades on them can serve as a focal point. Innovative balustrade systems fuse artistry and functionality glamorously, making spaces twice more elegant, playful, and appealing.
As with gates and window bars, there are countless styles of stair balustrades to choose from as well. You can make them minimalist, traditional, ornate, vintage, etc.
Thanks to these beautiful safety features, we can now maintain the aesthetics of our home while protecting our family. It’s important not to skimp on beauty because we all deserve a lovely abode.
