Escape to the Chateau's Angel Strawbridge reveals her secret to creating a stylish yet child-friendly home

It couldn't be more simple

Creating a stylish and serene home filled with unique and unusual finds with two young children running around is a challenge. However, creating stunning child friendly home is something Angel Strawbridge has nailed.

Related: Escape to the Chateau's Angel Strawbridge shares top tips to make homes smell gorgeous

On the Channel 4 show Escape to the Chateau, Angel and Dick Strawbridge transformed a 19thcentury French Chateau into an incredible home and events venue. Each room has been imbued with Angel’s signature vintage interior design style.

Her boldest creations include the stunning butterfly wall in the entrance hall and the tower of curiosities. However, the most incredible part of the Chateau transformation is how Angel has managed to achieve it with two young children running around!

How to create a child friendly home

So what’s her secret to a child friendly home? Not one to sacrifice on style, Angel explains that the secret is as simple as child-friendly furniture and letting go.

lady with dining table and chairs and dinner platters

(Image credit: Kindling Media Ltd)

‘When we don't have guests the children spread there stuff everywhere,’ says Angel. ‘My daughter gets my cushions that I've got all lovely arranged. She lays them all on the floor and she goes: the floors lava, all stand on the cushion! You can either not enjoy life and worry about your cushion arrangement or you can let go.’

‘But everything is child friendly. For example we’ve only got round tables around the house,’ explains Angel.

When it comes to decorating your child's bedroom or playroom the Escape to the Chateau star says it can be tempting to have an idea of how you want your kids dress, and what they’ll play with. However, in reality you can’t make their tastes fit with your own.

tree with tree decoration

(Image credit: Kindling Media Ltd)

‘The reality is that my son likes potty humour, captain underpants and Pokemon. My daughter is into sparkles, frozen, unicorn, rainbows and sparkles,’ says Angel.

While you may have visions of your child’s bedroom matching the rest of your home, the reality is probably going to be a bit different. Allow your kids to have some input in designing there own bedroom.

Related: Escape to the Chateau's Angel Strawbridge has launched a fragrance range exclusively at Sainsbury's

And when it comes to choosing scatter cushions for the rest of the home make sure you pick a durable material. Just in case your little one is also a fan of playing the floor is lava.

Rebecca Knight
Deputy Editor, Digital

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.