Home and Garden Repairs

Starting a family is one of life's biggest and most exciting milestones. Bringing a new baby home for the first time is a major part of this experience, and most new parents are well-prepared for caring for the needs of a newborn. New items, such as cots, changing tables and prams are all purchases that generally involve plenty of time and research.

However, babies don't stay tiny for long, and before you know it, you'll have a toddler or two, and your home will never quite be the same again. As well as all the small things you need to help embrace parenthood, it's important to give some thought to the major pieces of furniture in your home. Here are two large pieces of furniture that are well worth investing in when you start a family.

1. A good-quality leather sofa

Sofas are one of the key features of a home's living space, and they play an important role in aesthetics and functionality. As a new parent, it's very difficult to truly envisage the amount of punishment that your sofa will endure once your children become toddlers and well into their later childhood years.

Food, drinks and all manner of unpleasant bodily fluids are likely to be spilled on your sofa. This is why leather is the optimal choice for sofa material. Unlike fabric, leather is virtually waterproof, so spills can be easily wiped off without worrying about anything seeping through to the inside of the cushions. Also, leather is one of the few sofa materials that actually ages gracefully, with scratches and marks creating a rustic appeal. Find a local furniture store that offers leather sofas.

2. A solid timber dining table

Another large furniture item that is a wise investment is a solid timber dining table. Again, the dining table will be subject to some extremely heavy usage throughout the child-rearing years. Instead of spending all of your time worrying that your table is being slowly destroyed, it's better to choose one that can weather these trials and still remain useful and attractive.

Timber is ideal because whatever is spilled, etched or drawn on to it, it can be remedied with some sanding and refinishing. If the table becomes stained irreversibly with a combination of paint, crayons and red cordial, it can also be painted to hide all manner of sins. The same cannot be said for tables with surfaces such as veneer, vinyl or glass.