For a kid friendly living room, I'd deal with what can fall, pinch or strangle first, and get to stain-resistant fabric after that. Anchor the TV and anything tall, keep blind cords out of reach, and think twice about a power recliner around a toddler.
A kid friendly living room is one where nothing a child climbs can tip, small hands can't reach a mechanism, and the sofa survives juice and a dog. The safety rules from Health Canada and the makers' manuals come first. Then come the sofas, sectionals, ottomans and storage pieces Merit Home Furniture lists for our Duncan store on Vancouver Island. Each price is the one our listing showed on November 1, 2026, before applicable taxes.
The same choices work for a pet-proof living room. For a family about to grow, the due date also sets a deadline for any sofa or sectional Merit orders in.
What makes a living room kid friendly?
A living room is kid friendly when a climbing child can't pull anything over, can't reach a cord and can't get caught in a mechanism. After those three, it comes down to covers that clean and edges that don't hurt. Here's the order I'd work in:
- Fasten what can tip. The TV, its stand, bookcases and anything with drawers go against the wall with a strap or a bracket.
- Get blind cords up high. Or replace corded blinds, starting with the window nearest the sofa.
- Decide about reclining seats. Every recliner has a mechanism under the seat, and a power one moves when a button is pressed.
- Pick covers that clean. A performance fabric, a cleaning code you can live with, or zip-off covers.
- Soften the middle of the room. An upholstered ottoman or a round table in place of glass corners.
- Give the toys a home. A box with a safe lid, or low shelves that sit flat on the floor.
Health Canada covers the first two steps, the makers' manuals the third, and Merit's own listings the rest.
Anchoring furniture and the TV in a kid friendly living room
Anchoring comes first in a kid friendly living room because, as Health Canada warns, a tip-over can cause serious injuries or even death. In a 2017 statement, Health Canada said more than 70% of the reported television tip-over incidents in Canada involve children between 1 and 3 years of age. Its tip-over page describes how it happens. Children climb open drawers like a ladder, pull themselves up on furniture, or go after toys and remotes left on top.
The advice for storage furniture is short. Health Canada suggests pieces with wide, stable bases that sit directly on the floor, since furniture on legs or wheels tips more easily. It asks for angle braces or safety straps to fasten them to the wall. A stud is the place to fix them, or else heavy-duty drywall anchors made for that type of furniture. Heavier items, like books, go in the lower drawers. The same straps belong on a dresser in a child's bedroom, whether it came from Merit or not.
For a flat screen, Health Canada says to secure it to the wall if possible. On a stand, it asks for the TV to be attached to the stand and the wall where possible. The stand itself should be designed for that size and type of TV.
Merit lists 19 bookcases and 6 TV stands for our Duncan store, and only 1 of the 25 listings mentions anti-tip hardware. It's the LH Home Irish Coast Lifestyle Bookcase, 77 inches tall, with shelves rated for 35 lb each, at $1,299.00. The other listings don't say either way, so ask us what comes in the box. When nothing comes in the box, a furniture strap kit from a hardware store can fill the gap, fixed to a stud as Health Canada describes.
Delivery from Duncan includes setup and assembly. Whether the crew can also fasten a piece to your wall is worth asking when we call to book.
Blind cords beside the living room sofa
Blind cords belong on this list because a sofa under a window gives a child a step up to one. When it announced new rules in 2019, Health Canada said it knew of 39 deaths in Canada from corded window coverings, going back to 1989. It added that just over 22 centimetres of cord is enough to strangle a child. The Corded Window Coverings Regulations came into force on May 1, 2021, limiting cord length and loop size on window coverings sold in Canada. Blinds hung before then may not meet them.
Health Canada calls a covering with no cord you can see or touch the safest kind. Until a blind is replaced, it says to keep cords up high and out of reach. Its Is Your Child Safe guide also advises against sofas, chairs, tables, shelves or bookcases near windows, so a child can't climb up to a cord. In a small Island living room, that can rule out a whole wall for the sofa.
Recliners and power sofas with small kids in the room
Reclining sofas and chairs have openings and moving parts under and behind the seat, and their makers warn about children near them. La-Z-Boy's 2023 operating instructions for its PowerRecline chairs warn of head entrapment. They ask owners to keep children and pets away from the openings and moving parts, and its reclining sofa instructions say the same. The 2023 manual adds that only the person sitting in the unit should operate it. It should also move in and out of recline slowly, with no children or pets close by.
The Health Canada pages cited here deal with tip-overs and cords, so for a recliner, ask us for the maker's manual before you buy.
Power furniture adds a button a child can reach. The La-Z-Boy Trouper power reclining sofa listed for Duncan has dual side-mounted control panels and built-in USB ports, at $3,792.00. A manual mechanism works from a handle or latch rather than a button. The La-Z-Boy Pinnacle reclining sectional uses handles on the outside arms, and its 3-piece set with a storage console lists at $4,910.00.
La-Z-Boy also asks for power furniture to plug straight into a wall outlet, with no extension cord, adapter or surge protector. That keeps one more cord out of the walkway. With a toddler at home, I'd lean toward a manual mechanism and a firm family rule about the footrest. The other route is a stationary sofa now and a recliner later. How power and manual reclining differ is covered in its own guide.
Performance fabric, washable covers and cleaning codes for kids and pets
Performance fabric is the makers' name for upholstery sold as stain-resistant and easy to clean, and the care line on the listing says how far that goes. Ashley's listing for the Modmax Oversized Accent Ottoman in Spice is the clearest one we have. It describes Next-Gen Nuvella as a performance fabric that is soft, easy to clean, stain-resistant and durable. The covers zip off for machine washing, and for stubborn stains Ashley gives a solution of 4 oz. bleach to 28 oz. water. The ottoman is 32 by 32 inches and lists at $410.00 for our Duncan store.
None of the sofa or sectional listings for Duncan describes a cover that zips off for the washer, so the Modmax is the exception. Here is what a few Duncan listings say about their covers, with prices before applicable taxes.
| Piece | Cover, per the listing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley Willarae Sofa | Polyester, with removable seat cushions; the listing names kids and pets | $1,149.00 |
| Ashley Wixon Sofa | Polyester chenille, loose seat cushions | $1,040.00 |
| Ashley Larkinhurst Sofa | Faux leather, 95% polyester and 5% PU | $1,491.00 |
| Ashley Bovarian Ottoman | Textured polyester chenille, storage under the top | $460.00 |
| Ashley Modmax Ottoman | Nuvella performance fabric, zip-off covers for the washer | $410.00 |
The Willarae, Bovarian and Modmax listings give a 1 year warranty, and Merit backs the maker's warranty and orders the parts.
A cleaning code is the letter on an upholstery tag that says which cleaners the fabric can take. American Leather, a furniture maker, sets out the four. W means water-based cleaners or mild detergent. S means water-free solvent cleaners only, since water can leave rings. WS, sometimes written SW, allows either, after a test on a hidden spot. X means professional cleaning only. In a house with children, W or WS is the code to look for. The Duncan sofa listings don't print a code, so ask us for it on any cover you like.
For a spill on cloth upholstery, the Master Cabinetmaker's Fabric Cleaner names coffee, red wine, soda, jam and berry stains, at $29.00. The matching Fabric Protector is $49.00. We don't mail small items like these: they're picked up free at the Duncan store or added to a furniture delivery.
Leather, faux leather or fabric with kids and pets
Leather wipes clean and doesn't hold pet hair, but claws and toy cars scratch it, and its makers have strict care rules. Fabric hides wear well in some weaves and holds hair in others. The Larkinhurst's faux leather is mostly polyester with 5% PU, so it wipes like leather without being hide. Leather against fabric with dogs, cats and a toddler is set out in detail, and so is caring for leather by a woodstove and in summer sun.
Pet proofing the living room furniture
Pets add hair and claws to the wear children bring. Loose seat cushions that flip and swap places spread that wear around. A tightly woven cover gives claws less to catch on than a loose, loopy one such as a boucle. A cat or dog under a recliner footrest is in the same La-Z-Boy warning as a child, so the mechanism rules apply to pets too.
Ottomans and round coffee tables for a room with toddlers
An ottoman or a round table takes the hard corners out of the middle of a family living room, and several of them store things too. A glass top with square corners is a hard thing to fall against while a toddler learns to walk. These are listed for our Duncan store, with prices before applicable taxes.
| Piece | Size and features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley Duntler Storage Ottoman | 17.75 in. round, 17.38 in. high; the top lifts off for storage | $200.00 |
| Ashley Modmax Ottoman | 32 by 32 by 20 in.; washable covers | $410.00 |
| Ashley Bovarian Ottoman | 41 by 41 by 20 in.; storage under the cushioned top | $460.00 |
| La-Z-Boy Roundabout Ottoman | 35 by 35 by 18 in.; hidden casters | $814.00 to $893.00 |
| Ashley Dyonton Round Coffee Table | 43.38 in. round, 19 in. high; casters | $445.00 |
| Ashley Hattney Coffee Table | 48 by 24 by 17 in., metal; lockable casters | $324.00 |
| Mako Dexter Lift-Top Coffee Table | Maple; storage under a top that lifts up and forward | $1,449.00 |
The Bovarian, at 41 inches square, takes a board game or a tray of snacks. The Roundabout's price depends on the cover. On casters, I'd want locks once a baby starts pulling up on the table. The Hattney's casters lock, and the Dyonton and Roundabout listings don't say. The Hattney still has metal corners, so it suits older children better. A lift-top like the Dexter is handy for homework, though its hinge is one more place to watch small fingers. Mako hasn't published the Dexter's measurements, so we'll measure the display model at our Duncan store for you.
Sectionals and sofas for an expanding family
A sectional puts more seats along fewer walls than a sofa and chair, which suits a family that's growing. The Ashley Bovarian 3-Piece Sectional is 128 by 99 inches, in textured polyester chenille, at $1,799.00. The Ashley Altari 2-Piece Sectional with Chaise is 110 by 90 inches, also $1,799.00. The Ashley Elyza 3-Piece Sectional with Chaise is 143 inches wide at $2,899.00, and its pieces stand alone with no connectors. The full range is in our sectionals collection.
Is a sectional or a sofa better with young kids?
A sectional is the better fit for young kids when the room leaves a walkway around it. Everyone sits together, and the corner makes a soft spot for a nap. A deep seat, throws and warm light make that corner snug, the start of a cozy living room for wet winters. A sofa is the better choice in a narrow room, or where a chair and ottoman can move around as the children grow. Unconnected pieces like the Elyza's can drift apart when children climb between them. The walkway rule for a sectional in a small room sets out how much floor to leave.
A baby due in the spring puts a date on furniture that's ordered in. Merit's delivery page gives 4 to 6 weeks for Ashley until a piece is ready for pickup or delivery. La-Z-Boy sofas and loveseats take 8 to 10 weeks. If a special order runs late, the same page says we lend loaner furniture at no charge while you wait. From Duncan, delivery across the Island is $150 with assembly, and we can take the old sofa away, usually for $25 to $50 a piece. Some of the Gulf Islands are on our delivery runs as well, and the Duncan store can tell you whether yours is one.
If I were setting up a living room for a toddler, I'd buy the wall straps the same day as the bookcase. They'd go in before the first book goes on the shelf. And I'd ask for a fabric's cleaning code before its colour, because the cleaning happens every week and the colour gets chosen once.
Toy storage in a family living room
Toy storage in a family living room is safest low and open, or with a lid that can't slam. Health Canada's Is Your Child Safe guide suggests a toy box without a lid, or one with a lightweight lid that won't fall on a child. If the box has a lid, it asks for a hinge that holds the lid open in any position. The box needs air holes in case a child climbs in, and no latch that could trap a child inside.
The Mako Youth Blanket Box is solid pine with a lift lid, and its listing suggests it for blankets, toys or spare bedding. It's 38 inches wide at $549.00, or 54 inches at $649.00, and both are 18 inches high and deep. The listing doesn't say what holds the lid open, so ask us before it goes in a room with a toddler. The Duntler ottoman's top lifts right off, and the whole ottoman weighs 18 lb.
For shelves, Health Canada's advice on wide, stable bases is why I'd look at something low. The Mako Erica bookcase at 36 inches wide and 30 high lists at $599.00. We list the Erica in 15 sizes, from 24 by 30 inches up to 36 by 72. The Ashley Rencott coffee table has two drawers and a lower shelf for remotes and crayons, at $523.00. More pieces are in the bookcases collection.
Where a kid friendly living room plan goes wrong
- Treating stain-resistant as stain-proof. Ashley's own care line for Nuvella still has a step for stubborn stains.
- Expecting washable covers on a sofa. Among the Duncan seating listings, only the Modmax ottoman describes covers that zip off for the washer.
- Buying an X-coded fabric for a house with children. Every spill becomes a job for a professional cleaner.
- Putting a power recliner within a toddler's reach. La-Z-Boy's manual says only the person sitting in it should work it.
- Rolling tables with no caster locks where a baby pulls up to stand.
- A lidded toy box with nothing to hold the lid open, or a latch on it.
- Strapping the bookcase and leaving the TV loose on its stand.
Where the living room safety rules and listings come from
- Health Canada, Statement from the Minister of Health on raising awareness of furniture and television tip-overs, November 6, 2017, checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Furniture, appliance and television tip-overs, checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Government of Canada implements new regulations to help stop strangulation deaths linked to corded window coverings, May 1, 2019, checked November 2026.
- Health Canada, Is Your Child Safe? Play Time (furniture and televisions, blind cords, toy storage), checked November 2026.
- La-Z-Boy, Designer's Choice Collection operating instructions, DOC011602, January 2023, checked November 2026.
- La-Z-Boy, Reclining Sofa operating instructions, 93000495, May 2012, checked November 2026.
- American Leather, Explaining Fabric Cleaning Codes, checked November 2026.
- Merit's live listings for the sofas, sectionals, ottomans, tables, bookcases, TV stands and fabric care named here, with prices read November 1, 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture, Delivery and setup, read November 1, 2026.
Planning a family living room with the Duncan store
Call or visit Merit's Duncan store at 107 Ingram St with your room measurements, where the windows and outlets are, and a photo of the room if you have one. Ask which sofas, sectionals and ottomans are set up to sit in, and bring the kids along, since they'll be the ones testing it. We're open Monday to Saturday, 9 to 5, and nobody will push you toward a sofa you haven't settled on. The storage and accent ottomans we list and every sofa on our website are online if you'd like a look first.
Call the Duncan store, (250) 746-5527
Every sofa and sectional guide we've written is gathered on our sofas and sectionals page.