Remember your mother’s living room? The one with the delicate glass collection arranged just so on the cocktail table, the silk upholstery stretched taut on the uncomfortable armchairs, the balloon shades poufing out stiffly atop the windows, and the white carpet whose pristine pile she lovingly vacuumed into sweeping Vs every week? You know, the room the kids were forbidden from setting foot in — the one, in fact, that no one ever went in? If you have an active family, that’s a decorating don’t.
On the other hand, you’re not willing to throw up your hands and live in a home that looks like a daycare center. The solution is a middle ground: A comfortable, attractive, and — yes — even sophisticated abode that can withstand just about everything kids dish out. "You don’t have to sacrifice style just because you have a family," designer Kelly Kole points out. "You just have to be smart about it." Read on to discover the dos and don’ts of family-friendly design — because after all, you don’t want to turn into your mother, do you?DO consider how you really live.
DON’T wait to decorate.
DO go for a no-fuss look.
DON’T be afraid of color, pattern, or texture.
DO choose indestructible materials and finishes.
DON’T scrimp on furniture.
DO make space for kids.
DO accessorize on high.
DO incorporate savvy storage.
DO prepare for (minor) disasters.
