Family Relationship

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 V's 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 day-care center. The solution is a middle ground: a comfortable, attractive and even sophisticated abode that can withstand just about everything kids dish out. 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.

A room that looks beautiful but doesn't take into account the demands of everyday family life will quickly be destroyed or end up like Grandma's stuffy no-go zone. Instead, incorporate a decorating style that will stand up to sibling food fights, vomiting babies, indoor hockey matches, incontinent pets and slobby spouses. Consider who you live with and decorate accordingly. Hint: That means checking the color of the stains on your sofa before choosing a hue for the new one.