Ya'll.  Has this ever been your life?

"Honey, can you leave the vase alone, sweet baby boy?  Darling, don't touch the pretty vase.  Sweetie, please don't touch that.  Ben, leave the vase ALONE.  Mommy is going to be upset if that vase...breaks." (insert pissed mom, cleaning up an awesome broken vase that was supposed to hold the flowers your hubby brings you home every day.  eh-hem.  Or every other.)

You're not alone, sister.  This is our life too.  We all want to mix beauty with babies.  And, it CAN happen.  Just hear us out.

1. Choose Forgiving Fabrics
Spills are inevitable with kids, so minimize their impact by choosing fabrics in darker shades or in a pattern. For added protection, you can also have your upholstery stain treated. Also, vinyl and leather are great choices because they’re wipeable and cotton can easily be washed.  (We love navy blue and a light brown or carmel leather right now for sofas)

2. Create Designated Play Areas
Designate certain areas of common rooms for your kids to play, as they’re much less likely to be destructive if they have a space of their own. For example, section off a part of your family room to use as a play area and purchase a child-sized table for the kitchen, where your kids can draw while you cook.  (The photograph above is a study outside a family room that we turned into a playroom.  The kids LOVE it!)

3. Purchase High-Quality Furnishings
It may seem smart to buy cheap furniture if you think your kids are going to destroy it, but that’s actually a very bad idea. High-quality, durable furnishings are a great investment because they’re built to last. You can keep them for years to come and your kids won’t get hurt if flimsy pieces fall apart.

4. Keep Accessories Out of Reach
Having kids doesn’t mean you have to hide your favorite breakables, you just need to put them up high. Keep these pieces out of young children’s hands by putting them at least 45 inches off the ground.

5. Get Rid of Carpet
Make it easy to clean up spills, muddy footprints and other messes by choosing hardwood, laminate or tile flooring. Cover up cold, hard floors with washable area rugs that are comfortable for toddlers to crawl on.

6. Use Outdoor Rugs Inside
Don’t limit yourself to indoor area rugs, as those designed for outdoor spaces can be just as stylish, but more durable and easier to clean. When your kids make a mess, you can just take these floor covering outside, hose them off and let them air dry.  (We love West Elm and Target In-Door/Out Door Rugs)

7. Frame Drawings as Artwork
Your kids’ artwork is adorable and deserves to be displayed! Make it look like something out of a museum by putting pieces in a nice frame before hanging them up.

8. Use Wipeable Paint for Walls
Décor wise, there are few things more panic-inducing than walking into a room and realizing that your child has drawn on the walls with markers. Give yourself one less thing to worry about by decking the walls with wipeable paint, so if your little Picasso gets a little too creative, the evidence can be easily removed. We used chalk paint in the study-turned-playroom above.  It's a great option for a hidden wall.

Hope this helps!

Kate

Hey Yall!  Ok, I am obsessing over white paint over here for my house - - as in...I will be painting my ENTIRE interior of my house white.  And, my husband is on board.  Didn't even have to ask him twice.  I am beginning to think he has good taste.  Or, maybe he was just thinking about something else when I asked him if he liked the idea of a white house and agreed in a moment of weakness.  Well, our house will be white soon and he will love it.  

When I was little, my grandmother's home was white on every walll.  I always wondered why she didn't just pick one room to paint a fun color.  I actually got frustrated with her later in life when she walked out of my house when she saw the blue I had picked for my bedroom.  But, her answer was always the same as to why she choose white on walls.  "Why would I take away from the colors and story in all of my things."  Now, I get it.  When you have a home full of pieces you've collected over the years, antiques with meaning, textures full of life, colorful photographs of family and memories all come alive and help you tell a story to the guests that come over to your home.  You can SEE everything more clear and your home home can become a story book.  Your story book. And, white can be really pretty too.

So, granny was right.  But, there are other colors that can create a fresh pallet to display your things (insert gray trend).  While the gray trend has not left the scene, white is my new personal obsession and I am determined to find the exact right color for my home.  Because there are 5,452 choices and my mind is going crazy with visions of white walls and beautiful cool things hanging or leaning on them all.

Here is what I am looking at right now for paint colors.  And, here are a few more inspiration photos for yall to obsess over with me.  Happy Saturday!

What are your favorite whites?