20 Stylish Ways to Kid-Proof a Family Home, According to Designers

In this magical reading room that doubles as a guest room for sleepovers, the shelves are designed to display book covers. "So many covers have great graphic images," designer Ann Wolf says. "This way you can have a changing art gallery on your shelves." In a kids room, it would allow the occupant to easily pick out the book they want to read without an adult's help.

If your space needs to accommodate a large or growing family, consider an open dining, family room, and game room which will allow you to keep an eye on your kids and spend more quality time together. To help the spaces look and feel consistent, consider using a neutral color palette with some edgy (but smooth!) finishes, as done in this space by Alexander Design.

Take notes from this dining room table. The rustic wood surface and splatter-paint detail celebrate the fact that there's a kid in the house. As designer Barrie Benson explains, "solid wood can handle food all over it and has no sharp edges." Veneer, on the other hand, can easily get trashed, while glass will show every smear and smudge.

Homepolish designer Crystal Sinclair advises parents to "keep family photos in a more personal space, like a hall leading to bedrooms or maybe a playroom." That way, the main rooms can stay a little cleaner and more sophisticated. And if it bums you out to hide your family photos, "make books highlighting vacations or special occasions and carefully select a neutral book cover to work with any interior design scheme," she suggests. "Then proudly display the books in a common space for any who's interested in looking through them."

"Rocks such as geodes are beautiful and enhance any home—and can take some hits and spills without damage," Sinclair says. If that's not your style, another good option is to bring in other super kid-proof decor like garden statues. Found items options also tend to be more affordable than investing in fancy decor.

If you have enough space in your home, it's okay to designate a few "adults-only" rooms. For example, a casual breakfast nook in the kitchen can function as a gathering place for everyday meals, while the dining room can be reserved for special occasions and dinner parties. The same can be done with a casual family room and a more formal living room.

"Silks are not kid friendly—dirty hands and spills can ruin a silk real fast. The same true for some grasscloth papers. Kids love to pull on things and these are so enticing to curious eyes and fingers," says Sinclair. Instead, try wallpapering your ceiling for a fun (but conveniently out-of-reach) accent or opt for a removable wallpaper that isn't as precious—and not intended to last forever anyway, like Barrie Benson did in McCullough's home here.

“There are dings where my kids banged on it with a spoon,” McCullough says about this dining table in her North Carolina family home. “And now I look at those marks and remember when they did that. I like things to have a patina, to show they’ve been loved.” Kid-proofing your home isn't always about genius hacks and styling tricks. Sometimes, it's just a mindset shift.

When decorating a kid's bedroom or one of the common areas like a playroom or media room that'll grow up with them, it's all about investing in classic pieces, so you don't have to switch it over and over again. Spice it up to their liking with smaller accents that are easier to swap when they grow out of the look. "It's all a balance; you give them reign over the smaller accents while taking control of the items that will be in the room year in and year out," Crystal Sinclair explains.

As Barrie Benson puts it, "Do you want to use inexpensive fabric you’ll have to recover in a few years, or performance fabric that wears like iron?” When upholstering your furniture or customizing it, decide whether you want to invest in something longer-lasting now, or if you'd rather swap it out later anyway. Performance fabrics can really take a hit from kits and keep on looking wonderful—learn more about them here.

Doesn't this playroom designed by Emily Henderson make you want to be a kid again? Complete with a cozy-beyond-cozy reading nook, a climbing wall, and a hideout spot under the stairs, there are endless places to inspired wonder and fun. The striped carpet and custom railings make it stylish, too. This way, the mess is more likely to stay in the designated kid zone.

Poufs, floor cushions, and ottomans are great options for extra seating in a living area—especially if you have kids. (No sharp corners!) They'll make the space feel more grounded and laidback while still introducing some style.

A more adult-friendly alternative to displaying children's books like art: Crystal Sinclair suggests "hitting up a used bookstore to score some gorgeous accents for the coffee table or console. These are pocket friendly and if your child goes on a rip-a-book-apart spree, no biggie."

Ironically, "the colors that are intended for all nurseries are probably the least kid-friendly colors," Sinclair points out. "The light colors show dirt, spit-ups, and spills vividly and there's little to do in cleaning them." Consider a darker color—and patterns!—for the rugs in your family home.

In the dining area of a beach house in Marin County, California, designer Erin Martin and owner Kim Dempster added an inspiration quote on the wall: "The pieces of a ship taken by themselves will sink. But when combined together, will take you anywhere you want to go." "For me, it's about family and loving one another, no matter what life brings you,” Martin says. “It's something we know in our heart and soul, but we need to be reminded occasionally." Shaw ceiling lights from Urban Electric Co. hang over an antique trestle table, paired with vintage captain's chairs. A banquette, with more storage underneath, doubles as a guest bed.

There's no rule that says outdoor rugs can't be used indoors, too. They're easy to clean—just hose down and dry in the sun. Another option is to use a rug that's meant for high-traffic areas. That way you won't have to be fussy about keeping everything clean, which is especially hard to do in a family or game room. In this family room designed by Emily Henderson, she brought things to the next level with a ping pong table and home bar.

“Consider objects and/or materials that are meant to see a lot of 'love,' mostly found in nature,"says Sinclair. "Wool rugs are a great option, or hides; these are meant for the outdoors, so they're are perfect around kids!" Throw them over a chair or stool for more warmth and texture.

Throw pillows can really liven up a room, and—better still—they can easily be switched out or cleaned if someone spills on one. Pick playful colors and patterns for the family and living room to inject character without having to worry about longevity.