The worst mess
will be wherever the child eats and/or watches TV. When they are really little, the piece of furniture that gets trashed is the rocking chair, especially down the back of it. Either get a washable one, i.e. wood, fiberglass,etc. with pads that you can replace or a cheap upholstered one that you won't mind disposing of once your baby days are over.
The next place that gets really gross is in and around the high chair. Leave a wide radius around the high chair because this is like ground zero for disgustingness.
When they graduate to a booster seat at the "big" table, there will be gunk in, on, under and around the table and chair that they sit in. Just make sure that it's all washable.
After they get big enough, they move their operations to whichever piece of furniture is in front of the TV. If possible, move your beloved MCM pieces into another room or into any sitting arrangement that doesn't involve a TV and your kid(s) probably won't ever sit in it. Get a sturdy couch and an indestructible coffee table for in front of the TV and then send those pieces off to college with the little buggers. We got a workhorse Ethan Allen couch with heavy twill fabric that had been treated with Scotchguard and that looked OK and held up for about 12 years of hard use. Unfortunately there were still kids around! I sewed a slipcover for it, but I just hate the maintenance on slipcovers. They always look messy and require constant readjustment.
Finally, I resorted to subtle strategic planning. I bought all new furniture for the TV room that was stunningly cool but extremely uncomfortable and installed TVs in each of their bedrooms. Voila! No more kids in the TV room! Just measure your shortest kid and buy a couch that is shorter than him/her so they can't lay down. Do not put any cushy throw pillows or any type of blanket/throw in the room that might encourage lounging or extensive stays. It's cruel, but it works and they take all of their nastiness to some other kid's house and trash some other parents' furniture. By this time, they're stealing your Absolut and wrecking your cars anyway, so it's nice to have some peace and quiet.:D
I added my Klippan comment to...
I added my Klippan comment to the other thread, but I would like to add the way children sit on furniture- by plonking themselves down. Even past the sticky fingers stage they will quietly defie you by sitting on anything you love and adding stickers to wood finishes and so on.
I'm sure there will be people who think that children should be made to behave, but it's better to have furniture that you expect to see ruined while they are under five. I include accidental spills and breakages in this- not simply wilful damage,
We are strict but if the child knows you want them to leave something alone then, they will attack the object while you are out of sight if they feel aggrieved !
Good luck
In my situation, having a...
In my situation, having a "TV room" is not an option. We're most likely buying a 1500 sq ft prefab or SIPS home in February that is currently being built. We're trading a little square footage for modern design and green features.
However, my mom has convinced me to keep what I have. She has the very same sofa we used growing up and it's still in great shape. She laid down the rules and we followed them for the most part. She says that we never, ever ruined any furniture! We'll see if I am so lucky...
You should definitely opt for user-friendly options, Jake...
... I'll hold down your sofa in the meantime...
But seriously, one truth I can offer is that space counts for alot. The smaller your space, and I know you guys are set to scale down, the tougher to enforce momma's rules. Not impossible. It just may be more worry than it's worth. Busy policing upholstery whilst you could be enjoying other things... Just my two cents...
Too late
Olive, he's already pregnant. Whitespike, the area on the couch that took the most abuse was the upholstered cording on the corners of the cushions and the arms.
Older children don't just sit on a couch, they drape themselves on a couch. The tops of the arms will look like crap after a number of years from constant friction with denim butts. They use the cording along the edges of the cushions to launch themselves off of the structure. I know you don't have a TV room now and you don't need one now when your kids are little, but I promise you, when they get big, you will carve out a space for them and their friends to save your sanity and furniture.
The one thing you cannot overestimate
is the amount of time children will consume and how that will affect your ability to maintain your household. For example, we bought a simple desk from World Market shortly after my 18mo old was born. It had a plant on it that was over-watered, in the haste that is life with small kids, the spill was not promptly wiped up. Now the surface of the desk is marred. I am thankful this was just a cheap desk and not the $$$ Arne Vodder desk I had been drooling over.
Even the best behaved children will get into things, accidentally bang up a coffee table, etc. and you will not have time to monitor.
That being said, when it comes to furniture I appreciate having things I do not have to worry about or that will take time to maintain.
If you really cannot imagine a piece being damaged or ruined, then you probably need to have it put away for many years -- especially in a smaller space.
A friend of mine
expecting her second next month recently found this sofa...
The Corona at Macy's. On sale at 700 right now.
I've not seen it in person yet. But some ok colors available.
I've been giving sound blankets as baby gifts. Much appreciated. Can be
layed out in the yard, tossed across the back seat of the car, over the floor of
the living room or the couch. And can be washed. Very heavy and stays put.
I work near a supplier so i can pick through for cool colors or just simple
black. She even uses one in the radio flyer for walks.
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=251414&CategoryID=35...
oh, here it is
sound blanket link...
I've never ordered this one.
Just giving a visual.
http://www.sjmediasystem.com/sab-1.html
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