the2bedroomblues's Profile

We have a similar situation. Our place isn't very big, but we're definitely also still dealing with kid messes. I think CM's suggestions, above, are good ones. We've opted to save on big pricy items by going the IKEA slipcovered route. We have the IKEA Ektorp corner sofa and we just love it. It isn't as high-end design-wise as we'd like, but there's a lot you can do with it. And we've washed various pieces of the slipcover many times and it is still in great shape. Besides using slipcovered furniture, we've also used a combination of removable pillow covers and indoor/outdoor fabrics (you can see this here: http://the2bedroomblues.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/choosing-textiles-for-the-living-room/). We're planning an indoor/outdoor rug in our dining area too. Dash and Albert have some great ones. These days, I think there are enough great design options in durable fabrics that you can realy have the best of both worlds! Put your savings into a fund for your "someday sofa." If there's a piece you just can't live without, put it in the master bedroom, away from the kiddos!