Kid-Proof Decorating

Select Durable Items

• There are many decorative items that look sophisticated, but aren't easily broken. For instance, swap out your crystal or glass candlesticks for brass, silver or even plastic. These items can be purchased inexpensively, and spray-painted in bright colors. Display several together for an eye-catching coffee table display. Avoid picture frames made of breakable materials, and instead go for frames made of aged wood or colorful, patterned plastic.

Decorate Vertically

• Not only does placing decorations higher on the wall keep the items out of kids' reach, it also creates the illusion that your room is larger than it truly is by drawing the eye up. Place your frames at eye level and above, going as close to the ceiling as you like. If you feel as if the grouping of decorations in the upper half of the wall seems odd, consider placing wainscoting midway up the walls around the entire room, creating a more decorative and natural division.

No Glass Hangings

• Find four or five picture frames of varying sizes an spray-paint them to match. Arrange them on your wall in a formation that complements the space. Instead of choosing one picture for each and covering them with glass, nail a small clip -- such as a binder clip -- inside each frame, close to the top. This will allow you to more easily rotate the pictures you display and will eliminate glass that could potentially fall and break. Instead of photos, you can display your children's artwork.

Bring the Outdoors In

• Natural decorating may be the perfect solution to child-friendly decorating. Turn outdoor items into indoor decorations with just a few small alterations. Locate a thick birch tree limb approximate 1 1/2 feet in length. Using a drill, create three equally spaced holes approximately 1 inch in diameter, and 1/2 inch deep. Place tea lights in the holes and place the limb in the center of the coffee table as a durable candle holder.