Linda in California asks: "I love a lot of the things on your site, but my house is forever in chaos. We have a 4 year old and a 2 year old + two dogs. Everything in our home pretty much gets destroyed from our upholstery down to the newspaper. How can we ever have nice things? Help!"

Pfeifer says: "We suggest that you give into the forces of nature and buy things that can withstand the assault. Don't drop thousands into a leather sofa if your dogs are going to scratch it beyond recognition.

Instead, spend a little less on items that are going to take the brunt of the damage. In a few years when things settle down you can always upgrade.

If you want to bring in some more luxurious items in the meantime, we would focus on accessories such as our woven cowhide frames or beautiful art for the wall. The basics criteria should be location. Out of reach = damage free.

Go ahead and choose what you like, even if it is not a perfect match for your other decor. When it is time to upgrade the rest of your furnishings, you will be on the right track and can coordinate your replacements to the beautiful accessories that you already own."