Niki Cheng loves color. At home, at work, in life. "If I didn't plan ahead, this place would look like a kindergarten [classroom]," she jokes. But there is nothing kiddish about Cheng's elegant Flatiron loft—other than the presence of her two children, four-year-old daughter Cienna, 20-month-old son Edin, with husband Shaokao.

Barely past the trikes and scooters parked in the travertine entryway to her Soho loft, Christiane Lemieux pauses under an antique pendant lantern that once swung from Toronto’s City Hall.

Ali Wing loves things that function. “I put my practicality lens on everything,” she says. As the founder and CEO of giggle, the retailer turned multi-platform brand that focuses on baby products for city-dwelling parents, Wing has a penchant for practical living that’s reflected not only in the products that giggle sells, but in her approach to home and family, too.

Trying to “get organized” at home is one of the most difficult tasks faced by New York City families. The truth is, small space living pressure-cooks normal “where do I put it” problems. We don’t have backyards or basements to store off-season stuff, or mudrooms to fling seasonal coats and shoes.

When designing a shared bedroom, how can parents recognize each child’s individual personality and interests while respecting their privacy?

While the timing varies for each expectant parent, there comes a point in a pregnancy to start preparing your home for the arrival of your child.

With the seemingly endless array of childproofing items on the market, preparing your home for a new baby can seem like a daunting undertaking. But it doesn’t have to be.

Can you have a home you love that suits your tastes and style while also accommodating your children and all their toys, gear, and messes? We think so, with a little thoughtful planning and care. To get you started, here are a few ideas from some design experts.