Just because there's a baby in the family doesn't mean the living room has to look like a Fisher Price factory. These are a few pieces we have around our house that I realized were purchased because of baby but are perfectly functional and attractive to us adults too:

Sometimes items with such longevity cost a bit more, but think of it this way: You might use them long before you even have children and they can be held onto long after the little ones are all grown up!

• The Offi Scando coffee table has curved edges that are kind to baby as he's learning to crawl and walk.

• Sheepskins might be cuddly surfaces where baby can practice a little tummy time, but they're also soft and beautiful for adults. We throw our Bowron over the back of the sofa when baby's not using it.

• Our IKEA Lillberg rocker was initially purchased for the nursery but it just didn't have enough "rock" for us our our baby's taste. However, it's now found its way down to the lving room where it's still a fun place to sit and rock little rocks (with one foot propped up on the Scando) while reading to our son or just hanging out with him.

• The Eameses' House of Cards is something he'll play with on his own when he's older. For now, we show him the colorful images and enjoy it for ourselves.

Images: Offi, Bowron, IKEA, Eames Gallery