This week on the blog I take a look at how to create the perfect playroom. If you saw my instagram post on Mother’s Day you’ll see I have some exciting news to share. Yes you guessed it I’m expecting a new member of our family to join us later in the year!
With this in mind we’re having a bit of a shake up around the house. I’m going to create a nursery for the little one and to ensure my daughter isn’t too put out by the new arrival I’m looking at how to create the perfect playroom to give her a sense of her own space in the house for play, friends and homework. A space that she and eventually baby will grow into together to use as their own space in our home. So a bit of research I put together some ideas on creating the perfect playroom and here’s what I’ve come up with.
To create the perfect playroom you need:
Ideally a space that is close to the heart of the home.
The children will be in this room a lot so it needs to be somewhere convenient for you to keep an eye on them. Think about where you spend most of your day when you are in your home. Is it in your kitchen or in your home office. Obviously we don’t all live in homes where there are spare rooms lying unused simply waiting to be decorated as the perfect playroom. However, interior design is all about finding solutions to problems.
Perhaps you have a large kitchen diner with a sofa in it? For this stage of your life could this sofa corner of your home be better utilised with a desk and mini kitchen as a playspace instead? Children love role-play so I can see how copying mum or dad cooking in the kitchen.
Wooden toy kitchen set from Cuckooland.com
Alternatively a tipi is a really great way to give a child a little space of their own. They love the privacy of it and you'd be amazed how many toys you can fit in there!
Children's play tipi from Lights4fun.co.uk
In a current project I tackle this very same problem. The clients have a large and long living room and have challenged me with layout planning to make the best of the space. A clever use of dividers has created a space to keep the children occupied whilst still in sight and the rest of the living room is clear of kids clutter and a perfect space to relax.
Furniture that is either indestructible or not too precious
You’ll need hardwearing items to furnish your perfect playroom. This is not the place for precious family heirlooms or delicate items of furniture. In between kids craft projects and the hard work of play the interior of a playroom will take a bit of a battering. I’m not a fan of creating more plastic if it can be avoided so recommend painted furniture. It is ideal as it can easily be repainted to bring it back to new.
A colourful playroom featuring the Vox Tuli Kids Stackable Stool in Green & Yellow available at cuckooland.com
Choose items which can withstand a bit of wear and tear. Source something you won’t be too upset about if that unidentifiable stain simply won’t budge. Ikea is one of the best places to source inexpensive and easily replaceable playroom furniture.
Also bear in mind that and furniture created at kids size has a limited lifespan as they will grow out of it however if it is really good quality you may be able to source it second hand or resell when you've finished with it and use the money to upgrade to new furniture. Wherever possible choose washable textiles such as cushions, rugs and even curtains - you’ll be amazed at where those sticky fingers will get to!
A space that grows with your family
Plan the space so that it grows with your child. Think about what may happen as your family grows. Is the play table big enough for two? Will I need more storage? When will I need to raise the height of chairs or desks? Planning this now will help you organise your space and make the right furniture choices saving you money and helping you to make the most of your space.
Ouef shelves and the Ouef Brooklyn desk with adjustable height legs are a perfect solution for a growing family. Available from Cuckooland.com
Space for work, rest and play
Try and build in different zones and areas for different activities. A play table for sensory play, a desk for writing and drawing, floor space for cars or cosy reading corner are all options you can consider incorporating into the scheme. Bean bags make a great space to relax and the low level is ideal for children
Image: Hacienda Kids Classic Beanbags, styled by @tealightsandtantrums
Great Storage
Although the playroom is their space to get messy and keep all of their things in one place, having good storage will help keep it organised. Keeping storage at different levels is a good idea too.
A stylish industrial shelving unit is with easy open access so kids can keep things tidy available from Sue Ryder
Lower level storage should be for everyday toys which children can access whenever they want to. It’s also good to help them learn about tidying up if they can access the storage areas to put their own toys away.
I love this stylish black and white playroom by instagrammer @buttonandbark where storage makes everything organised and easily accessible.
Higher level storage can be used for things which you only want used under supervision paints or scissors for example
Decor that inspires and educates
There's an opportunity to have some fun with playroom decor as well as reinforce all those important first lessons children learn about the world in their early years.
Bright colours stimulate and engage children. This pots and flowers wall mural by Gabriela Larios is perfect for a playroom. Available from Wallsauce.com
The alphabet, animals, countries, first words languages are all elements which to include in wall decor which will inspire and capture children's imagination
World map mural available from wallsauce.com
I'm leaving you with a few lovely items that I have added to my wishlist for my ideal playroom. I'd love to know what you'd like in your dream playroom. You can leave me a comment below and let me know.
Clockwise from top right:
French Papillons Print available from limelace.co.uk - £79
Kutikai Roof Bookshelf available from BobbyRabbit.co.uk - £995
Pick and mix square stool available from limelace.co.uk - £195
Large made to order wooden house shelf available at bobbyrabbit,co.uk - £95
Lorena Calas washable trace Round rug in petroleum available from Cuckooland.com - £139
