Playroom Decor
With three small children, having a playroom in our house is an absolute must. We love having a room dedicated to our kids and allllll their stuff. While I know this isn’t a luxury everyone is able to enjoy, I think there are so many creative ways to use the space you do have to make a perfect play space for your kiddos.
It’s true that I do love having a playroom, but I also love keeping in line with the rest of my home by making sure the space is bright, semi-neutral, and coastal. Keep on reading to learn how to make a space for your kids that’s as attractive as it is fun!
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What is a Playroom?
A playroom can look different for everyone. While some people might have a large bonus room or basement that they’ve converted to a playroom, others might have to get creative with space and utilize a corner of the living room, a guest bedroom, or even a kid’s bedroom to make a spot that’s dedicated to all things kid. Put simply, a playroom is an area of the house solely dedicated to your children’s toys, games, and learning.
What to Include in a Playroom
Just as the actual space itself can vary among families, so will the toys or items you have in the playroom. Some parents prefer a Montessori playroom approach, in which you’ll want your kids to be able to easily access age-appropriate toys and activities to occupy themselves and explore on their own.
Most Montessori experts recommend including a few (but not too many) age-appropriate toys, a bookshelf with several books, some sort of activity center, like a Pikler or Rocker, and a table and chairs for crafts and snacks. It can also be nice to include some blankets and pillows so your children can get cozy if they want!
With child number one, we started with the Montessori approach and quickly fell out of that mindset, accumulating toys over time. However, we simplified with time and utilized storage bins and baskets. Cute baskets and lots of those cute baskets are your besties when it comes to organizing a playroom.
A lot of people wonder if having a couch or armchairs in the playroom is necessary. I think this totally depends on the age of your children. For kids under 10, I think having a comfy spot like the Nugget or beanbags can work well in place of a couch. It also keeps things more budget (and kid) friendly and takes up less room.
One thing I love about the Nugget is that the microfiber cover is removable and washable and you can even purchase a separate waterproof cover if you’d like. Also, the cushions can double as sleeping mats for sleepovers! It’s truly the perfect addition to your playroom and I love that it can easily fold up for storage in a corner or closet if need be.
Often, playrooms are used for many things, like an entertainment room, office, or a guest room. We’ve played musical rooms a lot in this house and we typically have a playroom combined with another room. Currently, our kids are enjoying having their own toys in their own rooms and no play room. It’s important to remember to do what makes the most sense for your family!
What about a TV? Once again, I think this depends on the age of your children and how you intend for them to play. While a TV is totally not necessary, it can be a nice option to have in your playroom for older kids, especially if it only comes on during certain times, like for sleepovers or movie nights. We love our Samsung Frame TV because it doubles as artwork and helps bring the room together.
Playroom Inspiration Sources: Blue Floral Curtains | Rattan Mirror | Hot Pink Bird | Blush Pink Pillow | Beige Striped Pillow | Hanging Rattan Swing | White Sconce | Beige & White Rug | Table Lamp | Storage Unit | Bird Print | Letter Banner | Dog Lovey | Basket
Where to Shop for your Playroom
Some of my favorite playroom furniture is from Ikea. It’s well-made, minimalistic, budget-friendly, and long-lasting. I also love that most of it comes in white or wooden tones to match the color scheme of my house. As I mentioned earlier, it’s important for me that the playroom feels cohesive with the rest of our home and Ikea helps me achieve that look on a budget. Some of my favorite playroom pieces from them are the Kallax storage cubes and baskets, Latt or Sundvik table and chairs, and Bergig bookshelf.
I redid this beautiful chest a while back and think it’s a great (and attractive) option for toy or blanket storage in the playroom or a bedroom. Be sure to check out local thrift stores or Facebook Marketplace for things like bookshelves, storage cabinets, and more for a fraction of the price.
Playroom Baskets
For me, I like having good storage options in our playroom. I love baskets, bins, and cube organizers to keep things looking tidy. These baskets from Serena & Lily are my favorite because they have lids that help hide toys, but you can find several looks for less as well at places like Home Goods, TJ Maxx, or Target.
Storage Sources: BASKET ONE | BASKET TWO | BASKET THREE | BASKET FOUR | TOY CHESTS ONE | TOY CHESTS TWO | TOY BIN ONE | TOY BIN TWO | TOY BIN THREE | BOOKSHELF ONE | BOOKSHELF TWO | BOOKSHELF THREE
Rug Sources: ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR | FIVE | SIX | SEVEN | EIGHT | NINE
Art Sources: ROW ONE: Unicorn Print | Kite Print | Bicycle Print | Horizon Print ROW TWO: Dog Print | Water Activities Print | Carousel Print | Cheetah Print ROW THREE: Folk Whale Print | Signs Print | Surfing Print | Bird Print ROW FOUR: Fish Print | Ice Cream Print | Skyline Print | Dog Print
Playroom Decor
So you’ve got all the bits and pieces to make your playroom useful, but how do you also make it attractive and cohesive with the rest of your home? First and foremost, we have to remember this space is for our kids to relax, play, and be creative. Luckily, that doesn’t mean we have to totally sacrifice aesthetics!
I like keeping the color scheme of the playroom similar to the rest of our home with lots of neutrals and blues, but adding in fun and whimsical pops where I can, be it a brighter accent color or a subtle theme, like this adorable sailboat “wallpaper” I DIYed a few years back.
You could even incorporate some fun animal figureheads like I did in this coastal modern nursery refresh! As I already mentioned, most of the furniture pieces I choose are typically light wood tones or white to keep it fresh and neutral.
Choosing a rug is such an important aspect of any room design. It brings the whole space together and can help tie in all your colors and decor choices; for this reason, I usually start with a rug when designing a room.
DIAMOND JUTE RUG
We have own this diamond jute rug for years. It has soft underfoot and it has held up well with our family. I discourage using this where you’ll experience spills or water exposure.
For a playroom, you want to make sure you choose something that’s soft and comfortable, but also easy to clean. I typically wouldn’t recommend spending a ton of money on your playroom rug…we all know how kids can be. Places like Marshalls and Home Goods have nice options at reasonable prices, as well as Walmart and Target!
The Playroom
Are you one of the lucky ones who has a whole room dedicated to your kids and their toys? Or are you making it work with an empty corner or a guest bedroom? No matter your situation, by following my design tips above I can assure that you’ll be able to design a playroom or play area for your kiddos that you’ll love just as much as they do! Leave me a comment below with your favorite playroom tips and be sure to stay tuned for all our upcoming projects in the New Year!
