Creativity, functionality both matter in playroom decor
Go bold. Stay practical. Think long-term.
These are among the tips offered by interior decorators for creating a fresh, fun — even inspiring — playroom for kids.
FOSTER CREATIVITY
“I love bold choices in a playroom,” says Mel Bean, a designer in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In one client’s theater room, for example, “we used a high-contrast carpet as a real show-stopper,” she says. “Another space uses black and white walls and floors as a backdrop for colorful art supplies, chairs, books and paintings.” Yet another playroom she is working on “includes a stunning, greenmarble-slabbed wet bar with navy cabinetry, multiple television screens, and something for all ages, from a play kitchen to gaming.”
Los Angeles designer Kate Lester has a similar approach: “Don’t take the space too seriously — have fun with it,” she says. “Wallpaper the whole room, or paint the ceiling.”
Lester favors a light-filled palette and livable furniture. She recently completed a safari-themed play space for a family with 6 and 8 year olds. Papier-mache animal-head sculptures adorn the walls, which are covered in a cool, black-andwhite zebra print. Peel-andstick carpet tiles make for soft lounging, and individual squares can be replaced if they get stained. The vibe is easygoing, yet the aesthetic is chic.
Lester recommends a “high/low” formula: investing in a good built-in storage piece, for example, and then including affordable pieces from Target, IKEA, etc. She likes to buy fun, printable art online, as well.
Bean recently completed a teen-friendly room in Grand Lake, Oklahoma, with multiple bunk beds and a communal gathering space.
Jenny Reimold, a designer and former teacher, likes to create playrooms that contain both imaginative spaces and opportunities for learning. She’ll bring in pieces like an industrial-look storage container with labeled basket liners, so kids can store their reading and writing materials. As in a classroom, she’ll designate areas in a room for art and imaginative play, and include pieces like a wooden lemonade stand.
Hardiness matters when furnishing a playroom.
Lester puts removable floor tiles in almost every kids’ playroom she designs. They’re a durable and affordable alternative to a traditional rug, she says, and “can be laid out in custom designs.” There are also removable vinyl tiles in a variety of patterns; just peel and stick.
She cautions homeowners to think twice about whether things that look cool are actually practical.
“An 8-by-10-inch chalk wall may look cool on Instagram, but how does it work if you have three toddlers and white sofas?” she asks. “Integrating wow-factor that’s also functional is a must.”
Mixed storage is always helpful, with open bins and drawers.
“Rolling bins are great under a window seat — they can be rolled out for play, then filled up with toys and rolled back under the seat,” says designer Jess Cooney of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
She’s fine with that chalkboard wall, but advises getting chalk pens to avoid dust.
She also recommends performance fabrics, such as indoor/outdoor rugs, in craft areas. “They can be bleached, or hosed off outside,” she says.