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Playroom Ideas for a Fun and Functional Play Space
A playroom should be a space to create, explore, dream, and play. Whether you’re working with a dedicated room or making room for a play area in a living room, a dedicated play space encourages independent play while keeping toys organized and contained. Playrooms and play areas are some of my favorite spaces to design. Designing a space that’s functional where my kids can play, dream, and create was so much fun. My kids’ playroom had the sweetest Parisian mural, play furniture, and plenty of storage for their favorite toys. I want to share some fun and whimsical playroom ideas for kids with a focus on design elements and pieces that will grow with them.
Playroom Ideas for a Fun and Functional Play Space
Playroom Furniture
Choosing the right furniture for your playroom depends on the type of play that your children are into. I have found a play table to be the most important piece of furniture. My kids love to draw, so our art table and larger activity table have gotten a ton of use. The storage carts below offer additional hidden storage and are great for legos, art supplies, and more. Add in a few nuggets – they are the best for open-ended play. I didn’t get the hype at first, but my six year-old uses them more now than she did when she was a toddler. They function as sofas, ottomans, and as fort walls, and you’ll have all you need. Over time, the play kitchen started to get less use, and as pretty as it was, by the time the girls were 3 and 5, it was a place to store toys.
Creating a Small Play Space
Whether you have an entire room to turn into a playroom or are making space in a family room, you can create a dedicated space for toys. One that’s fun, magical, and organized. Even though we’ve had dedicated playrooms in both of our homes, I have always kept some of their favorite toys in baskets in our family room. Baskets are a great way to store toys in smaller spaces. You don’t need a ton of floor space – just enough for a few days and a play mat for young children.
But Back to Playroom Design. I want to share some ideas for a fun-filled playroom. I’m going to share my favorite furniture, storage solutions, and ideas for playroom walls. I prefer a mostly neutral playroom with pops of color. Our playroom designs have felt calming and grow with our kids.
Utilize Wall Storage
I created an art storage wall above my kids’ play table. Adding storage and function to walls is great for small spaces. From bags for toys to bookshelves, get creative and take advantage of vertical space to free up more room to play.
Create a Reading Nook
I created a reading nook with bean bag chairs and wall shelves. I added a felt garland to the wall shelves and love that our fun and colorful books also serve as decor. You can also create a reading nook with book baskets or a book bin, but these shelves are a fun and affordable idea, and are great for small spaces.
Toy Storage
Baskets are my favorite way to store toys throughout our home. I keep toys in lidded baskets on the console in our family room, and floor baskets store magnatiles and other open-ended toys. Themed baskets make clean-up easy, and they are aesthetically pleasing, too.
Wall Decor
Now this is where having a neutral space allows art to really pop. I chose fun and whimsical prints that have grown with my kids. Our old playroom had the sweetest Parisian wallpaper on one wall, and while I don’t normally like an accent wall, it worked really well in that space. Using decals or removable wallpaper is a fun and easy way to dress up a playroom without making a big, expensive, and permanent commitment. Here are some of my favorite art prints.
Playroom Rugs and Play Mats
I highly recommend choosing an indoor-outdoor rug for a play space, since they tend to be more durable. If you have younger children, a play mat is a nice, soft spot for them to play. I’ll share some of my favorites here.
How to Store and Organize Toys
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