The perfect playroom should inspire the minds of our children, encouraging curiosity and play whilst also being entirely functional and easy to keep free of clutter and mess.
How you paint and decorate the room is down to personal taste, but this article by interior design expert Sylvia James at HomeHow.co.uk will give you some creative ideas as well as great storage and organisational solutions.
Keep the Space Well-Organised
When it comes to a well-designed playroom, organisation is key. Invest in plenty of storage solutions such as drawers, cupboards and boxes so that the shelves and floor space don’t end up looking cluttered and messy. Soft boxes and canvas bags are great ideas not only for keeping tidy but also because they are easily accessible for your child to reach their favourite toys and activities.
Divide into Zones
Setting up different zones for different activities within the playroom will help keep your child focused on what they are doing and make the area much easier to keep organised. Areas could include a craft area with a small desk and drawers full of resources that your child can easily access, a reading nook with cosy cushions and blankets, and a playhouse to encourage imaginative play.
Playful Design
Whilst we often try to keep many rooms of our home looking subtle and understated, a playroom is the perfect place to indulge in some whimsical decorating. Walls can be decorated with brightly coloured paints and wallpapers or, if you prefer a more neutral base colour, carefully adorned with stencils to add a pop of colour.
Chairs for the Adults
Nothing brings more joy to a parent than watching their children gleefully play and unleash their imagination. An accent chair can provide a great comfortable place for you to sit and watch playtime happen. It can also be covered in cushions and throws for extra cosiness. This will also make a great spot for story time or for your little one to curl up on if they need a rest.
Encourage Tidying Up
Tidying up can feel like a huge task after an exciting day of play, but it doesn’t have to be done entirely by you. Getting your children involved in tidying up will encourage responsibility and help with the sense of the room being their special space that they need to look after. Selecting baskets and boxes with bright, fun colours or even shapes like rocket ships and animals will make the process a lot more appealing to them.
Soft Furnishings
Having plenty of soft furnishings such as cushions and blankets dotted around the room will bring a sense of comfort to your child and give them a great sensory experience. A great way to counter children being reluctant to leave the play area for nap time is by setting up a cosy tent area in the corner of the room filled with soft blankets and pillows, as this will just feel like part of the fun experience for them.
Whimsical Lights
The lighting in a playroom is key, and each area should be well-lit to allow children to enjoy playtime, reading, and other activities fully without straining their eyes or being at risk of hurting themselves. There may be times, such as story time, however, when we want a softer, more calming glow in the room and LED lights in the shape of objects, such as clouds and hot air balloons, are perfect to hang on the walls for this purpose.
Child-Safe Blinds
A well-designed playroom will need to put safety and security first, so we need to make sure that blinds are child-safe and hold no risk of them getting caught up in the cords. Adding a blackout will be ideal for nap time, and you may wish to choose blinds with playful patterns to add that extra spark of joy and excitement to the room.
Murals
Wall murals such as jungle or space scenes are a great way to spark the imagination and make your children feel like they are on a grand adventure all from the safety and comfort of their own home. The great thing about these designs is that they can easily be painted over and adapted as your child’s interests change and evolve over time.
Washable Rugs
As hard as you may try to keep the area clean and tidy, children are naturally going to make a mess at some point whether it be paints, spilled drinks or bringing in dirt from outdoor play. Therefore, it is essential to have washable rugs, playmats, sofa covers, etc., that you can easily clean and dry and ready for a new day of play.
Adapt for Outdoor Play
If you have a garden area, your children are likely to be eager to get outside and play there during the warm summer months. It is a good idea to select toys and portable furnishings that can easily be moved outside for outdoor play sessions to save you from having to spend money on doubling up.
Vintage Stylings
The styling for a children's playroom does not have to be all bright colours and have a chaotic feel, and, especially for younger children and toddlers, a vintage aesthetic can be a beautiful choice for a playroom. Paint the walls in neutral and pastel colours for a sense of calm and serenity, and add adorable features such as old-fashioned trunks and a vintage rocking horse.
Final Thoughts
The ideal area for playtime should inspire, stimulate, and spark creativity as well as be practical, comforting and fun. It is important when designing the area to think of your long-term goals, as children's interests will be rapidly changing and evolving as they grow up. Investing in adaptable solutions is the key to creating a well-functioning and cost-effective playroom.
SYLVIA JAMES: Sylvia James has worked as an interior design expert for over 15 years. Sylvia is skilled at creating beautiful home designs and can work with a range of budgets to suit the homeowner. In addition, Sylvia also provides expert interior design tips and advice for HomeHow.co.uk, and her tips have been published in a range of leading press publications.
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