Children’s playrooms. What do you see in your mind when you hear those two words? If I had to guess, it’s probably not “super-stylish, chic, or contemporary.” It’s also most likely not, “my favorite room in my house.” In real life, playrooms most frequently evoke images of mess, chaos, a room to hide the toys, and just so much mess (wait, didn’t I already mention that? No worries, it warrants at least two mentions, because kids are messy!) They are those rooms or spaces that become home to toys, books, art supplies, the occasional dirty random sock, crusty left behind milk cups and anything else under the sun that kids accumulate, play with for a second, and toss aside as they move on to the next thing. They are also the spaces that we try to steer people past quickly when they come to visit our homes. In short, they aren’t normally the spaces that shine.
However, one young Kansas City family looked past these common perceptions for children’s play areas and achieved the near impossible by creating a playroom that is packed with style, yet functional and welcoming for their growing family. When this family embarked on a major renovation and expansion of their suburban home they knew they needed a space for their 3 young sons to play, hang out, and to store all of the “stuff” that comes with growing boys.
“I wanted a space that was happy looking. Something I liked the look of too, but appealed to the boys and their likes,” the wife said, “I also like to change things out over time and I wanted a space that would allow for that. Both changes in decor items and in the purpose of the space itself. As the boys age I envision the room becoming a place for them to hang out with friends.”
With the help of Interior Designer, Jami Meek of Jamie Meek Designs, they have built a space that is a mix of modern and whimsy, one that the adults don’t cringe upon entering, and one that will mature along with their boys.
As you walk into the space, which occupies a large, newly built addition on the second floor of the home, you are greeted with a contemporary feature wall courtesy of a cactus print wallpaper found on Etsy. Using a practical mix of budget conscious furnishings and decor, a sleek sofa from Target sits on a colorful Dhurrie rug from West Elm.
“The rugs that we used in the room are my favorite,” she said, “They really pulled the room together.”
Large Pillows from Hearth & Hand by Magnolia from Target provide extra floor seating for the kids.
A corner on the room holds more comfy floor pillows along with a decorative ladder and blanket. Baskets from Golden & Pine hang along one wall as additional toy storage.
Lockers from IKEA provide a stylish storage solution located beneath the television.
A creativity nook sits off to the side of the main area of the playroom. Painted with chalk board paint, here it is perfectly OK to color on the walls. A craft table from Crate & Kids features adjustable legs that will allow the piece to convert to a desk as the boys get older. Floating shelves and frames from IKEA decorate one wall with books and artwork. A bold polka dot rug from PBteen ties the space together.
This family’s attention to detail, time, and care in creating a space for their children is inspiring. A room that appeals to both kids and adults, encourages both creative play and relaxation, and contains a ton of clever storage options. I think they cracked the kid’s playroom code with gusto!
I thank this sweet family for sharing their space with us and for providing the rest of us parents with some serious kid room inspo! To view more of their beautiful home please visit my friend, and very talented photographer, Jessica Cain’s feature in Houzz.
