Just off our loungeroom is a room with big north and east facing windows, our ‘sunroom’. Once upon a time it was the back verandah, but sometime in the 1960’s(ish) it was enclosed to make another living room. When we lived here in 2010-2011 we used it as our dining room as there wasn’t space elsewhere, now that the house is open plan from the kitchen to lounge we use the sunroom as a sort of second loungeroom/study with my desk in there. I have always thought it would one day become a children’s playroom though…and it seems that day is close!
The room is a little tricky in that two walls are enormous windows, one wall is open to the lounge room and the fourth wall has a door to the back porch in it (which we never use and currently has my beloved vintage couch up against it). Wall space is pretty much non-existant. I’ve had all sorts of ideas swirling around in my imagination as to how to transform it into a play area for Eleanor, making it both fun and practical, and able to grow with her (and any future siblings). Here’s a peek inside my brain at the moment…
Teepee | Alphabet print | Table and chairs | Paper roll | Wheely bug | Activity cube | Storage unit | Wire basket | Dolls pram | Cloud fabric | Woodgrain fabric | Grass rug | Bear storage bin
As wallspace is at a premium I’m thinking to use Ikea Kallax (used to be called Expedit) units below the windows, either the 1×4 variety with cushions on top as a sort of window seat, or I’m now thinking to go the 2×4 and gain more storage. A teepee in the corner will make a great cubby and special reading place for Eleanor, we might even attempt to make one ourselves. There are some perfectly pretty floral and lace ones available, but I’m trying to make the room as unisex as possible so her potential future little brother isn’t subjected to too many tea parties in the baby pink teepee! I want to keep furniture and bigger items white/black or very neutral as all the bright toys keep things fun anyway, Eleanor already has some lovely wooden toys like the Everearth activity cube. We have linen curtains in the room which will be staying, I’d still like the playroom to ‘go’ with a lot of our existing aesthetic in our home (as it’s open plan to the lounge room) so white furniture, taupe tones, wicker baskets.
Currently we have a navy and white striped rug in the room, which is a bit frayed rat-chewed from being in storage whilst we traveled. I’ve always loved the Ikea ‘grass’ rugs for a children’s playroom (and love how it pops against black and white), but am wondering about it’s cleanliness with inevitable vegemite toast squashed into it?!!! So I’m considering one of the traffic/roadmap rugs? We had one in our playroom as kids and I know it will get well used. A little craft corner with table and chairs would be great, I love the white and birch one from Hipkids, and a wall mounted roll of butcher’s paper to doodle on has always been on the playroom wishlist. My wicker doll’s pram I had as a little girl is patiently waiting for Eleanor at my mum’s house, it will come and live in the playroom when she’s big enough. Storage I think is key, especially for quick and easy clean up, a place for everything and everything in it’s place and all that. I love the bear storage bin and would like to make some fabric storage bins to fit in the Kallax unit with some fun sturdy canvas fabric.
Overall, the playroom will be an evolving project for many years I’m sure – we don’t want to do it in one hit as obviously Eleanor’s going to change a lot in how she plays and what’s suitable for her age. Eventually I can see having a play kitchen in the playroom, big items like that will be for Christmas and birthday gifts. The cow wheely bug I’ve already got my eye on for her first birthday! For the moment Eleanor is quite happy with an ice-cream tub on the floor (great!) but a dedicated playroom for her will be brilliant I know as she grows, learns, plays and no doubt destroys. Oh yikes. Now just to make it super fun, engaging, budget and storage friendly!
[line]
You can see my pinboard ‘for the playroom’ here, or another one ‘for children’s spaces’ here.
Jo @Countrylifeexperiment says
We have the kallax in our play room. Wish I got it from the start. I would recommend getting large cubes for the toys rather than the cupboards. I wrote a few posts about the practical aspects of toy room design etc a few weeks back. You could checkout my blog if you want to find out more.
Emma says
Ooooo thanks! Am off to read… xxx
Kellie says
Hi Emma,
Our road rug is by IVI, they are Danish and make several lovely designs, including a gorgeous doll’s house one. However, although the surface is polypropylene, and therefore easy to clean, the base is jute and almost impossible to get dry quickly without the rug losing it’s shape or getting a musty smell. It’s amazing what a red lollipop will teach you. Try and avoid rugs on a jute base or clean the surface quickly, don’t hose!
Lou says
Hi! Oh the planning of a playroom is so fun… If you want my two cents (which I totally know you do!) I’d go the IKEA roadmap rug, they come in two varieties – a more pastel one and a old school *bright* one… Any rug in a playroom seems to get filthy so one of those is easy to pressure spray down (seriously, the best way to clean a rug!) and cheap enough to replace when really gross.
Also, if buying the cow ride on for a first bday, definitely get the small one! It looks tiny but kiddos need a lot of leg overhang to really bend their knees to get those tricky wheels bugs moving. We have a large one and it’s only really been use by the girls since they were 3+ 🙂
I love storing things in the playroom at kid height so they can help themselves but would fully recommend not storing *everything* there, unless you want to pick up and sort 1000 duplo blocks mixes with wooden blocks mixed with puzzle pierces. I know this is probably a way down the track but toys with LOTS of pieces and bits like I just mentioned, I’ve learned to pack away in a big cupboard and rotate otherwise…
GIANT FLIPPING MESS.
You could TOTES make your own teepee, you clever mama!
X
PS: Hi Eleanor *waves*
Emma says
I was looking at the wheely bugs the other day wondering if I should get the big or small, my bestie just got the big for her 1 year old and regrets it, she can’t ride it properly! 🙁 My sisters girls still ride around on their small bumble bee one at ages 6-7. Small it is!
Someone told me the 2 x 4 kallax units are a great height for little people to stand at and play/draw etc. so that’s why I was changing my mind?
I am already QUEEN of the toy rotation! Haven’t seen it in a week? Totally a new toy!
Thank you!!! xxx