Can you really make everyone happy? Yup, you can, you Rockstar you.
Does this sound familiar to any of you parents out there? You have multiple kids, of multiple ages and genders but you need a space that will work equally well for ALL of them.
Your oldest wouldn’t be caught dead with something too “baby-ish”, but they have a younger sibling with different needs. And furthermore what happens if you have boys and girls? Your son is going to protest pink and sparkles most likely (and hey, if your little guy likes pink and sparkles, that is awesome too!), but your girls aren’t necessarily into everything their brother is.
So how do you use furniture that works for everyone? And what functions does your room need? Do you need a homework station for your oldest if you still have one is diapers? And how the heck do you decorate so everyone is happy?!
But First…Fun (And Still Secret) News For Kid Design
I’m guessing you have kids (or grandkids) if you are reading this blog post. So I want to let you in on a little secret. I’m in the works right now of a new launch coming this February! Because each child should have a room as special and unique as they are, I’m working on launching a new line that involves the same Online Interior Design you can expect from Postbox Designs but specifically for kids.
Be the First to Try out Postbox Designs Kids
I am taking a small number of clients before the big Postbox Designs Kids launch to help me test it out. If you have a Kid’s Bedroom, Playroom, Bonus Room, or Nursery…and don’t want to wait until February, you might be the perfect fit. As a thank-you for your feedback on the process, I’m offering an exclusive discount for these few clients.
Interested? Email me at kristin@postboxdesigns.com and we can chat more about your project!
Take a Sneak Peek into the NEW Postbox Designs Kids
A Tale of Two Mamas
And let’s get back to today’s Playroom Makeover Reveal!
This Mama is actually a past client and I helped her create their family’s Home Office & Command Center awhile back. So I was thrilled when she reached out to me. And I can relate with her kid situation:
She has two girls and a boy. I also have two girls and a boy. Plus, my kids are very similar ages to hers, so I felt like this room makeover was a bit in my own wheelhouse.
Creating a Playroom Design That Works For Everyone
So what do you do when you are trying to create a Playroom that works for EVERYONE?
I’m sharing 5 Playroom Design Tips so you can create a durable, budget-friendly (and beautiful!) Playroom for everyone:
Playroom Design Tip 1: Don’t Use Kid Sized Furniture
Unless your kids are really, really little, kids outgrow kid-sized furniture the way they outgrown those cutsie toddler shoes.
So when it comes to choosing furniture for a Playroom, Bonus Room, or Kid Room, I like to use regular furniture OR adjustable furniture. Especially when you have multiple aged kids, I like to use furniture that will work for your oldest child. So how do you choose furniture that works for everyone?
-Use adjustable furniture. I love adjustable sized activity tables such as the ones from Crate and Kids-they grown with your kids and allow you to keep it for years and years
-Use lightweight chairs. When you are creating an activity or craft table, I love using lightweight metal chairs (Item #4) or slim plastic chairs. I love the ones from Target. These make it easy for younger kids to move on their own, and if the chair happens to topple over, it is far less likely the kiddo (or chair) will be hurt.
-Use a booster. If you need it, you can also add a small step stool to allow little ones to access higher items (or purposefully keep those items out of reach of them!)
Playroom Design Tip 2: Durability Should Be #1
I’m an interior designer AND a girl. I love pretty things. I get paid to design pretty spaces.
But pretty fragile things quickly turn NOT pretty when they are destroyed or broken. If you are designing a kid’s space, you want the kids to be fully free to play and use their items. You really don’t want to add “look but don’t touch” items in a kid area. And I really don’t want to cry over an expensive broken item.
-Play tables and Activity tables: These get a lot of use and abuse. If possible, I would recommend adding a semi-permanent plastic or acrylic cover over the activity table. Pottery Barn Kids and Crate and Kids offer these with a lot of their tables. Or you can have one cut for you at a place like Home Depot or Lowes. Kids ARE going to color (or paint) outside of the lines…so be prepared!
-For a homework station: I really like using dark wood tops (the walnut countertop from Ikea is a thing of beauty)-see Item #1, or even an easy-to-wipe-down laminate top
-For soft furniture: For any large soft furniture such as a sofa, I have just one question for you:
Does it pass the “Sticky Fingers” Test?
If you are a parent, you KNOW what I’m talking about! Kids just tend to bring stickiness with them (that attracts dirt) that can be hard on sofas and armchairs.
Slipcovers. These have been a God send at my house. I take them off and wash them when they get dirty, someone was sick, or even the dog jumped up with dirty paws. I’m a big fan of the Ikea Ektorp and Pottery Barn’s slipcovers. This also works for pillow covers.
Performance Fabric: These fabrics are naturally more durable, tough, resistant to stains and dirt, and are easier to clean. Most of your big stores such as Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, and more carry a line. Also look for fabrics such as Crypton and Sunbrella, which are formulated for even outdoor use.
Inexpensive furniture: For smaller chairs or beanbags (Item #7), I like ones that have removeable covers. Otherwise, I would personally select budget friendly items that might only last a few years of heavy abuse but will do its job when the kids are little.
Playroom Design #2
After getting my client’s feedback and thoughts, I created a second Playroom design for her:
Playroom Design Tip #3 Storage Is your BFF
Storage is EVERYTHING when it comes to a Playroom, Bonus Room, or Kid Bedroom. And usually you need a combination of storage to make everything work. Here are some ideas:
Open cubbie storage: These are nice for inexpensive storage units that are easy for kids to access (See Item #13 in the first design0. I like to fill them with bins to keep items corralled. You can also keep some bins open for books.
Closed Door Storage: This however is my favorite type of storage. I LOVE storage with doors and drawers so it can be a mess behind the scenes but you can simply close a door and forget about it. See Item #24 below for an Ikea combo unit we created that does triple duty: closed door toy storage, hanging storage for dress up clothes, and a reading nook in between.
Laundry Bins: This might surprise you but it is one of my favorite tricks! These work perfectly for storing bulky stuffed animals or even odd-shaped toys. I have these scattered through my whole house.
Shelves: These work great especially for homework desks or kid craft tables (See Item #4) Take advantage of your vertical space and hang shelves over your desk area. You can put bins with school or craft supplies inside. You typically will want a shelf 10-12” deep for this purpose.
Playroom Design Tip #4 Don’t be TOO Organized
What? I know. Here is the thing I like to say:
I used to be a Type A person until my kids beat it out of me.
You can be Type A and uber-organized with kid belongings and either
A. Be really unhappy (because those sweet kids will always be messing it up)
or
B. Be prepared to be constantly cleaning and re-organizing
Here’s My Story How I Stopped Over-Organizing
I’m a huge fan of great storage and have a place for everything. But I learned the hard way with my three kids not to be overly organized. If you try to keep every bin separated by toy category….well, you will be reorganizing a lot.
When I first became a Mom, each bin had a cute homemade tag tied on with a ribbon. And I proudly organized each bin by toy car, doll, puzzle, book, etc. But I found that kids dump and play. And I would re-organize. And what do you know? They would do the SAME DARN THING 30 minutes later. And after awhile I would get so frustrated by continually re-organizing.
Now, after being a Mom for over 11 years…we still have toy bins.
But they are all mixed up. And you know what? The kids don’t seem to care. So I don’t care either. So.Much.Better.
Playroom Design Tip #5 Use Room Décor that Is Gender and Age Neutral
In the end my client ended up choosing some of her favorite prints from BOTH designs (as well as incorporating two sentimental pieces she already owned). I helped her arrange the Gallery Wall with her exact prints and sizes needed. If you need some direction with hanging art, try this configuration and artwork sizes!
Going back to my client: she has three kids, and having two girls and a boy….she needed a space that would work with everyone. So here are some ideas for creating a Gender Neutral Playroom:
–Decorate with Color. For her Playroom we used neutral walls and neutral furniture. But then we added in big pops of color through pillows and artwork. We used blues, greens, oranges, and yellows. And because it was so colorful we could sneak it a bit of pink without it feeling girly.
-Decorate with a Loose Theme: I would suggest not going overboard with any theme as kids tend to quickly outgrown specific themes and characters. But there are so many gender neutral loose themes you can use in a Kid Room:
Animals
Adventure
Camping
Nautical or Coastal
Lego Themed
Clubhouse/Woods/Outdoor
Even if you have all girls or all boys you can use any of these themes. If you have all girls, you may want a “Camping” theme to look more like “Glamping” with some fun girly colors or patterns mixed in.
Getting Even More Playroom Décor Ideas
I hope you enjoyed taking a peek into my client’s Playroom for her three sweet kiddos. If you want even more ideas…you’re in luck! Playrooms, Kid Rooms, and Bonus Rooms are actually my #1 requested room, so I have done a lot of them. Here are some Kid Room Makeovers I think you will love.
A Round-Up of 4 Different Playroom Designs
7 Steps to the Perfect Basement Playroom
All About the Girls: The Playroom I Stole from My Client!
Fun (Secret) News Coming Soon
I announced it at the top of the post, but if you are one who likes to scroll to the end…
Big things are coming here at Postbox Designs.
I’ve been working on launching a line that combines the custom Interior E-Design of Postbox Designs, but specially formulated for the littlest ones. Think fun, interactive, and a way to involve your kids in the process. And a really fun Room-Inside-a-Box that they get to open.
Postbox Designs Kids Coming Soon. February 2019.
Click below to see a Sneak Peek:
Have questions about anything you say? About Interior E-Design? Or want to chat more about your project? Drop me a line at kristin@postboxdesigns.com and we can chat all about Y-O-U.
Cheers,
Kristin
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