Our Playroom/Library Design Plans (and How to Win One of this Month’s Small Business Giveaways!)

Mid-November, I finished my first One Room Challenge and when it was over, I found myself with a room-makeover-high that left me itching to take on another project. Like, immediately. Thankfully, my husband was completely on board (especially with outdoor activities slowing down with the cold weather moving in in CT) so off I set to design a much needed facelift for our kiddo’s playroom.

“Playroom” may be a slightly generous term. The space is fairly small and doesn’t have any doors that completely close it off from the rest of the house. But what it lacks in square footage, it makes up in oodles of charm and character. Built-ins on both sides with tons of shelves waiting to be styled, an area above the radiator that can easily function as a window seat, and lots of great natural light from two opposing windows. The hope is that while the kids are young, the space will primarily function as their play area but as they grow, it’ll become more of a workspace/library for the whole family.

The biggest issue we’ve had with the room so far is that toys and knick knacks are constantly everywhere. EVERYWHERE. I get that that’s par for the course when living with children, but I’m not ready to give up and swim in a sea of kid clutter for the next 10 years just yet. More storage space – better yet, HIDDEN storage space- became priority number one. We have a great, local woodworker who constructed some super affordable shaker-style doors for our recent master bedroom makeover, so I contacted him about making a similar set for the lower part of these built-ins.

The second biggest consideration has to do with the room’s placement in our home. It’s right off of the living room which is great when it comes to easily watching the kids from a comfy spot on the couch with coffee (I think that happened once? Maybe? Perhaps in a dream?) but not so great from an aesthetic purpose when the room is bursting at the seams with Frozen paraphanelia and art supplies. So when creating the mood board, I knew I wanted a color palette and overall design that vibed with the rest of our house and didn’t feel too kiddish.

Kids spaces are FUN! They encourage you to play with colors and patterns you may otherwise shy away from in home decor. For me, there’s no better way to add youthful detail to a children’s space than with wallpaper. So when I spotted this neutral yet playful striped print available in a peel and stick format (because I barely have my husband on board with temporary wallpaper so permanent wallpaper ain’t gonna fly over here), I was sold. BONUS: it’s from Chasing Paper – a wonderful small business started in nearby NYC – and I LOVE supporting small businesses.

We haven’t had a rug in the room since we moved in 2.5 years ago which hasn’t been great. Kids love hanging out on the floor but hardwood isn’t exactly the comfiest option. So what ends up happening? The children and my dog and ALL of their various toys end up migrating to the living room rug (in a pattern that looks suspiciously like an intentional tripping booby trap laid out for Mommy but I digress…). So needless to say, finding a proper area rug was a MUST. When I spotted this one from Rifle Paper Co. – another small business based out of Florida – I fell in love. The colors are neutral and tie in beautifully with the living room but the pattern is whimsical (peep those unicorns friends, my kiddos are going to FLIP).

My husband and I were feeling prettttty confident (dare I say cocky?) after the successful tackling of the ORC and got to thinking that maybe we could add some DIY board and batten to the walls (using this tutorial from Young House Love) plus beadboard to the backs of the shelves as we had done upstairs.

Thankfully, it all turned out beautifully! I decided to do something a little different and paint everything (the board and batten, the shelves, the built-ins, etc.) in Bruton White – the color we have in the living room – to add more interest and depth to the space while creating a cohesive flow from one room to the next.

So now, for the GIVEAWAY announcement! From day one, I knew that I wanted this gorgeous “SISTERS” print for the playroom (because come on, how perfect is it?) and it’s from – YOU GUESSED IT – another fabulous small business that’s a personal favorite of mine: Juniper Print Shop.

Every Friday this month, I’ll be giving away a home decor goodie from a different small business to celebrate 2020 coming to an end (good riddance.) and the start of the New Year. Be sure to head to instagram every Friday for your chance to win (and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog for THREE additional entries). Good luck, friends!

Thanks for stopping by,