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View Full Version : Goodbye Dining Room, Hello Playroom.



button68
15-01-2008, 09:15 AM
I've mixed feelings on this one :( .

My dining room (NOT formal by any means) was kinda a 'family room' anyway where my children (4 & 11) chilled and did activities during the day. We have kept the lounge semi decent and we only go in there of an evening really.

I decided over the weekend that if I was going to give this 'childminding lark' a serious go then I needed the playroom that prospective parents saw was more...well... playroomy!!

Yesterday DH painted it a neutral cream (looks very stark :eek: ) and I have bought and ABC frieze and a 123 frieze to put up along with a large parents notice board. Hopefully my prospective mindees will brighten it up :D

Lastly, I've replaced a family picture on the fireplace with .......... my Registration Cerificate :thumbsup:

It will feel like we are eating our family meals in a nursary, but what else can I do? :huh: Hopefully in a few years time I will have made enough money to add a conservatory.

angeldelight
15-01-2008, 09:18 AM
It sounds really nice and your own children can still use it for their " own space" in the evenings and weekends

I think it is better to have one room looking like a nursery rather than the whole house - which is what mine is looking like at the moment ha

Angel xx

berkschick
15-01-2008, 09:31 AM
Lol and mine Angel!

We have a conservatory which is meant to be a playroom but the rabbit is in there and I am scared she will bite one of the mindees ( she has never bitten before and is 5 years old but I would never forgive myself) so now under my stairs in the lounge is full of toys too! We converted our garage into a den so my older ones have somewhere to go! But I feel like Im living in a nursery too! Cant wait to ger Rosie ( the rabbit!) back outside and have a proper playroom than can be used.


Its a good idea to keep your lounge a lounge Button. Once you have mindees drawing and painting you lovely pictures the playroom will look lovely!

Love

Debbie

sarah707
15-01-2008, 09:37 AM
It sounds lovely! You can brighten up the walls with lots of posters, then they won't seem so bleak! It's like taking the Christmas decs down isn't it? Everything looks a bit sad for a while...

I hope you enjoy your new space :D

berkschick
15-01-2008, 09:42 AM
There is a really nice welcome poster on Ebay that says hello in lots of differant languages, that would look great up.

I think it will be great to have an area to display items related to the topic of the month too without having to sit and look at them all night too lol

You could get a weather chart too, although it probably wont ever change from wind and rain lol

Love

Debbie

Schnakes
15-01-2008, 09:45 AM
Id love to turn my dining room into a playroom, but we have an open plan house so the toys just take over! There is some really beautiful funiture and stuff and posters etc that I want to put in the dining room but at the same time when the kids go home I want my house to look like a home so...:huh:

I go through phases though...for a couple of months I'll have loads of art work and posters etc all over the walls...another month (this one for example!) I take them all down cos they drive me nuts!! Oh lordy...Ofsted must think Im the worst childminder ever!! ;)

Sx

ajs
15-01-2008, 09:46 AM
it sounds lovely and oh to have a husband who does
my playroom still has the half peeling woodchip that we half peeled off when we did the rewring wehn we moved in 8 years ago so i am getting more then a little peeved with my husband
i got the steam stripper back from a friend last easter as he promised he would strip it then
don't worry i am not holding my breath

Mollymop
15-01-2008, 09:47 AM
Sounds like a good idea, Button.
It must be nice to have the room for a playroom.
I am like you, hopefully save enough money for an extenstion or a conservatory, just so I can have all the toys out of my lounge!

I hope it goes well for you X
You' ll have to post a picture when it's finished.

angeldelight
15-01-2008, 09:48 AM
You still moaning at the lovely David ? haha

Angel xx

ajs
15-01-2008, 09:48 AM
sorry meant to say your play/dining room sounds lovely and yes it is great not having to put other people's kids artwork all over your own living space

Rubybubbles
15-01-2008, 10:16 AM
thats my one big dream, enjoy!!

Post some pictures too I'm so nosey xx

LittleMissSparkles
15-01-2008, 10:30 AM
I often wish we'd bought a house with a seperate dining area now im minding, still hope to convert the garage though at sme point xxxx

Would love to see some pics when you have got it sorted please xxx

Banana
15-01-2008, 10:54 AM
We had to do the same thing. We used our conservatory as a dining room and then when I started minding the conservatory became a playroom and now we eat dinner on our laps - which I hate so much!!

You do what you have to though to make it child friendly! What you have done sounds nice! I am sure the children and parenst will appreciate it!
x

manjay
15-01-2008, 10:59 AM
I had a big spare wall in my kitchen that is used as my display wall. It's ok at the moment but I will be glad when dh finally gets round to doing my garage conversion!. We have the planning permission, all the materials and the garage has been cleared ready! The only thing we don't have is time! As he works silly hours and quite often works away it is really difficult to get it done! Oh well one day I suppose! maybe if I made a start on it it would frighten him into getting on with it!

amanda xx

LittleMissSparkles
15-01-2008, 11:05 AM
I had a big spare wall in my kitchen that is used as my display wall. It's ok at the moment but I will be glad when dh finally gets round to doing my garage conversion!. We have the planning permission, all the materials and the garage has been cleared ready! The only thing we don't have is time! As he works silly hours and quite often works away it is really difficult to get it done! Oh well one day I suppose! maybe if I made a start on it it would frighten him into getting on with it!

amanda xx

is your garage seperate to your house Amanda or is it integral ?

manjay
15-01-2008, 11:11 AM
is your garage seperate to your house Amanda or is it integral ?

It's on the side of the house and runs the whole length of the house. We have already converted the back half into a utility room but are still left with enough room for a small room and downstairs loo! I just want somewhere to store all the toys tbh. I can't be doing with toys in my lounge!!

I know yours is seperate so I can imagine that would be more difficult to do but not impossible!

amanda xx

Tily Bud
15-01-2008, 11:26 AM
Oh i'd love a separate play room x

ruby
15-01-2008, 11:39 AM
we are luckly our house has three rooms which were all open plan so we have the front room as the children room and my computer we put doors on so that at night we can close the door on the mess.
and we still have a lounge and dining room although in the day with 5 little ones they do have all three rooms to play in

have just put new posters up and have brought some cork boards to display the children work .

cathy and rachel

oakie dokie
15-01-2008, 12:42 PM
i would love a play room too!

hazelx

Twinkles
15-01-2008, 01:01 PM
My 'dining' room is used as a playroom and we eat in the kitchen. It's nice to be able to shut the doors on the mess some evenings. The only problem is if we want to have people over for a meal ( can hardly do posh dinner in the kitchen ) so at Christmas etc we shove all the toys in the very small 'conservatory'/lean to and dim the lights!
A couple of years ago we bought four strong fold up tables ( car boot type of thing ) and once the table cloth is on you'd never know that it wasn't a proper table. It is so worth it not to have to clear away toys every day.

buildingblocks
15-01-2008, 01:31 PM
I am like you, hopefully save enough money for an extenstion or a conservatory, just so I can have all the toys out of my lounge!


If you have the choice go for an extension rather than a conservatory. We had a huge conservatory built as a playroom but it s so warm in summer and so cold in winter and hasn't turne dout what I wanted. Now I wish we had had an extension built.

i would love to move but no way can we afford anything that would give us the space I have now:(

berkschick
15-01-2008, 01:34 PM
I agree about the extention being better!

We have had both, the extention is definately a part of the house where as the conservatory is too cold or too warm! I also find it really hard to keep clean with all the glass and plastic.

buildingblocks
15-01-2008, 01:38 PM
I also find it really hard to keep clean with all the glass and plastic.

I have a fantastic window cleaner who does all myoutside windows including the conservatory ones all for £8.50 best money I ever spent. Still have to do inside but to be honest don't need to do them that often

Sarsar3NCH
15-01-2008, 01:43 PM
We have a conservatory too but I have ended up using it as a dining room as its either too hot or too cold but I don't mind heating it for short period in the evening for tea. We even paid a fortune for proper conservatory blinds but they are not helping to keep it warm either.

I would love to convert my garage too but we bought a trailer tent last year and that takes up all the garage so here we are still sat in the lounge surrounded by toys!!!

Sarah

katickles
15-01-2008, 01:52 PM
Sounds like you have done a lovely job & parents / ofsted will be impressed that you have gone to such lengths to make the children comfortable.:p

Rubybubbles
15-01-2008, 01:53 PM
other than a play room you know what else I would love

a downstairs toilet:laughing: , having to creep upstairs when LO asleep:ROFL1: with

I'm so jealous:p :p

honey
15-01-2008, 02:12 PM
i would love to do the same with my dining room as it's seperated off, all that is in there is a dining table, piano and fish tank. We never use the room except for xmas, my hubby wont get rid of the table as it cost 2 grand about 5 years ago, the room is on the front of the house and people can see in and he is worried about peole think as it will look untidy aarrgghhhhhh, I'm trying to convince him to get me a conservatory done at the mo, as he HATES coming home to a house looking like a nursery i have to take everything down at night and then put it all back up again in the morning, what a ball ache. But even then i would have to do the room out on a onday morning and take it all down again on friday so we have our house back.:angry:

buildingblocks
15-01-2008, 05:31 PM
I would love a downstairs toilet I'm so jealous:p :p

Me too that is what i would love to have if I ever moved

Angela234
15-01-2008, 07:07 PM
I had a new conservatory last year its laid out for the children i do still have some games and puzzles on shelves and a cupboard in my dinning area of lounge but at least at nights i pull the curtains and can't see the playroom. Its hard to belief all the toys in my playroom used to be in my lounge.
You can see photos on my web site Look under "web sites" section for Little Tots Childminding

My conservatory is north facing so doesn't get too hot in the summer and have only a couple of times had to put on a heater in there, i open the door into the lounge when i get up and the heat from lounge warms it up

Angela

manjay
15-01-2008, 08:05 PM
i would love to do the same with my dining room as it's seperated off, all that is in there is a dining table, piano and fish tank. We never use the room except for xmas, my hubby wont get rid of the table as it cost 2 grand about 5 years ago, the room is on the front of the house and people can see in and he is worried about peole think as it will look untidy aarrgghhhhhh, I'm trying to convince him to get me a conservatory done at the mo, as he HATES coming home to a house looking like a nursery i have to take everything down at night and then put it all back up again in the morning, what a ball ache. But even then i would have to do the room out on a onday morning and take it all down again on friday so we have our house back.:angry:

Can't you put some blinds up so noone can see? I agree that taking everything down after a days work would be a nightmare.

Luckily my husband registered with me so has quite a good idea of what is required. He also is very supportive that this is my chosen occupation and he puts up with it as the alternative is me going back to my old 9-5 job!

amanda xx

charleyfarley
15-01-2008, 11:16 PM
I've mixed feelings on this one :( .

My dining room (NOT formal by any means) was kinda a 'family room' anyway where my children (4 & 11) chilled and did activities during the day. We have kept the lounge semi decent and we only go in there of an evening really.

I decided over the weekend that if I was going to give this 'childminding lark' a serious go then I needed the playroom that prospective parents saw was more...well... playroomy!!

Yesterday DH painted it a neutral cream (looks very stark :eek: ) and I have bought and ABC frieze and a 123 frieze to put up along with a large parents notice board. Hopefully my prospective mindees will brighten it up :D

Lastly, I've replaced a family picture on the fireplace with .......... my Registration Cerificate :thumbsup:

It will feel like we are eating our family meals in a nursary, but what else can I do? :huh: Hopefully in a few years time I will have made enough money to add a conservatory.

That's exactly what we did over xmas.

I was really fed up with all the toys in the living room (never looked tidy)

We had a storeroom that all the toys should have been kept in but the toys have outgrown the room.

My playroom isn't completely finished, more storage to be brought down from attic bedroom and bookcase needs swapping over but I'm getting there.

Have certificates and insurance on wall plus childrens work and big posters.

Think Ofsted will be impressed well they better be.

I think you have made the right decision

Carol xx

JO S
01-02-2008, 05:58 PM
We are going to making a start on changing our dining room to a play room this weekend. It'll probably take a while though as weekends are so busy, football, birthday parties, piano lessons ect.
I'll let you all know how it goes!

sar
03-02-2008, 04:37 PM
i got a small front room parlor type room and thats where all the toys r the little ones love it but the big 1s go in our lounge where the wii is and big t.v dinning room in the middle of the 2 rooms and when i have got all the stuff of my dinning table like naooies little ones bags and piles of paper work we are all able to eat lol .I would love to have an extencion but the council said NO gutted hoping for a little lottery win and may be we move lol.

tulip0803
03-02-2008, 05:05 PM
My main minding room will be my dining room too. I have brought some pretty children's rugs and posters for the wall so that they can easily be rolled up when royalty comes:laughing: My house is overflowing with toys from minding before so there will be nothing new when I actually start.

Ultimate plan: when I win the lottery, but not enough to retire, is convert my cellar into a playroom. It has external doors and windows and with a little extension the outside toilet can come in from the cold. One day when pigs fly it might happen.:laughing:

bestmum2have
03-02-2008, 08:25 PM
Hi Ladies
I have been minding for many years and I still haven't got a seperate Play room.
Toni