Playroom Design

[littleelm]

Hello folks!

I'm thinking about my soon-to-be playroom! Currently it's the dining room.

It's a good big space... it's about 9ft by 14ft and I want to make the best use of it as I possibly can!

I've already decided that I will invest in some of those interlocking floor mats to protect my carpet. And I'd love some kind of book storage. But i'm not sure what else is MEGA important and what I don't really need to get at all.

So what things are really essential in your playroom? and what have you bought thinking it'd be mega useful but turned out to be a bit of a waste of money?

Also what have you found is the most useful layout for your playroom?

Thanks in advance! xx

[Blaze]

I wouldn't be without my changing station - it's a big solid Mam's & Papas one, so suitable for larger older LO's still in nappies - it makes such a HUGE difference because it saves my back....bet you weren't expecting that for an answer!

[littleelm]

No, I wasn't! I was planning on just having a changing mat on the floor.... nowhere for a little one to tumble to then! I might change my mind after changing upteen nappies everyday, day in day out though!

[Blaze]

That's what I used to do - then I started doing it on the sofa (oh, er missus )...but that still hurt my back (better than changing on the floor though) - but it killed my knees - now I have a changing station with a mat with a belt on it - problems solved

[littleelm]

Aaaah mat with a belt! Very clever!

[sarah707]

I have open storage shelves from Ikea - they are great as I can put older children's toys at the top and baby toys at the bottom etc.

I also wouldn't be without a table and chairs... plus floor cushions (I use dog ones) for children who want to chill.

My sofa is a single bed so it's safe for when children are napping. I put a cover and fresh sheet on it every day.

You have a lovely big room there... I'd draw out a plan for must haves and leave as much space as possible for floor play

[miss mopple]

Must haves for my playroom are

dressing up rail
mirror (I have a low level one with a bar for babies to pull themselves up on)
bookshelf (mine is a tidy books one which I love as it takes almost no floorspace)
trofast storage

[RachelE]

storage, storage, storage!

I change nappies on the floor. I'd rather use the space around the room for storage.

Wall displays; safe doors - no trapped fingers; sign on the door saying no shoes allowed! ; shelves high up - for either your stuff or that of your childrens that you wish to keep out of reach (and for paperwork too?)

Storage for art and craft things. - maybe drawers that can be moved about?

Can you tell I have moved from a house with a playroom - and storage - to a house with no playroom and no storage?!

- did I say storage?!

Rachel x

[beckyteddy]

My best buy recently was a small-ish sturdy kitchen table for the older ones to draw at or do puzzles on. Takes away all the frustration of having a baby crawl all over your colouring and saved me from endless struggles to get my actual kitchen table cleared of stuff before tea-time. I found it for sale by on somebodies drive-way for £20...and that included 4 chairs and 2 bar stools...bargain-central!

[PixiePetal]

child height table and chairs, storage and a good bookcase sofa or comfy chair if it fits too.I am looking at a futon for my little playroom -not big enough for a sofa

I have my DDs old changing station in mine now - a chest of drawers with edges round 3 sides of the top to hold a mat. I keep all the nappies, wipes etc blankets, reins, hi vis jackets ................in the drawers. So much easier than the floor for my back.

[suzyblue]

I have a new play room and in it is a wall of built in storage - designed by me to house all the toys with shelves made to fit everything that needs to go in. It has doors on so that it can be shut away. (Got it done cheap by a local carpenter)

I also have a very old leather sofa for chilling, sleeping etc (me not the kids!)

I have a lovely wooden kitchen, the sort that a proper nursery would have, it was about £250 but looks nice and the kids love it.

I also have a low trofast storage unit where the kids can help themselves and use the top for playing small world etc.

I have a kids nursery table and chairs (durable and will last forever) but thats in the dining room for eating and art and crafts.

I have a reading area with large cushions and books out (mostly board books or charity shop books that I dont mind if they get damaged-not that I would allow that!)

I also have a wigwam tent that they can go in if they want to be alone (thats where I spend most of my time!)

I have to make an effort not to fill every bit of space with toy boxes so that there is still plenty of space for playing.

Have fun planning your room!

[jelly15]

Small two seater sofa (doubles as abed for 2 year old). Little table and chairs. Playpen for crawlers when I pop to bathroom (next room) to change nappies etc.

[AliceK]

A big gate to keep all the children in there (insert smilie here, mine don't work)

At last I have a lovely playroom and yet all the children do is drag all the toys out all over the lounge and kitchen. I've got a rule now that the lounge is a quiet room and no toys are allowed in there anymore but it's not working/

xxxxxx

[littleelm]

Haha Alice... I can see that happening here aswell... the dining room and lounge are joined together by big french doors... if they're open it feels like one big room.... definately going to have to get some kind of room divider and inist on toys being kept in the playroom I think!