Playroom Ideas Needed!

[BabyH]

So we have a finished attic that we plan to turn into a playroom ASAP for DS. He will be 1 in April, so it's not like he needs it all decked out just yet - but I'd like it that way ;) (I want to have it ready for an unveiling for parents and friends for his birthday!).

It's definitely a small space .... I'm going to paint one of the walls with Chalkboard paint so he can draw and color in the future, and I'm going to get some other things like those puzzle toys and attach them to the wall, but my question is this: Do any of you have like a mural or anything on your playroom walls?

There's a wall with a window in the middle of it that I think could be cute with some dinosaurs or race cars - you know, boy stuff, and we have an artist friend who could do it.......

Care to share pics of your playroom?

[brittone2]

two I have bookmarked:
http://iammommahearmeroar.blogspot.com/2010/03/quest-for-perfect-playroom-part-3.html

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2009/04/playroom-turned-game-roomlounge/

[love_a_latte]

I would LOVE to share pictures of my playroom! DH was out of town for a week over the summer, and I decided to 'surprise' him (aka just do it and not have to worry about him thinking that it wasn't the best idea, I have a history of biting off more then I can chew ;) ) by redoing the playroom, which was a room we had not touched since he bought the house in 1997. I worked my butt off peeling wallpaper off, spackled and scrubbed the walls, and finally painted. It was a ton of work, but I love the way it turned out. The only thing left to do is replace the carpet, which we will do once DS is totally potty-trained. The room itself is tiny, maybe 9' by 12', but is bright and cheerful.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5395911059_6dd8010d56.jpg

Also, I made the bookshelf myself this summer with plans from Knock-Off Wood. It keeps all the kids books fairly manageable, but doesn't take up too much space.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5395909715_c81f0bae69.jpg

[justlearning]

I think the best use of wall space is getting the biggest size Expedit bookcase (from Ikea) that you can fit in there. We have one in our playroom and it holds a ton of stuff! I'd definitely prioritize that over anything decorative on the walls.

[smilequeen]

We don't have a mural b/c the walls are pretty much covered in bookshelves. We have the PBK stuff b/c Ikea wasn't an option at the time. I'd get the Ikea shelves if I were doing it now. SO SO SO much cheaper and they will ship now...

Ours is pretty big, it's the loft above our great room, but it could be done so much smaller and just skip the sofa in the middle.

This is ours right after we moved into our house. Things have moved, but not the big shelves. They are attached to the walls.

http://media7.dropshots.com/photos/22587/20100105/091840.jpg

http://media6.dropshots.com/photos/22587/20100105/091911.jpg

[justlearning]

I would LOVE to share pictures of my playroom! DH was out of town for a week over the summer, and I decided to 'surprise' him (aka just do it and not have to worry about him thinking that it wasn't the best idea, I have a history of biting off more then I can chew ;) ) by redoing the playroom, which was a room we had not touched since he bought the house in 1997. I worked my butt off peeling wallpaper off, spackled and scrubbed the walls, and finally painted. It was a ton of work, but I love the way it turned out. The only thing left to do is replace the carpet, which we will do once DS is totally potty-trained. The room itself is tiny, maybe 9' by 12', but is bright and cheerful.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5395911059_6dd8010d56.jpg

Also, I made the bookshelf myself this summer with plans from Knock-Off Wood. It keeps all the kids books fairly manageable, but doesn't take up too much space.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/5395909715_c81f0bae69.jpg

Congratulations on a job very well done! You're one talented momma!

[BabyH]

Thanks, everyone!! There are some serious great ideas in this thread! I LOVE the mailbox idea. That's just so cute. I can't wait to get started!

[JTsMom]

I love everyone's ideas and pics! I seriously am planning to borrow an idea from each one!

I just got in 2 maps I had ordered, and the molding for them is out in the garage, just like in the link Beth posted. Here I thought that was a unique idea. LOL Of course, mine are crazy bright, so nowhere near as elegant. I love the "Explore" though, and I may use that. The train and apple tree are SO cute! I don't think I could talk DH into cutting a hole in the wall, but I'm sure I can take something from there.

LOVE the murals that you painted LaL! Did you freehand them, or use a pattern? I think I might actually be able to pull off a tree, and I've always wanted to put one somewhere. I had JUST bookmarked that bookshelf plan over at knockoffwood right before I saw your picture. It turned out great, and I love the colors!

Smilequeen, love the "Play" and ""Laugh" in your room- I've got to work those in too.

Thanks for posting this BabyH! Might be the most useful thread ever for me. :)

[gobadgers]

There are some seriously great ideas here! I LOVE that map, it looks so elegant and she makes it sound so easy.

I've wanted to do one of these roads, either around a door frame or window, or maybe where a chair rail would go in DS's room:

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/playful-decorating-ideas-00000000039054/page4.html

[RunnerDuck]

There are some seriously great ideas here! I LOVE that map, it looks so elegant and she makes it sound so easy.

I've wanted to do one of these roads, either around a door frame or window, or maybe where a chair rail would go in DS's room:

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/playful-decorating-ideas-00000000039054/page4.html

I might suggest that painting something dark is not always as simple as it sounds. I'm surprised they pulled this off without primering. To save some aggrivation get a gray primer as well to use first or maybe try the Behr paint with primer in it - although I have to say that was only marginally easier than straight paint. (We painted our basement red - I didn't know that red is one of the evilest colors to paint... and other darks can be equally evil. I learned of the existance of gray primer halfway through this horrible project...)

[gobadgers]

I might suggest that painting something dark is not always as simple as it sounds. I'm surprised they pulled this off without primering. To save some aggrivation get a gray primer as well to use first or maybe try the Behr paint with primer in it - although I have to say that was only marginally easier than straight paint. (We painted our basement red - I didn't know that red is one of the evilest colors to paint... and other darks can be equally evil. I learned of the existance of gray primer halfway through this horrible project...)

Oh, you're totally right - they should have mentioned using a primer! We learned about dark-colored paints the hard way too. Not an easy lesson.

[RunnerDuck]

It's a HORRIBLE lesson. I swear I now picture hell as not somewhere hot but somewhere you have to paint endless rooms dark colors with no primer. Every home improvement project turns into some sort of lesson... I'm getting tired of learning LOL

[essnce629]

Our playroom is pretty small (around 10x10), but these are my favorite parts of it:

* Ikea Expedits-- we have one 5x5 and one 2x4 unit in there and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them! They hold a TON and really helps to keep everything in it's place.

* TV and video games-- keeps DBF and DS1 from taking over the living room with their video games. I don't have to watch them playing on our main tv which is a plus for me! And DS2 watches his Signing Time dvds in there sometimes too.

* Ikea futon-- it turns into a full size bed and we have the Ikea latex futon mattress that is really comfortable. My mom comes and stays the weekend every few months so the playroom doubles as a guest room. I also love that the cover is darker and a microfiber-like fabric (doesn't show dirt and is easy to wipe clean), plus it's machine washable too. We had an off-white cotton futon cover before and it was so grossss!!!

* Little table and chair-- DS2 colors here and I'm sure will do arts and crafts here as he gets older. It's the small Pottery Barn Carolina table (craiglist find for $35!!) and the chair is the Kidcraft Avalon chair (only bought one to make sure it matched, it does). DS1 fits at the table too and the chair is sturdy (I sit on it with no problem).

* Sling bookshelf-- makes it so much easier for DS2 to find and pick out his books. It was a $19 Amazon deal during the holiday sales and for the price it's great, but we have a more expensive (~$75 I think) One Step Ahead one in DS2's bedroom that is much higher quality and comes with 2 storage bins as well.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1949-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1948-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1938.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1939.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1936.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1943.jpg


I want to get a small play kitchen that fits in the space under the TV for DS2's second birthday in May.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v16/essnce629/IMG_1944-1.jpg

We just moved into the house 9 weeks ago, so we don't have any art up on the walls yet. But as you can see, most of the wall space is covered with bookshelves. We just have the space over the futon.

[hillview]

I just saw this and though of your thread
http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/science-lab-playroom/pictures/page-2.html
/hillary