10 Creative Ideas For Your Child’s Playroom (That We Know They’ll Love)
Decorating a kid’s playroom is a great excuse for adults to be kids again and have a little fun — but that doesn’t mean stylish design has to get thrown out the window.
We’ve all seen playrooms filled with clutter that stress you out the minute you look at them. So we are here to say buh-bye to stressful messes and bring in playrooms that are functional, pretty, and, most of all, fun! These are our top 10 creative kids' playroom ideas that we know your kids will love.
LET’S START WITH THE RULES
Let’s address the elephant in the room. Why should you follow any rules at all in a playroom? While we agree that you shouldn’t take all the fun out by following every rule to the letter, you also shouldn’t neglect them. We’re not fans of the “throw random colors at the walls and hope something sticks” tactic.
Instead, when coming up with children’s playroom ideas, stick to a theme or at least a range of colors within a similar palette, just like you would when picking an interior design theme for any other room in your home. You don’t need to stick with it entirely, but use it as a starting point.
1. Let Them Draw On The Walls
Now, we don’t mean literally (but if your kids do, you totally have to send us a picture of their masterpiece!).
Kids' drawings are fun! And a playroom is the perfect place to embrace them. Drawing is a great activity to keep them occupied and let them be creative. Here are a few ways to “let your kids draw on the walls.”
Chalk Paint
Okay, this one might also be for adults, because if you’ve ever used chalk paint, you know how much fun it is! Pick one wall as your feature wall, or paint a section of a wall and put a frame over it. You can pick up the supplies to create this neat feature wall at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. It’s a cheap and effective option to add creativity to the playroom.
Peel-And-Stick Whiteboard
We swear, whoever came up with this idea is a genius! A peel-and-stick whiteboard could be the best invention since sliced bread! These whiteboards can be customized to any size and removed without damage. Who knew?!
Kraft Paper Wall Mount
A Kraft paper wall mount may be the solution for older children who understand how to draw on paper rather than all over the walls. This is a less permanent option compared to painting, so is very renter-friendly. Bonus: it looks so dang gorgeous.
2. Create a Reading Nook
A playroom would not be complete without a reading nook. It brings in that element of calm and quiet time, giving you and your little ones a place to relax. We recommend bringing in all the soft furnishings including pillows, stuffed animals, and even a throw blanket or two. You’ll also want some good lighting to read by!
If you’ve got the space to do so, create a window seat. You'll have all of that natural light shining through. Or, if you’ve got lots of space to get creative, create a fort or a small tent that can be their little hideaway.
3. Be Playful With Color And Patterns
Have fun with color! Let’s be honest: where else in your home could you include a purple rug and some funky wall decals? You can use bright colors in your child’s playroom and bring in bold or patterned pillows, fabrics, and rugs. Heck, you can even find some cute wallpaper to liven up the space! Get your kids involved by starting with their favorite colors and branching out.
INSIDER TIP
When working with color, it’s really easy to get overwhelmed trying to strike a balance between enough and too much. Stick to a 60-30-10 rule. This is where you pick three colors. Throughout the room, have 60% of one, 30% of another, and only 10% of another. It’s a great way to simplify your color scheme and make it look purposeful.
4. Create a Climbing Wall
We love the idea of bringing a structural element into a playroom. It is a great way for kids to play when they have their friends over, and it also creates a sense of adventure. Now you can totally DIY this, or you may need help from your local tradesperson; it’s up to you and how confident you feel.
You can keep it neutral, so it doesn’t take away from the room's aesthetic, or go all out with fun colors and shapes. If you’re not totally committed to a climbing wall, choose only to do a small section of the room.
5. Think Like a Kid!
Take a moment to stop and think like a kid. What comes rushing to your mind? Is it being carefree and doing whatever you like? Or is your mind filled with all the cool activities you used to do? Take whatever inspires you and adopt this mentality when designing a kids' playroom that your child will love.
6. Use Wallpaper On Your Ceiling
Who said wallpaper was just for walls? There are so many different types of wallpaper out there in a million different patterns to choose from. Wallpaper brings in even more color and a sense of playfulness. It creates a sense of purposeful drama in the space and a focal point that creates a sense of direction.
Insider Tip!
If you’re struggling to choose which wallpaper to use, grab three options and let your little ones pick! Not only is it a fun way to get them involved, but they’ll also feel like they’ve had a say in what their room looks like.
7. Don’t Forget to Stay Organized
Okay, this is where Salt + Citrus comes in handy. A kids' playroom and clutter are practically a match made in heaven, so having a system that keeps it neat and tidy is a must! We highly recommend choosing closed cabinets to keep the mess hidden. And there are plenty of ways to stay organized without turning your home into a room full of storage bins! Check out some of our favorites below!
Baskets with lids,
Jars,
Shelves,
Bookshelves,
Pegboards,
We also love The Container Store!
Insider Tip!
Mix and match your storage! Like we said, you don’t want your kids' playroom to turn into a room full of storage bins. So don’t be afraid to use a combination of storage tubs, baskets, and jars. It adds some interest, all while keeping the clutter contained.
8. Build a Fort!
Surely we’re not the only ones who remember building a fort like it was yesterday? But now we’ve got a bad back, so we’ll have to settle for the couch instead!
Building a fort is FUN! It's a kid's dream and it doesn't even take much to get started. There are so many options: You can hang bedsheets from the ceiling or a curtain rod across the bed to give that feeling of camping inside. This is really simple and inexpensive, and it can make a huge difference to how fun the space is for your kids.
9. Keep It Interchangeable
This is the part we hate to admit… kids grow up. So while we’re getting excited about color and forts, we also have to rein it in. Remember that they won’t always want a vivid yellow wallpapered ceiling. So whatever you choose to do, unless you’re 1000% certain, always choose the semi-permanent option. It will save you a whole lot of stress and money in the long run.
Insider Tip!
If you’re in love with a particular theme, try and visualize it in five years. How well does it age? While we want you to have fun with your design, we also want you and your kids to grow with the aesthetic as time goes on.
10. Have Fun!
And, of course, we’ve saved the best tip for last: have fun! It is a kids' playroom, so why not mix it up using patterns and colors? We love our sophisticated rooms in the house for adults, but your kids will only be young once, so take full advantage of styling and decorating a room they’ll love.
What Now?
Style to your heart's content! We’ve given you all of our tips and tricks for making a child's playroom that we know your kids will love, and now we want to see what you come up with! But if you don’t feel like making the decisions, get in touch with us for a design therapy sesh, and we'll be here to help you.
