30 Imaginative Kids' Playrooms

A playroom is the space where your kids create, explore and imagine. Find inspiration in these rooms where kids can be kids.

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November 25, 2014

By: Chelsey Bowen

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The Gathering Place

Take family game night to the next level with a wall-sized Scrabble board. Not just for kids, playrooms that are designed with adults in mind encourage the whole family to come together. A comfy sofa is for grown-ups and kiddos alike, while open cube coffee tables offer easy-to-reach storage. Floral stools provide modular seating that can be used for the game or to simply hang out.

From: Tiffany Brooks

Wide Open Space

Make a room where kids can run and jump and just be kids. Rows and rows of pillows top low cushions to create the ideal spot for reading, relaxing and practicing their somersaults, while rope swings hang in the middle of the space. A black-and-white play tent mimics the room's contrasting color scheme, and oversize woven baskets give you a quick place to stash all the toys.

From: Chango and Co.

Build Upward

Take your fun vertical to maximize your space. These clever built-ins have two levels of merriment, starting from the bottom with a small desk area for making art or catching up with homework and a cool tunnel for hanging out. A rock-climbing wall leads up to a hideaway reading nook, complete with soft seating and bookshelves.

From: Pippa Lee

Made for Artists

Designed for creating, this playroom has lower cabinets chocked full of crafting supplies, as well as any toys. Even if there's chaos behind the doors, you'd never know. The child-size table is paired with low, colorful stools so they have a place to spread out their artistic endeavors. Open shelving gives the kids a spot to display beloved toys.

From: J&J Design Group

A Charmed Greeting

Start the amazement before they even walk into the playroom. The wood shingle house façade with window boxes full of faux flowers creates a delightful entry, and inside, rainbow polka dots decorate the walls. Kids will love the (indoor!) slide and can start working on their culinary skills with the play kitchen.

From: J&J Design Group

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Warm wood and exposed brick set the scene for this cozy, rustic playroom. The kiddos have loads of floor space for playing, especially on the baseball field rug (their dad is a professional baseball player, after all). Matching bins on the open bookshelf provide easy-to-stow storage.

From: Angelica Henry Design

Think About Durability

Since playrooms take a lot of abuse, choose finishes and furnishings that can be wiped down and easily maintained. Designer Melanie Grant of Poss Interior Design suggests chalkboard paint as a way to allow kids to be creative and messy, but at the end of the day can be easily cleaned up. She also loves to use indoor/outdoor fabrics because they feature great patterns and vibrant colors without sacrificing necessary durability.

For Your Little Explorers

Set your kiddo's sights on traveling with a playroom that takes them to a whole new world. An inspirational mural depicts the London Bridge, Big Ben and the London Eye (even Paddington makes an appearance), and a British phone booth is perfect for pretend play.

From: Stephanie DeBrincat

Just Add S'mores

All the camping perks without any of the bug bites, unpredictable weather and dirt, this playroom is made for the outdoor lover who also enjoys the comforts of home. Complete with a teepee, stuffed canoe and woodland creatures and a faux fire, the space is an adventure in the making.

From: Taylor Spellman

Clever Architecture

A small ledge borders the room, creating a shelf for storing a collection of vehicles as well as acting as an elevated pretend road for play. Grasscloth wallpaper adds texture and warmth to the crisp white floors and half-wall. The long floor cushion is made for rolling around on, but also looks like an excellent spot for mama to grab a catnap while little one is entertained.

From: Hillary Thomas

Get Creative

Create an environment that sparks imagination and creativity, says designer Liz Carroll. All children are different, so figure out what excites your kids the most. For this playroom, Carroll creates a stage and dress-up area for a budding entertainer.

From: Liz Carroll

Function Is a Must

Designers Julie Frank and Alessia Corpino of My Tiny Nest add as much color as possible to playrooms to create an energized space. Function is also an important part to playroom design. "Children need to be able to play, create and socialize in a space that's organized and efficiently laid out, and at the end of the day, order can be restored," say the designers.

Staying Close By

Set off the main living space, this little area makes for the ideal playroom. Colorful geometric wallpaper delineates the space from its neighboring room and declares, "Kid's Room!" Built-ins ensure there is plenty of storage and a big, cushy floor chair welcomes grown-ups who want to join in the fun.

From: Lucy Penfield

Playtime Anywhere

Turn functional spaces into spaces made for play. Floor-to-ceiling built-ins create an uber organized mudroom with cubbies for each member of the family. Whimsical wallpaper sets the tone for a playful atmosphere though. The wall of magnetic and dry erase boards are not only smart ways to write down reminders and lists, but they're also blank slates for creating and displaying the work kids make at school.

From: Lauren Rubin Architecture

For the Tweens

Simply because a playroom isn't bursting with toys doesn’t mean your older kids don't need a place to be creative and hang out. An oversized sectional is made for lounging while watching movies or playing video games. A bank of drawers keeps art supplies organized with cork boards overhead for displaying their creations, and a pair of tables is both a homework station and crafting zone.

From: 2to5 Design

Bright + Colorful

Teepees are an easy way to inject playfulness into your kids' room. They give little ones a place to pretend and are also perfect reading nooks and hiding spots. Add plenty of pillows to up the cozy factor and have tons of books nearby to spark their imaginations.

From: Rebecca Zajac

Take Cues From Kids

Embrace the activity they truly love. For these LEGO-loving boys, the centerpiece of this playroom is the clear acrylic table. It has ample space to build their creations and drawers to hold extra pieces.

From: Vanessa Antonelli

Open a Book

Reading is the gateway to expanding your child's imagination. Create a snuggly spot, where they can get lost in the department store with Corduroy, explore the world with Miss Rumphius and eat their way through all the foods with The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

From: Pippa Lee

Learning to Share

When your home office also needs to be a kids' space, you get playful. Dark red walls are a bold choice, but are balanced by the abundance of white in the room. Tucked in the corner is a computer station for finishing homework or entertainment, and kids will enjoy drawing on the floor-to-ceiling chalkboard. The ceiling features stick-on appliques, reflecting the geometrics found in the modern artwork.

Whimsical + Pretty

This playroom packs a lot — plenty of storage, loads of fun and even a hanging chair — into a small space without making it feel crowded. The key to working with petite playrooms is to use soft neutrals and light colors, store items in open shelving and wire baskets and pare down the number of toys. It helps with storage and keeping things new and interesting for your kids to rotate which toys you have in the room.

From: Kirsten Holmstedt

Playing With Everyone

Playrooms are a space for playing alone, with friends and with Mom and Dad, so the space and furniture need to work for all play types, say designers Julie Frank and Alessia Corpino of My Tiny Nest. Large, flat pillows are moveable and fun seats, while a cozy couch is a more comfortable seat for adults. Bright, colorful shelves provide open storage that's easy for kids to use.

Safety First

Playrooms need to be safe. Designer Liz Carroll of Liz Carroll Interiors says, "Furniture should be easy to access for the children. The chairs and tables should be their size, so they don’t have to climb into an adult chair or stand on their tiptoes to reach the table." Also, make sure any larger furniture pieces and TVs are securely bolted to the wall.

Clean + Contemporary

The all-white color palette and simple lines give this playroom an ultra-modern vibe. Two reading pods are the only source of brilliant color in the room and are built into the wall of open bookshelves. Modular foam pieces get kids moving and can be configured anyway imaginable — tunnels, castles, obstacles courses — the possibilities are endless.

From: Eisner Design

Smart Storage for Littles

Red and turquoise combine for a bright and cheery color combination in this playroom, where a daybed is a comfy spot to read and also doubles as a guest bed when needed. Open bins are the easiest way to ensure a speedy cleanup and allow even your youngest kid to help.

From: Mary Bokovoy

A Simple Solution

A favorite furniture piece for allowing kids' creativity to soar is a table with an attached paper roll holder. It gives them the feeling of never-ending creations (and they're not always asking you for more and more paper!).

From: Stephanie DeBrincat

Rock Out

If you have a tiny musician on your hands, make sure to create a space where they can play their tunes. Instead of storing instruments in closets to keep them out of the way, find a designated spot where kids can expand their harmonious horizons.

Dual Functionality

Double up with pieces that are multi-functional. The orange-and-white table in this playroom is a flat surface for playing games, coloring and drawing, and the top lifts up, like an old-school desk, for handy storage underneath.

From: D2 Interieurs

Create Zones

Designer Jennifer Duneier's top three must-haves for a playroom: durable fabrics, a soft rug for the kids to play on and an area designated for arts and crafts. Design by Duneier Design

Have Fun

Designer Leire Sol Garcia de Asch creates a whimsical forest mural as the focal point of this kids' playroom. Not only does the space feature smart storage and contemporary tables and chairs for arts and crafts, but it goes beyond the typical playroom with a slide and swinging seat.