How to Create a Play Area That Looks Good Too

Whether or not you have a dedicated playroom, it seems inevitable that the play ends up migrating to nooks and corners in the main rooms of the house. You can carve out room for fun, creative kids’ play time without turning your entire house into a haphazard sprawl of toys — it just takes a bit of smart planning and some grown-up style. Here are 10 ways to tweak your space to keep little and big members of the family happy.

1. Stash supplies in a storage table. Save space and speed up cleanup time by choosing a play table with built-in storage. Look for one with a top that lifts or has storage shelves or drawers below, for quickly stashing favorite books, games and art supplies.


2. Play with scale. Give a mini play zone major drama with the addition of an oversized floor lamp. The juxtaposition of big and small will delight children and adults, and can make any random corner look more purposeful.


3. Invest in mini modern designs. There are tons of options out there for pint-sized versions of iconic modern chair designs, including the petite Panton chairs shown here. While it’s true that you’ll probably spend more on these than you would on basic kids’ chairs, the plus side is that you can leave these out in your living room and they’ll look great.


Here, a child’s-size Cherner table and chairs set blends beautifully with other midcentury-style pieces in the living room.


4. Paint a chalkboard wall (yes, they’re still cool). There’s something about a great big chalkboard wall that invites creativity — and with chalk paint available in every color of the rainbow now, you don’t need to limit yourself to black if that doesn’t go with your decor. Or if drawing with chalk isn’t a family favorite, consider using whiteboard paint to create a writeable, wipeable wall instead.


5. Pitch a tepee. A play tepee makes a fun addition to the living room, pleasing both kids (who can use it as a fort or quiet reading spot) and hipster adults alike. If you’re handy with a sewing machine, you could even try rigging up your own version using bamboo poles and canvas fabric.


6. Build a band camp. Musical instruments are attractive, so why not leave them on display? If kids are learning an instrument, having it out on a stand acts as a visual reminder to practice and protects the instrument from getting banged around in a closet. Of course, if the playing of the instrument drives you bananas, you might want to give this one a pass.


7. Roll out a carpet-tile play mat. Carpet tiles must be one of the greatest inventions for families with children: They are hardy, nonslip and easy to clean; they come in tons of colors; and if any damage happens, you can replace single tiles. Put a few toys on a carpet-tile rug to make an instant play area in any room.


8. Put metal school lockers to work. Kids’ craft projects come with all sorts of small parts — the kind of stuff that looks really messy when it’s all out. This is where closed storage, like these cool vintage school lockers, is your best friend. Stash all the creative stuff behind closed doors, and it will be easy to access when you want it, and hidden when you don’t.


9. Put your Lego table on wheels. A play table on locking casters can be highly convenient: Leave it out while the kids are playing, and wheel it away (even into another room) when you need to quickly make things look neat. This is especially useful for ongoing projects that kids want to leave out, but you don’t want sitting on the dining table for days on end.


10. When in doubt, add a pouf. The tiniest tots enjoy the texture of knitted or leather poufs (and use them for climbing practice), while older kids love plopping down on them as seats or using them in fort construction. And they look great in any room. Start a collection — you can never have too many poufs!

Tell us: How do you handle toys at your house?

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