Vivian & Daniel’s Playroom Design
Post by Danielle Kurtz, Land of Nod Creative Director
One of our customers, Armanda C., reached out to us on Facebook because she was having a hard time putting together a playroom that could serve the needs of her family, which includes Vivian (4 ½) and Daniel (2 ½). Armanda has a space that needs to function as a playroom, an office, a family room and, most importantly, a soothing oasis for her son Daniel who is on the autism spectrum.
In Armanda’s own words “I want it to become a functional space for the whole family, playroom (which is the main focus), an area the whole family can play games and watch movies together, but also office/craft space. My biggest concern is my son and his needs. He is autistic and gets sensory overload so the space has to exude calm. Need lots of storage and organization to reduce stimuli, things need to be within his reach but hidden away. Safety is another big issue, he will climb and get into anything (no items with sharp edges but must be sturdy). He loves soft textures (similar to your Chenille Schlimazel Blanket) it’s very relaxing for him.”
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To put together the room, I started with a play table. This our Activity Table can function as a coffee table, a play table and a game table. Also, it has tons of storage beneath it to keep the toys within reach, but out of sight, something Armanda said was important for her kids. Along with the table, I added a couple of our one-seaters, this will give the kids a comfy place to sit when playing at the table.
Since the family would be watching movies in the space, a couch was in order, but the room’s just 12 x 12’, so I didn’t want to overwhelm it. Our Sofa Sleeper is perfect for this. The microfiber upholstery is easy to clean, and soft to the touch. Plus, it opens into a twin sleeper, so it gives the room one more function, guest room! I chose a cameo color, to keep it neutral.
Next, the rug. Armanda mentioned that Daniel enjoys the feel of Chenille. So, our super-soft Shaquille Chenille Rug is the perfect fit. It’s durable, easy to clean, and adds some color without being overwhelming.
No playroom is complete without some storage. Our cube collection is a great solution for a shared space. Mixed with the canvas bins, it provides a place to keep everything, and you don’t have to see the mess. Also, our Grab Bag Storage is a great place for Vivian to keep her dress-up clothes. And, as a safety note, all of our large furniture comes with safety anchors that can be used to secure them to the walls. Many kids like to climb, so it’s important to be super-diligent about anchoring bookcases and dressers to the wall to avoid injuries.
Finally, to add a little fun I mixed our Modern Menagerie Prints designed by A Modern Eden. Their soothing color palette and graphic illustration style provide interest without being overly-stimulating. And, of course, we need some lighting. Our Pennant Pendant Lamp adds a little touch of color and playfulness to tie the room together.
Overall, I think it’s a very functional space that the whole family can enjoy. Hopefully this helps point Armanda in the right direction. If you have any decorating dilemmas of your own, post to our Facebook page or comment below and it may be featured in an upcoming post.
Post by Danielle Kurtz. Danielle is the Creative Director at Nod and an over-protective mother of two. She’s also completely obsessed with Pinterest, Twitter and her Kindle, but not necessarily in that order. Danielle loves to craft, sew and crochet, but all her supplies have a layer of dust on them about 4 ½-years-thick, wonder if it’s just a coincidence that her oldest kiddo is 4 1/2 years old?