FROM FORMAL DINING TO PLAYROOM

Photography by Karlie Colleen

I know I’m not the only parent out there who gets tired of looking at kids toys strewn about their family room. It seemed like it was never-ending, night after night I was cleaning up all the toys and organizing for an hour after the kids went to bed.

I had been asking my husband for a playroom for some time and a couple months before Russell was born is when we decided it’s now or never… convert our formal dining room into a room JUST FOR KIDS.

EXISTING PIECES:

I tried my best to utilize furniture we already had in our dining room, so we kept the existing buffet and used it as our main piece of furniture for toy storage. I added these metallic baskets from Serena and Lily underneath for more storage and it makes it easy for the kids to clean up.

I also kept the existing light fixture from our formal dining room. It’s a heavy piece, but I feel it ties in perfectly with our existing brick ceiling (one of the main reasons I fell in love with our house).

FURNITURE:

I ordered two couches that I placed side by side to frame the arched entryway. I ordered them from Pottery Barn, in the linen slip cover fabric so I can remove them and wash them when I need. 

The kids table was a Christmas gift from grandma and grandpa two years ago. It’s a quality arts and crafts table from pottery barn kids. It has two drawers for storing crafts and a roll on the side to hold craft paper. This table I have used for countless kids parties and crafts. It’s an investment piece and I would buy it in a heart beat!

The accent pillows are a mixture from one of my favorite pillow shops Danielle Oakley. Her pillows are strewn all over my house! I chose light pinks, blues, and grays. All of her pillows are one of a kind so you won’t ever find the same exact design which I love! The tassel pillow with the gray and pink diagonal was a find from target! It added the perfect little pop to the paisley pillows from Danielle Oakley.

The wicker chair I found on Etsy from a shop called leaandlani. They have the most adorable wicker furniture for both kids and adults. This chair comes in three colors, the natural which I have, but also a pink, yellow and white! I threw a little furry pillow inside it and I am just OBSESSED.

The bean bags were something my husband insisted on having. I’m still not too fond of them because I feel like they take up too much room, but the kids love lounging in them. I found these fuzzy ones from Pottery Barn Teen. They have a zipper pocket and you purchase the insert separately.

TOYS:

THE SLIDE!!! This is seriously MY FAVORITE pice of furniture in the room! Can you tell by my all caps that I love this piece? LOL. This is from a European toy brand called Jupiduu. I came across it while scrolling on Instagram and it was a definite impulse buy. It came within 3 days of purchasing and was super easy to assemble. Only three pieces of wood and a couple screws and it's done! It is such good quality, and anyone who REALLY knows me, knows that I am all about good quality toys. I’ve purchased so many toys that are cheap, fall apart, and honestly, are junk. I promised myself after a massive overhaul of kids toys that I would never buy something that wasn’t good quality. Anyway, this slide definitely passes the test!

The kitchenette was an amazon find from three years ago. I purchased it because I loved the retro look to the Kid Kraft Kitchen and the bright blue color (my happy color). Another bonus is that it is under $150. If you buy this item though, let me warn you, prepare to spend a LONG while putting it together. I did it all by myself for two nights after my daughter went to bed and it was a process. But so far, both my girls love it and I’m sure Russell will get his hands on it as soon as he learns to stand and play!

Other details:

• Chalkboard: IKEA
• Letterboard: Letterfolk
• Art: a gift from friends, these are original pieces from an artist in Zimbabwe, where my husband does a lot of business. The kids LOVE the animals
• Wool rug under slide: World Market
• Book caddy: Amazon