Maximizing Apartment Playrooms (hint: it’s all about storage!)

Only have a small space in your home reserved for play? No problem! Whether it’s a corner of your child’s bedroom or a bonus space off the living room, there are many ways to make a play environment that’s tiny, mighty!

Double Duty

We just got back from our NY project where we had to make the most of every square INCH! Our client wanted us to pick a sofa bed for the space so it could easily transition into a guest room. With the playroom door open we only had about 8’ to work with, but luckily found a queen sleeper that was wide enough to comfortably fit two. When the couch was not pulled out, the play table lived in front of it, making it feel like a coffee table as well!

Built-ins & Window Seat

Built-ins are an easy way to add loads of storage in a classy way. We made the far left and right columns wide enough for toy baskets and big play items and made the middle column narrow, to act as a bookcase. Built-ins allow you to double, if not triple storage space by building up vertically and as deep/wide as your wall will allow.

Kallaxes

It’s likely you’re no stranger to Ikea’s Kallaxes- they’re a simple storage solution that serve so many purposes. We used them a few different ways in the playroom- as side tables for the couch and a console underneath the TV. We used both acrylic & fabric cubes to fill them. Either option works, just remember to add child friendly labels (photos and words) on the front of opaque baskets!

Closets Done Right

We were obsessed with our NYC project’s closet situation (and so was our photographer Paolo)! I mean two closets in an apartment playroom?? YES PLEASE. Aside from the impeccable organization in the closets (hats off to our client’s closet specialist) our favorite part was the dress-up section! We added a rod at child height, so the girls could easily grab their favorite costumes. To keep accessories close by, we hung a shoe organizer on the back of the door. This is great way to keep track of all those Mickey ears & plastic high heels! The doors also made a great place to display all of the kid masterpieces.

Head in the Clouds

These acrylic clouds are what dreams are made of! They not only make adorable wall art but they also house many toys. Just make sure to choose something uniform, like blocks, so they don’t detract from the room’s appearence.