The Ultimate Playroom: Furniture Design Ideas to Spark Imagination
Chris HardyA playroom, no matter whether it’s a purpose-built room or a little nook, to your little one is a land where dragons fly, spaceships zoom about, and castles stand tall… Creating the ultimate playroom for your child, is like opening a portal to a world of endless adventures.
The right furniture design can ignite imaginations, foster creativity, and provide a magical space for children to play, learn, and grow, and you don’t necessarily have to break the bank. So, let’s dive into some whimsical furniture design ideas that will make your playroom the envy of the neighbourhood!
1. The storybook corner: cosy reading nook
Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin… Every great adventure begins with a story, right? It’s entirely possible to create a cosy reading nook, without breaking the bank, and without too much effort. Let your creative juices flow and think outside the box! You could try turning a bookshelf into a real feature, by crafting it into the shape of a tree, or a friendly creature. Add some comfy bean bags, or a comfy mini-sofa, et voilà! Your little ones can curl up with their favourite books and embark on journeys through enchanted forests or outer space.
You can bring the nook to life with fairy lights, even poking them through a sheet of black fabric, creating a majestic night’s sky effect. Your child’s imagination is a place of infinite possibilities, and by giving them a place of their own, where they can read their favourite books, they can let their mind’s take them worlds unknown, all in the comfort of their own home.
Bonus points for a canopy or tent overhead to make it feel like a secret hideout!
2. Bunk beds with a twist
A bed, for your child, is a portal to an infinite universe of destinations; in their dreams, they set sail on a new adventure every night. With this in mind, why settle for ordinary bed, when you can have one that helps your little one on their journey to dreamland? There are beds with themes like castles, treehouses, or pirate ships, and if you go for a bunk bed, it not only saves space, but also brings an added element of fantasy and fun.
Your children can climb ladders, or slide down chutes, they can imagine themselves as knights, pirates, or explorers… It’s the perfect combination of sleep and play! At Bensons, we have a fabulous range of bunk beds, like the Wild Bunk Bed, which thanks to its colourful Safari print, brings buckets of fun, allowing your little ones to dream of travel, tackling the king of the jungle, or fending off mischievous monkeys. Many of our bunks have added storage built in, and some of our mid sleeper and high sleeper models also have ample space underneath, ideal for play, homework, or a reading nook! The possibilities really are endless.
3. The creative cove: art stations and craft tables
Every aspiring artist needs a studio! Consider equipping your child’s bedroom or playroom with an art station complete with a sturdy craft table, storage for art supplies, and maybe even a chalkboard or whiteboard wall for spontaneous masterpieces. That sounds like something we’d quite like ourselves actually! Include some colourful stools or chairs to make it inviting, just make sure any surfaces are able to be wiped down, trust us...
Offering your little one a space where they can bring their thoughts and dreams to life, is a fantastic way to nurture their creativity; it’s also a great way to keep them occupied, away from those pesky consoles! With a little bit of elbow grease and without spending a fortune, you can give your child a place to let loose and immerse themselves in a world of their own creation.
4. The mini-theatre: puppet shows and performances
Lights, camera, action! Set up a mini-theatre, complete with curtains, and a collection of puppets or costumes. Your children can put on their own puppet shows, plays, or dance performances. This doesn’t require a great deal of space, and it won’t just spark their imaginations, but has the added benefit of boosting their confidence and public speaking skills. Plus, it’s a great way to entertain family and friends! (Or giving you great material to embarrass them with when they turn 18… Brucey bonus!)
Who knows, this little performance space could be just the thing, to get your child interested in the arts too. Try giving them some instruments to perform with and watch your own little rock star come to life! Music also has the added benefit of working different areas of the brain and has been shown to be massively beneficial to a child’s development, especially when the music is being created by the child (1). A nice added benefit.
Sure, this use of space has the potential to get noisy, but that’s what being a kid is all about!
5. The adventure zone: indoor play structures
Bring the playground indoors! Consider building or repurposing play structures, like climbing walls, rope ladders, and tunnels. If that’s a little too advanced, then even simple things like foam blocks, playmats, or Wendy houses are a fantastic alternative. Your child will have endless hours of imaginative play, as well as getting a bit of exercise. They can pretend they’re scaling a mountain, or navigating a jungle, no matter what ideas they come up with, your little adventurers will have a blast while also developing their motor skills.
Again, this doesn’t need to be extortionate, there are plenty of ways to do this on a budget! Try building some of the structures yourself, perhaps with their help, you could also purchase them second hand or get them from a friend or relative if their child has outgrown them.
This can be done with fairly limited space too, whether you have a dedicated playroom, or some space in their bedroom, this is a great way to get your little one on the move and give them a little bit of independence.
6. The science lab: exploration and discovery
If you’ve got your own little Dexter at home (as in Dexter’s Laboratory, not the one from the 18+ thriller series), a budding scientist or inventor, then you can create a science lab area, complete with a workbench, magnifying glass, and an array of child-friendly science kits and tools. Don't forget the blackboard and chalk. There are many different kits out there, some available via a subscription service such as Kiwico, or Crunchlabs build boxes. These are an incredible way to get your child to begin using critical thinking, expand their imagination, and to help develop their motor skills (2).
Yet again, this can all be done relatively cheaply. Charity shops are a great place to find low cost glassware to use as lab beakers, and a wide array of other knickknacks you could repurpose. Get creative, and use your imagination, if you can picture it then your child will too! A mission critical item however, is a white lab coat, and safety goggles… No scientist is complete without those!
7. The sensory wonderland: multi-sensory play
Multi-sensory playcentres are all the rage now, and quite often, they cost a small fortune to enter. You can create a multi-sensory play area of your own however, with elements like sensory bins, textured mats, and calming lights. It’s important to include items that engage their senses – things like tactile toys, musical instruments, scented playdough, and visually stimulating decorations and lights.
Add some beanbags and pillows so your little ones can nap in the area if they like, and if you’re like me, and you’ve got a small indoor exercise trampoline lying around gathering dust, then add this in there too!
This area would be perfect for children to explore different textures, sounds, and smells, making the most out of these formative years and enhancing their sensory development. Sensory spaces improve children’s information retention, their auditory, tactile, and visual processing, as well as their motor skills (3). So all in all, not a bad return on your investment!
8. The mini city: interactive play mats
We sneakily mentioned this earlier, but it’s worthy of its own category for sure! With very little effort, you can transform your child’s bedroom floor into a bustling mini city, with interactive play mats featuring roads, buildings, and landscapes. Add some hustle and bustle with toy cars, trains, and figurines, and your children can create urban adventures of their very own.
This is a fantastic solution to several problems, not least as an alternative to expensive carpet. If the room has hard wood flooring, then this is a great way to soften surfaces. It can be used as the floor of a playroom, a reading nook, or sensory area too, so it’s pretty useful!
There isn’t really anything in the way of a hack for this, but you don’t have to spend massive amounts on one of these, there are some cheaper alternatives out there. Regardless, your child’s imagination is allowed to run wild, and turns an otherwise plain surface, into an opportunity to both play and develop.
9. The magic wardrobe: dress-up area
A world of imagination awaits behind the doors of the magic wardrobe! We’re not suggesting recreating Narnia here, though if you’ve got access to a Lion and Witch, then why not?! Install a wardrobe or even a simple clothing rail stocked with costumes, hats, and accessories. Adding a mirror is great for final outfit tweaks, plus the added benefit of making the space appear larger.
Kids love to dress up, and this is a great way of keeping their costumes organised, in a dedicated space for them to transform into anything they desire! Dressing up as a child boosts early brain development, improves early cognitive ability, and improves a child’s social-emotional skills, so promoting the activity with their own dress-up space can only be a good thing (4)!
10. The quiet cove: relaxation and reflection
We all need a place where we can have some quiet time; a place of quiet reflection and relaxation, and children are no different. Create a cosy cove, with soft cushions, fairy lights, maybe even a fish tank or indoor plants if you’re feeling bold. This space can be used for meditation, quiet reading, or simply taking a break from the excitement. It’s an ideal place for them to look back on their day, and allows them to process things they have learned.
This can be achieved without effecting your bank balance too much, by repurposing items around the house, or by raiding the local charity shops. In many ways, the simpler the better, as too many things in the space could seem cluttered and serve as a distraction. Make the space as zen as possible, and let the chilling commence!
Play room design ideas: our conclusion
Hopefully you can now see, that creating the ultimate playroom is easier than you might have thought. It’s all about fun, function, and a touch of magic. You don’t need to go overboard, and you definitely don’t need to spend buckets of money, it’s all about thinking outside the box, and a dash of creative thinking. Imaginations will soar, creativity will flourish, and memories will be made. So, gather your fairy dust, put on your wizard hat, and let the playroom transformation begin!
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