The Magic of a Kid’s Playroom: Sutton’s Playroom Reveal
“A well-designed and colorful playroom is not just a luxury; it’s an investment in your child’s development.”
In the fast-paced world we live in, where technology and screen-time often take center stage, creating a dedicated playroom for our children has become more crucial than ever. A kid’s playroom is not just a room filled with toys; it’s a sanctuary for growth, exploration, and learning. With Sutton officially walking and entering her toddler era, we knew that it was time to start working on playroom ideas.
This also meant we were losing our guest room, so we had to get creative to make it a dual-purpose space. But as the cold winter that many Midwestern states face approaches, a vibrant playroom becomes a necessity, providing a warm haven for kids to unleash their creativity.
Behind the Playroom Design:
Fostering Growth through Play and Exploration
Play is a child’s natural language, and a dedicated playroom offers the ideal environment for them to explore and learn. It is within these walls that they develop essential skills such as problem-solving, social interaction, and imagination. With carefully selected toys and activities, a playroom becomes a microcosm of the outside world, allowing children to mimic and understand the complexities around them in a safe and nurturing setting.
A well-organized playroom invites exploration. By incorporating various play zones, such as reading corners, building areas, and creative spaces, children are encouraged to explore their interests. This not only helps in discovering their passions, but also enhances their cognitive abilities. The playroom becomes a canvas for them to paint their dreams and aspirations.
Learning Through Play
Play is not just about fun; it’s a powerful tool for learning. Educational games, puzzles, and interactive toys can be seamlessly integrated into the playroom, creating an environment where learning is a natural part of the play process. Children absorb information best when it’s presented in an engaging and enjoyable manner, making the playroom a fertile ground for early education.
The Psychology of Color
Bold colors can significantly impact a child’s mood and behavior. Vibrant hues stimulate creativity and energy, creating a lively and happy atmosphere. When working on playroom design, consider incorporating a palette of bold colors such as reds, yellows, and blues. These colors are not only visually appealing but also known to evoke positive emotions, fostering a sense of joy and excitement.
A happy playroom is one where a child feels comfortable, inspired, and free to express themselves. Incorporating elements like colorful rugs, playful wall decals, and themed decor can transform a mundane space into a magical realm. Personal touches, such as displaying your child’s artwork, add a sense of ownership and pride, making the playroom a reflection of their personality.
When designing out the space – the first thing that I came across was this “where the wild ones play” sign that resonated with the vibe that I wanted to create in this space. I started with this sign & built out a simple mood board from there.
When dreaming up a playful space for our little one, we knew that we wanted to bring in functional & colorful storage solutions into the space. Thanks to Shelfology’s mass array of color options, we were able to bring in bright, fun, and aesthetic Fat Lippie shelves into the space. Now, we use them to store favorite items that our daughter can visually see her toys on and will ask to take them down to play. And then, we get to do a little toy rotation every once in a while, keeping everything feeling new and engaging to her. —Kayla Schulz
Before
When we bought our second home, this is what it was staged as.
During
We did a few simple updates to get the playroom to be where it is today. We of course would love to replace the windows, carpet, scrape the ceiling, replace the trim, and also do a built-in closet system like we did in Sutton’s nursery… However, depending on how long we stay in this house, we just wanted it to be more functional for our little fam for now.
Anthony replaced the light fixture from a terrible semi-flush boob light to this matte black semi-flush light. We found ours on Facebook Marketplace, but it’s this light from Wayfair if you love it too!
First things first was a coat of white paint to freshen everything up. I painted the walls & trim in Snowbound.
Then, I used some inspiration from a friend’s recent renovation & some Pinterest inspo to convince myself of trying out a sponge-painted accent wall. It was a super easy DIY project, and very low cost. It probably took me 2 hours & $35 to complete the whole thing. The end result also gave so much playful character to the room!
While we don’t have guests often, we wanted to create a dual-purpose area that we could utilize should we have guests needing to spend the night. We thought a daybed would be a nice transitional option for us that we could utilize for now—or as Sutton’s big girl bed if/when she’s ready.
We found this IKEA Daybed on Facebook marketplace for $50 & it was the perfect option for this space. It pulls out to be a queen bed if/when you need it (by adding another mattress), but acts naturally as a twin-size bed. With the addition of a cozy mattress, sheet set & throw pillows from Amazon – this nook is a favorite of ours.
Next up was enhancing the walls with color & function. I knew from the get-go that I wanted some functional, playfully-aesthetic floating shelves in this space. And who better to indulge in than Shelfology’s endless options? With their sample swatches in hand, I stood with the sign up on the wall and debated colors & styles that would complement it. I ended up wanting to do something other than wood because the toy storage below where the shelves would go was wood itself.
"When Kayla asked my ideas about the design of Sutton’s playroom, I knew that colorful Fat Lippies were a MUST. At c2s, we’re a fan of open shelving to avoid clutter, and as many people know, playrooms are known for clutter. By using the Fat Lippie shelves, Kayla was able to engage more color into the space, and hopefully keep the clutter to a minimum.” —Morgan Molitor
Shelfology’s countless metal color options were hard to pick from. They also can do custom colors if you have a team color you want to match, or something existing that you want to match which is an awesome feature that you can’t find many places. For the playroom, we ended up with Fat Lippie Picture Ledges in the colors Honey Mustard, Aqua Socks & Claymore.
Picture ledges are extremely versatile, especially in a playroom. You can use them to display artwork made by your kiddos, cozy stuffed animals they know and love, books, puzzles and more. It’s also a great way to encourage toy rotation in your schedule.
One thing I didn’t realize was that the shelves also are magnetic (DUH) and ended up being the perfect place for Sutton’s Tonie Box figurines to be displayed/hung from. This gives her the opportunity to select which stories/songs play—and you know toddlers love their independence.
After
Playroom Reveal
Punched with color, this space is ready to PLAY. I wanted the white walls to contrast with the color features throughout – and it turned out to be better than I expected.
We’re still waiting on final photos, but I could hardly wait to share these few pictures with you all. More to come!
We’re super pleased with the results & it’s been a true joy watching Sutton play in this space each day.
A well-designed and colorful playroom is not just a luxury; it’s an investment in your child’s development. As we navigate the challenges of the modern world, providing a space for our children to play, grow, and learn becomes increasingly vital. So, let the colors of joy and the magic of play fill your kid’s playroom, creating a haven that nurtures their imagination and sets the stage for a lifetime of discovery.
Get the Look
Jamie & Morgan Molitor
Morgan is the other half and co-founder of construction2style, alongside her husband Jamie. Wife, mom of 3, content creator, marketing strategist, stylist, and designer.
For over 10 years, they’ve been tearing houses apart and creating new dream spaces not only for their clients but for themselves. They started c2s from the ground up as a DIY blog and have since evolved into a full-service design + build interior residential and small media company. They document it all from the construction side: how to build a website, and developing multiple streams of revenue, to how to build your brand while ensuring profitability, marketing courses, in-person workshops, and more.
Morgan graduated from college in Long Beach, CA with a fashion merchandising and marketing degree, she has now taken that creativity and knowledge to use as she oversees all content creation, manages the brand partnerships, is the writing guru, and overall creative director. She also heads up their online education courses and in-person marketing conferences. You can always find an infectious smile on Morgan’s face and hear her contagious laugh. She’s a forward thinker, and risk taker and nothing makes her happier than when she gets to play a small part in making people’s dreams and lives thrive.
Kayla Schulz
Kayla joined the c2s team in late 2020, initially starting as a design assistant and swiftly mastering the ins and outs of c2s as a company. Her journey has led her to her current role as Director of Design + Operations.
With a background in corporate Event Management, Kayla has experience in planning logistics for large-scale conferences with over 1000 attendees, as well as content creation. After five years in the events industry, she realized that her role wasn’t stimulating her creative side as much as she desired. This realization prompted her to join c2s, where her passion for interior design and home styling could flourish.
Kayla is responsible for managing various aspects of c2s operations, including lead management systems, scheduling tools, client meetings, materials tracking, mood boards, designs, and event management. Her role is crucial in helping the c2s team remain creative, organized, and efficient.
Outside of work, Kayla resides in Minnesota with her husband, two dogs, and almost two-year-old daughter. She enjoys spending her free time cooking, baking, and cherishing moments with her family and friends. During the summer, you can often find her by the lake, which is the best place to be in Minnesota during that time of year.
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