Designing a Minimalist Playroom

Today, I thought I’d share my favourite ideas for creating a play space. We had the idea to create a playroom after we found out we were expecting our second baby. This was going to be a common space where both my kids could enjoy and initiate play on their own terms.

Whether you are looking to create a toy corner, space as part of your child’s bedroom or a dedicated playroom, here are my top tips for things to consider:

1) Find the light

I am an indoor sun-seeker! Natural light provides so many benefits to our mind and bodies, so this is my first priority for finding the perfect spot for play. Sunlight has long guided our circadian rhythms. Daylight, bright and rich in blue, stimulates our brains to produce serotonin, boosting mood and helping us feel calm and focused. Darker lighting in the evenings triggers our brains to make melatonin, responsible for helping us relax and prepare for sleep. So it makes sense for us to get lots of natural light where we plan to spend most of our time.

2) Invite living greens

Plants are amazing! Studies have shown that one or two plants can significantly increase air quality in a space. On top of that plants create feelings of relaxation, inspiration, and positivity. We don’t spend enough time outdoors, so I find it important to bring in benefits of nature to us where possible. 

Grimm's | Waytoplay | Kiko | Green Tones | Ostheimer | GG* + Kukkia | Sarah's Silks |

3) Choose a mix of storage options

I love our open storage system for our toys, because of the design, quality, and flexibility to vary the display. Taking a fewer, better toys approach, we only have a limited amount of toys out and since our toys are natural & beautiful, they double as décor. Limiting toys also makes tidying up simple and helps set realistic expectations for kids to learn their responsibility. 

We have more toys stored in a closed floor to ceiling cupboard near the playroom doors. These get rotated out, depending on my kids' interests or development. 

4) Devote a place for books

No play space is complete without books. The same way we approach toys, we also choose to invest in a few new classics or non-fiction books each month. Our new and old favourites sit up on our book display. We also have a separate book display rack below, which we store our library books. We visit our library weekly and always seem to bring a stack of books home! This simple little display also doubles as extra space for our toys and mini plants.

5) Invest in comfy seating

Accompanying a place for books would be comfy seating. We love our lightweight and stylish beanbags by Homeday. They are perfect for kids and adults alike!

As for the toys itself, that’s a separate post. But this is our foundations of creating a playroom. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Hope you enjoyed this post and thank you so much for reading!