Our Playroom
How to do a long-lasting home manicure
I know I’ve said this before, but one of the things we loved about the house is the layout of the bedrooms + the bonus room on the 3rd floor. My first walk through was with my sister, which prompted me to leave Justin a message on his phone since he was on an airplane basically telling him we have to buy this house! Anyway, while she and I were walking through it, we found ourselves thinking about so many possibilities of what we could do with the rooms.
This play room also has a bonus room attached to it (essentially the builder put a wall up to separate a large bonus room, and I imagine putting the boys in twin beds in the bonus off of this playroom in a few years. That would free up the boys’ current rooms for either more kids or more cats–time will tell!
Anyway, we spend a lot of time in this playroom, and earlier this summer my sister and I made a trip to IKEA to update the room a bit. It had been a bit of a catch all since we moved in, and it was long overdue for a makeover.
About once a week David will ask/insist that I sit in the chair, holding him in my lap, and read the words on the canvas to him. Over and over and over. Then he hops off and plays with something else. He’s not as much of a snuggler as Lukie, so I enjoy that time thoroughly!
The boys’ favorite game is playing “hide and seek” which is essentially just running from David’s room at the end of the hall, into this room. We usually do this after bath time too.
My favorite part of the room is the chalkboard we made! All we did was paint chalkboard paint directly on the wall, and then Justin trimmed it out with some trim. It couldn’t be more simple. If you are new to chalkboard paint, let me remind you to rub a piece of chalk all over the paint after it’s cured BEFORE you draw/write on it otherwise it won’t erase cleanly.
David excels at drawing snakes, roads, worms, pasta, and basically anything else that is just a squiggly line! He loves to fill the board with monster truck drawings, with the help of either me, Justin, or our babysitter Anna.
We have about 8 small baskets too for extra toys, but as they are both growing older I’m learning that they really don’t need a huge variety of toys. David is very inventive with his cars, and Luke just loves to throw and kick balls! It’s been fun to learn their preferences and see how different they are!
Items: green rug, pillows are from Target and Ikea, Car pillow is from Quarter Life Luck, castle, shelves for books, pendant lamp, wall color is Amazing Grey by Sherwin Williams.
More peeks into our home: our command center, the coffee bar, and a repurposed wall! Photos by Jordan Maunder.
comments
Very sweet! Is the chair also from Ikea?
This is so fun! How wonderful that you have this space for your boys to play!
Also, can I just say that your hair is looking INCREDIBLE in these pictures. I’m getting my hair done on Saturday and I’m so taking these pictures!
Such a fun playroom! It’s funny how similar my girls are. My oldest is very inventive/imaginative with her toys and my youngest just loves to kick a ball. I wonder if those are typical older child/younger child traits?
Oh love that train table. I want to find a “train table” for my 2 year old. But not the typical train table with everything attached because we’d like to be able to use it for crafts, etc. Is that just a table that your repurposed??
I just flipped the boards over so it has a plain top and we added road tape. I’ll try a find a link to the table
I’m a little in love … I have two boys that are bigger now, but we spent hours with the train sets. I kept them all. Such a sweet season (though crazy, I know) that you are experiencing right now. Sigh- my current season is wonderful, too, but I’m feeling nostalgic for the simplicity of an awesome playroom and train sets.
I love their playroom! It looks so fun and cozy!! One of my favorite parts besides that big chair is the chalkboard. Do you have the diy link for it?
I explained how to make it in the post!
Yeah I read that, I was just wondering if there was a link, because I wanted to send my husband a link to his email. He is on the road like 90% of the time for work. I figured that is something he can do for our daughter, when he comes home!
I will send him to your blog post! 🙂
Thanks Kate!
oh gotcha! Yeah it’s really not more than just chalkboard paint and trim! 🙂
Thanks!
Love that play tent. Where is it from?
We’re moving in 2 weeks to a house with a designated playroom, something we’ve never had. I also didn’t grow up with a playroom so I’m excited to see how it works out for us. More than anything, I’ll be glad to have a place for those big toys that we rotate out of the basement every once in a while.
Can you share where you found the wire wall basket (above the chair)?
pretty sure I found it at Hobby Lobby OR World Market!
We are moving in a month will have a dedicated space in the basement for toys. Can you show pictures of how you organized the boys’ toys? I can’t figure out how to do that.
I would also love a link to that play table! My boys would love it!
I love this room so much! I have 2 girls – one is 2 and the other is 10 months and we are about to move into a house with a great playroom. I have been wanting to do a chalkboard in there – how do you keep your boys from drawing on the walls outside the chalkboard with the chalk?
We just tell them not to. That will change, I’m sure, as they play in there alone but they aren’t alone in there in the season.
I love the idea of the pillows for the sitting area! Where did the canvas come from? I’ve been looking for one to go in my boys’ room and that will match perfectly. 🙂
Home Goods!
Great playroom tour, Kate! Where did you chair? I need one of those for our home office. Thanks!
How great to have the extra space! Kid’s playroom today….”Teen Zone” tomorrow! (Well, not quite tomorrow, but time does go fast!)
Can you please add a link to the train table!
I have that Black and White Cat Pillow from IKEA too. I walked by it 3 times before I decided that I NEEDED to have it! Haha!
Aww, your boys are so cute and I love the decorations!
xx Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
Kate are those your AG jeans? They look great!
Their playroom is adorable! I can’t believe how big your baby is.WOW! Both boys are so cute! Its so nice to have a space to call their own. & if you want to shut the door and its messy- its ok b/c its not in the living room or junking up their bedroom. Love it!
We remodeled our home 6yrs ago & have a bonus room now that is the girls playroom&my sewing room! I love it.I had our cabinet guy build a PotteryBarn( lookalike) cabinet so we could hold the tv,and all toys in baskets & its great! I even labeled the baskets-not that everything seems to stay that way.Lol #kidswillbekids
Your family is adorable & I really enjoy seeing your boys grow up…just not so fast. boohoohoo!
I love the canvas! Where is it from?
Girl, you look GOOD. You look so healthy and beautiful. WAY TO GO!
I remember when you first announced you were pregnant with your first son, I cant believe he is so big now. Its crazy how quickly kiddos grow and change. Love the play room!
Interesting! More kids perhaps? I remembered you sounding pretty certain you will stick with just the two. 🙂 Great kids’ room – I love that David wants you to read those fun words to him!
Can you share where you found the wire wall basket (above the chair)?
I can’t remember but likely Hobby Lobby