Fun and Stylish Playroom Décor Ideas & Tips
Thoughtfully designed playrooms are a great way to spark creativity and imagination. But they also need to be practical and functional. And it is possible to strike the perfect balance—a dedicated space for play that isn't chaotic or messy. Even a small space or a spare room makes a great place for kids.
So, if you have ever wondered, “What do you put in a playroom?” or “How can I decorate a playroom on a budget?” you're in the right place. In this post, I'm sharing my top tips for how to decorate a playroom that will be fun, stylish, and functional.
How to Decorate a Playroom: General Tips
I have designed several playrooms since our girls were toddlers. Now that they're 12, we have more of what most people would call a family bonus room, but really, it's still a playroom. Our kids just don't think it's cool to call it that anymore, lol. It's still a favorite spot for physical activity, games, and unlimited fun.
When you set out to design any space in your home, you absolutely need to come up with a cohesive design plan first. If that's something you struggle with, I highly suggest you check out Designer in a Binder®. It's the system I use every time I design spaces in our homes!
In any event, I have a lot of experience with designing playrooms and kid-friendly spaces! Before we dive into specific tips and ideas, let's talk about the “big picture” playroom decorating tips.
When designing a child's playroom to be both functional and stylish, you generally want to focus on:
- Creating a flexible space that can be used in a variety of ways. This is especially important if you have kids of multiple ages. You want to be sure all of your kids can enjoy it no matter their age.
- Choosing functional playroom décor and furniture that you and your kids will still love as they grow and get older.
- Including lots of functional and versatile storage solutions that can store anything from favorite toys for young children to board games and books for older kids.
With those overarching goals in mind, let's talk specifics!
Playroom Décor Ideas
Incorporate Color & Pattern
I know there are tons of neutral décor lovers out there, and I totally get it. Neutral décor can be very soothing and comforting. But I feel that playrooms should make our kids (and us) feel energized, and there is no better way to do that than with lots of bright colors! Don't worry. I'm not talking neon bright—just a vibrant, energetic color palette.
Think beyond your walls! Color and pattern can also be incorporated through décor items like artwork, soft rugs, throw pillows, etc.
Use a Fun Wallpaper for an Accent Wall
A playroom is a perfect space to use a fun wallpaper that may feel like a bit too much in a “regular” room. The right one can add a splash of color and pattern!
Include Ample Storage for Crafts & Toys
Versatile and simple playroom storage is your friend. I've personally found that a combination of open and closed storage is the way to go in a playroom. Look for multifunctional furniture. Closed cabinets can help you hide items you don't want to look at all the time, while open storage is great for books and bins for toys your kids play with the most. You can take a tour of our bonus room to see how we store things below.
Modular Cabinets
Believe it or not, cabinets for playrooms can be very budget-friendly. These IKEA cabinets we used in our current bonus room were affordable and are STURDY. They are modular so that you can create a mixture of closed cabinets, storage units, and open shelves.
Bookcases
In our old playroom, we built these DIY pipe shelves and desks, which added a ton of storage and gave them somewhere to sit and draw or work on puzzles.
And the beautiful bookcases below are actually a genius IKEA bookshelves hack. Affordable, stylish, and functional!
Baskets and Bins
Wondering how to store all those Legos, Polly Pockets, etc., so they stay organized and easily accessible? Baskets and bins are a great option.
I personally love lidded bins that can stack and store pretty much anything. We use our lidded bins for Legos, which have worked incredibly well. These IKEA Kuggis storage bins are inexpensive and sturdy. They come in different sizes but are designed to stack perfectly on top of each other. They are large enough that my girls can keep their Lego sets largely assembled when they put them away. See how nice and unobtrusive they are in the background?
Best of all, they use bins and lids to build on, which makes it easy for them to move around AND clean up when they are done.
Include Storage Furniture
Using a storage bench or window seat for seating and storing things like board games is one of the smartest items you can include in a playroom design. In our last house, I eventually took over my girls' dedicated playroom to use as my home office. At that point, their play area moved to a nook/corner in our family room. They used a storage bench as the seat at their desk, and it held all of our board games!
And in our current bonus room, we love our storage coffee table (I'm a sucker for unique coffee tables). Not only is it great for storing stuff, but the fact that the top flips up also makes it one of our girls' favorite spots to draw or make bracelets while they watch TV.
And these incredible storage chairs and coffee tables are GENIUS! They add style and function to this modern playroom space.
Add Interest to the Ceiling
Playrooms call for whimsical touches, and what's more whimsical than doing something fun on the ceiling? I love this idea of adding simple gold stars to the ceiling (I love ceiling ideas that make a huge impact).
Want to take the whimsy up a notch? This ceiling mimics the inside of a circus tent. SO FUN!
Include a Desk or Table for Homework & Crafts
In every single playroom we have set up for our girls, we have been sure to include a large table or desk. Not only are desk drawers perfect for holding things like crayons and markers, but the large table surface offers lots of space for doing crafts, putting together puzzles, making friendship bracelets, and even doing homework. The large desk sits behind the sofa in our girls' current bonus room space. Two stools easily tuck under the desk when they aren't in use.
You may want to choose a kid-sized table and chairs for younger children. The more comfortable they are, the more they will use it!
For older kids needing less floor space, you might even want a large table AND a desk area for a homework zone.
Add Comfortable Seating
Every playroom needs a cozy reading nook or lounge to curl up and watch a family movie. Choose durable seating furniture (think leather or a performance fabric) that can be easily reconfigured so that you can easily rearrange your playroom as your kids get older and use the space in different ways.
In our girls' first playroom, we included a small loveseat and comfy bean bags. Joe and I usually sat on the loveseat, but our girls almost exclusively sat in their bean bag chairs because they LOVED them.
In our current bonus room/playroom, we combined a leather loveseat with two stylish recliners. These three separate pieces are so much easier to rearrange than a large sectional would be. I know because we have already gone through 2 different furniture arrangements in this space as our girls have grown and needed a bit more open floor space.
One large sofa or couch and a smaller loveseat would also give you a fair amount of flexibility.
One of my favorite playroom ideas is using large floor cushions to form one long seating area. The best part is that your kids can let their imaginations run wild and use the cushions to build all kinds of creations! Also, how fun are those wall decals?!
Include a Chalkboard Wall
We painted a large wall in our girls' first playroom with chalkboard paint, and I was genuinely shocked by how much they used it for years. The chalkboard dust can make a bit of a mess, so I don't know that I would recommend a chalkboard wall in a room with wall-to-wall carpeting. But it's super easy to vacuum up on any hard floor surface. The best part is that the chalkboard wall itself serves as a huge piece of artwork that is constantly evolving and changing. Sigh. I kind of miss our chalkboard wall.
Add a Swing, Basketball Hoop, Climbing Wall, Etc.
If you have the space, why not include the ultimate play space? Or a full-blown indoor playground to let you bring outdoor play into the house?
Playroom Wall Decor & Accessories
When it comes to the finishing touches of playroom wall décor and accessories, HAVE FUN WITH IT! I am a huge proponent of filling walls with things like your kids' artwork.
In our own playroom, I turned some of my daughters' original paintings into wall art by enlarging and framing them. Each piece displays the name of who painted it and the age they were at the time. I absolutely love how they turned out.
As much as I love our framed prints, I also LOVE the idea of just putting your kids' drawings and paintings directly on a wall—it's such a great accent wall idea. Hot tip: Use museum putty to stick them to your walls—it won't damage the wall surface or the paper when you remove it!
Have fun with the other accessories in the room. I filled an entire gallery wall with “A”s I've collected over the years. They are perfect for the space because our last name begins with “A,” and both of my daughters' names begin with “A” as well. They add lots of color and whimsy to the space.
And in our first playroom, I spelled out the word “toys” with oversized papier-mache letters and a clock. Quirky and fun!
I hope these playroom ideas and decorating tips inspire and prepare you to create a fun and functional space for imaginative play in your home!
Other Posts You Will Enjoy:
- Cool DIY Bunk Beds
- Ikea Hack: DIY LEGO Table
- Ikea Kid's Table and Chairs Makeover
- Teen Bedroom Ideas for Boys + Girls
Wondering how I approach transforming rooms and spaces in our home? Check out Designer in a Binder®.
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Our daughter and son in law are creating a sensory room. They are looking for a site to get the metal climbing