I had two major goals when creating our little guys playroom; a functional room for him to play & learn and a versatile space that could easily grow with the ever changing needs {and wants} of a three year old toddler. We choose a room located on our first floor main living level to transform into this magical space. Since the area can be visually seen by visiting guests {and me, everyday} I had a two items that topped my priority list when planning the space; 1. A neutral & natural decor to somewhat blend in with the rest of our home and not particularly scream playroom and 2. Lots and lots of hidden storage.

It took awhile to find all the right elements to bring the room together but I could not be any more happier with the outcome {and our little guy loves having a space all to himself as well} I feel the priorities were met without compromising the fun feel a playroom should have and a space that captures the personality of my little guy. Would you like to see what we have been up to?

I love the addition of unique pieces as storage options. This 27 inch wooden dough bowl was found at a local antiques mall and is the perfect home for matchbox cars and trucks.

The room has two windows which are dressed with black long panels and wooden mahogany blinds. Under each window sits two wooden toy chests that I covered with batting and velour fabric. They provide additional hidden storage which is a necessity in any toy filled household.

Between the two windows sits an eight cubby storage unit filled with cream and espresso canvas totes; More hidden storage…have I told you how much I love hidden storage.

The handmade art above the cubby is a rainbow of the little guys handprints. {You can find my tutorial here} It’s a great color learning piece. On top sits a wooden marble run which is just too cool not to display. Burl wooden bowls are another one of my favorite decor accessories ~ I simply can not pass these up any time I spot them.

A vintage wooden munising bowl showcases the colorful marbles for the marble run.

The bottom two cubbies were left open for a couple easy reach toys like this wooden car ramp. Another munising bowl was used to hold the cars.

The second open cubby holds a vintage wire egg basket filled with Lincoln Logs.

Centered in the room is a cream 10X13 shag rug to provide some tiny toe comfort and accent the wooden floors.

Even some toys themselves provide excellent storage options.

Comfortable seating was another one of my must haves in this space. This espresso twill couch is a great snuggle and read spot. Two paper shade pendant lights hanging in the corner create perfect wind down ambiance at the end of the day.

Above the couch is an oversized paper roll and wooden holder found at Pottery Barn Kids last year. Since we are working on the alphabet now, I printed and cut out 8X10 letters on brown kraft paper and simply attached them to the roll with a glue stick. It’s perfect for
filling up the large wall as well as creating a focal point.

What playroom isn’t complete without a vintage sock monkey…

More handmade wall art – This creation was inspired by PB and is a very easy and low cost project {find more details and my how-to on this post}

Utilizing more toys as storage…

A vintage wall box with a lollipop hanger creates additional fun storage.

As much as I would have loved to have a full play kitchen in this room the space just did not allow; so I opted for a more manly wooden grill for my little guy. The colors were a little too bright for the space, but nothing a little custom paint job couldn’t cure.

The wooden crate boxes under the grill and easel provide yet more hidden storage. I printed out the labels using the same font and paper as the paper roll alphabet and glued them to the front. Stacked wire puzzle racks provide an organized display for the wooden puzzles.

More ‘diy’ canvas wall art ~ our own live-by wishes for the little guy. {You can find more details and instructions on this previous post}

Because this room is visible on our main living level, hidden storage was a must. This cubby and drawer wall unit combo is the perfect solution for neatly concealing everything a three year old could possibly dream of.

A combination of espresso and vanilla woven baskets fill each cubby and we have managed to pack them all full of goodies.

A chalkboard tag hangs from each basket and {because I am too conscious of my own handwriting} I printed out the alphabet with a typewriter key font to label each one.

Extra space on top provides a perfect area to display some rustic, vintage inspired favorites.

I have a love for all things oversized, unique, and unusual.

I am always on the lookout for these and have a hard time passing them up.

The activity table in the center of the room is used for just about everything under the sun. It provides a great work space for my sons therapies {as well as arts & crafts, trains, cars, you name it}

The lower shelf stores easy to reach train tracks, rails and cars.

And you can’t forget something for their cute little bums…

…though my little guy prefers to stand {on top the table at that}
I can officially say we have one room that is completely finished without any to-do’s…except to have fun!