Three playroom options your kids will love to spend time in

1 Tree house

Homeowner Mariana D’Amici transforms a loft-style space in her Vancouver house into an adventure playground for her son and daughter.

Fancy fort

“Having a tree house is every kid’s dream,” says Mariana. Since Vancouver has such a long rainy season, however, she created one in a second living room just outside the bedrooms of Teo, 3, and Ella, 2. Wallpaper featuring trees serves as a suitable backdrop, while a custom-built fort, kitted out with a slide and chalkboard wall, provides ample protection from marauding invaders (read: adults). The top bunk is a cozy, cushioned hideaway perfect for reading.

Swing set

Mariana took a risk on the hanging bubble chairs, as they required some structural engineering to mount. “It was worth it. I wanted seating that was off the ground, first of all, because a sofa would have been too constricting in the space,” she says. “I also wanted to maintain clear sightlines. You want to be able to see your kids at all times, especially when they’re very young.” Mariana loves to swing in a bubble chair with Ella in her arms while watching television or listening to Teo play on his Schoenhut drum set.

Craft central

“While I love having all the kids’ toys in one room, I also like to keep them out of sight when they’re not in use,” admits Mariana. Custom cabinetry fills one corner of the room in the form of a desk. For now, the kids might paint or draw there, but the expectation is that it will be a spot where homework is done in the future. “I also had a mini-fridge installed to hold drinks and snacks, since the kitchen is far away,” she says.

Organizing tip

“I like using closed storage and keeping the cabinets low to the ground, filled with clear containers.”

2 Nature trail

Restaurateur and Top Chef Canada judge Shereen Arazm Koules creates a nature-inspired indoor-outdoor retreat for her two daughters in their L.A. home.   Nature calls Shereen spends a lot of time in the kitchen, so she chose a nearby room to be the play area for her daughters, Sam and Neve, now 7 and 4. Since Sam loves the outdoors, it was fitting that the theme be all about nature. This was Shereen’s primary reason for installing exterior doors in the space – to allow access to the backyard. “Any way you can incorporate the outdoors during playtime is ideal,” she says.   Organizing tip “Include playful pieces that work as both educational and decorative elements like an alphabet border.”

Keeping it fun and organized

Orderly conduct “I’m obsessed with storage. I just can’t deal with chaos,” says Shereen. So she had custom cabinets built, as well as a bookshelf for a large children’s book collection. The cupboards hold oodles of toys and crafting supplies. “We also included drawers on either side of the long desk to keep it symmetrical,” adds Shereen’s trusted designer, Lara McGraw.   Butterfly effect The colourful butterfly garlands, which float around an airy pendant light and flutter every time the doors open or the air conditioning is turned on, are Sam’s favourite feature. She loves to flop back on the leather pouffe and admire them from below. The mirror on the opposite wall sits above a tickle trunk full of costumes, perfect for the girls to spend hours playing dress-up.

3 Book club

A love of storytime inspired this simply decorated playroom where North Vancouver homeowner Perienne Sadler’s two girls can curl up with a good book – or three.   Bookworms Perienne was happy to sacrifice a would-be office for a playroom because she needed to remove the toys from five-year-old Simone’s bedroom: “The little monkey was sneaking out of bed and playing during the night.” Plus, Perienne prefers all the adult spaces to be toy-free. “But I also felt it was important to have an area where the girls could really blossom creatively on their own,” she explains. Books were the design inspiration for the playroom, since Simone and her sister, Emmerson, 3, love storytime.   Creature comforts Perienne adorned the inside of the canvas teepee with fun toss cushions, a sheepskin rug and tiny white lights so the girls can comfortably read in it, too.

Designed with kids in mind

Simplicity rules Perienne kept it practical and budget friendly by incorporating very little furniture – two wicker chairs are the only seating. “I figured the girls are young – they need space to move around, and half the time they sit on the carpet anyway,” she says. But the most sensible design element is the wall-to-wall picture ledges. “Simone and Emmerson are too young to read book spines, so displaying the covers allows them to choose exactly the ones they want.”   Organizing tip “Create a special space that encourages children’s minds to flourish rather than a dumping ground for toys.”