Playful Playrooms

A playroom can be one of the most fun rooms in the house to decorate. Where else can whimsy rule besides in the one room that is set aside for nothing but fun? Bright colors and varied textures will help make the room pop, and make it interesting to even the youngest child.

Because this is a room where small children will spend a lot of time, it's important to keep safety in mind as well. Even if the rest of your home has hardwood floors, this is one room where a thick, soft carpet is a must. Upgrade to the best pad that your budget will allow. That way, if your little one takes a spill while playing, she'll have something soft to break the fall.

Because the room will be full of toys and stuffed animals, you will be able to keep decorative items to a minimum. All this room needs is a nice carpet, furniture and wall treatments.

It was mentioned earlier that a thick soft carpet is a must in a playroom. Furniture should also be child friendly, and should not have any sharp corners on which a child could hit his head. Keeping furniture to a minimum will maximize the amount of play space available. While some families have play rooms that do double duty as an office or TV room, others have dedicated play rooms.

If your room is set aside just for play, then consider adding one comfortable sofa or a couple of armchairs and no other furniture. This will give you a place to sit and watch the kids play without cluttering up the room. It may seem inconvenient not to have a coffee table on which to set a drink. If so, purchase folding trays and set one up only when needed. Having so little furniture will not only allow the room to have an open, airy feel, but it will also make the room safer for the children and easier to clean (less dusting!) for you.

You are limited only by your own creativity when it comes to wall treatments for a playroom. Some parents have painted the walls with brightly colored circles, other have hired a muralist to paint a scene fit for a princess or a future baseball star. Another fun idea is to do something completely different on each of the walls.

For example, cover one wall with chalkboard paint and give your little artist plenty of room to draw. Cover another wall in mirrors of varying sizes and with different frames. This will add light to the room, and help the room to look larger while the various frames will enhance the playful look of the room.

Finally, add a great big clock - perhaps in the center of the mirror wall - and be sure it is does not have a digital display. This will help your child get used to telling time "the old fashioned way", and may be one of the few places that she sees a non-digital clock throughout the day.

Have fun decorating the playroom in your home. After all, isn't fun the whole point?

For more information about design and Feng Shui, visit www.manobluedesign.com or email marie@manobludesign.com