Today marks two weeks that we’ve been in Connecticut. Life is settling well here in the suburbs. The girls are having so much fun and spend most of their time in the backyard running around and playing with the hose (they have an obsession with watering the plants.) Avery will ask at least three times during the day if we are “ready to go” because she loves riding around in the car.
When we were looking for houses, one of my top priorities was a room for the kids. I wanted something other than their bedrooms that they could put their toys, art supplies, and anything that belongs to them. Our apartment in Manhattan was so small that most of their toys spilled over into our living room which quickly became cramped and overloaded.
Although we have a basement in the new house, I didn’t want that space to be a playroom because I wanted the kids to be able to see the kids when I was on the main level of the house. Luckily our house has this small room off of the kitchen that I think was probably the original dining room. After looking through all the rooms, I knew it would be the perfect play room for the kids.
This room was something that was incredibly close to my heart. It’s a gift to my children. It’s something they have never had before and because of that I wanted it to be made with them in mind. A space for them to be creative and let their imagination soar.
I’ve long been a fan of The Land of Nod so I was super excited when they wanted to collaborate with me to create this room for Harlan, Avery, and Macks. I designed the room around this rug that I absolutely fell in love with. And everything fell into place from there.
The girls have accumulated a lot of toys throughout the years. I donated a bunch when we moved, but they still managed to have a good amount. I was incredibly surprised at just how much toys these Storagepalooza bins will hold. I put nearly all of their toys in them and there is still room for more.
With so much wall space, I wanted to display some of the girl’s artwork. I hope that this will inspire them to create more works of art!
The girls love to color and paint. The Up Against the Wall shelving unit was perfect for them. Because the room is a bit small, I couldn’t get an easel, so this is a great use of the wall space. I love that I can keep a shelf out of their reach for art supplies I don’t want them using all the time.
This Hangin’ Around Ceiling Lamp is a great centerpiece for the room. I love that it’s a neutral color yet makes a great statement.
The girls used this table all of the time in their room at the apartment. I didn’t want to put it in their room again and knew it would be perfect for the center of the playroom under the light. I wanted to have chairs around the table that I could sit in and were still comfortable. These Flea Market Barrel Back Chairs are a classic look that will grow with them.
This is the Candy Dot Rug that provided inspiration for it all. It’s even more beautiful in person.
The girls received this play kitchen for Christmas this past year. A lot of love was put into putting this thing together. After the six hours that it took to assemble, MacKay and my sister’s fiancé, Chris, both said that they better be taking this thing off to college with them.
I didn’t originally plan to give the room a New York theme, but I do want the girls to remember all of the fun that they had growing up in the incredible city. This poster was sent to us a long time ago and I never had anywhere to put it. It goes perfectly on the wall. Harlan and Avery have already had so much fun finding the Hello Kitty is Times Square. I hope to get it framed soon.
There is one little wall off of the playroom in the hall leading to the kitchen that I thought would be perfect as a chalkboard wall. I want these kids to express all sorts of creativity in this room and this is another way to do it.
I cannot thank The Land of Nod enough for helping me make this room a perfect place for the kids to play and express their creativity. It’s a dream that I always wished I could give my children and it’s finally become a reality. The perfect reality.
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