Not every household has room for a separate playroom. Not to mention that the kids often want to be near you and the rest of the family which is why a play corner or area for them in your lounge makes sense. But how do you go about that in an open-plan living room? I asked 4 interior designers how to make a play area in an open-plan living room and they shared their top tips.
We all love open-plan living room ideas because they feel spacious and airy. But the tricky part is finding the best ways to arrange furniture in it, making it flow right - as one of the 3 Fs of interior design that’s very important - and dividing the space as it serves various purposes, one of which is often a kids’ play area.
‘One of the biggest challenges in an open-plan room is striking the right balance between creating a practical play space for children while maintaining a cohesive living area for the whole family,’ says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director at Kelling Designs.
From toy storage ideas to the best way to zone your open-plan family living room, these are the experts’ top 5 tips on creating a play zone for your little one(s).
1.Use flexible storage
Every parent will know that mess and toys scattered everywhere is the biggest challenge when it comes to children’s play spaces. Effective storage can not only help with this, it can also aid in visually dividing the open-plan space.
‘Rather than trying to separate the space completely, I would recommend using flexible storage solutions and furniture placement to subtly define different areas while maintaining a cohesive flow throughout the room,’ suggests Holly Lamont, founder and creative director of interior design studio Holla Design. ‘The key to a well-functioning play area is choosing pieces that work hard. Low-level, child-friendly storage encourages independence and makes tidying away part of the daily routine.’
On top of larger pieces of storage furniture, incorporate some storage baskets and a toy storage box. ‘Use storage that's easy for kids to access, but aesthetically pleasing for adults too, like large lidded baskets to store soft toys and smaller baskets in different sizes to store art supplies,’ says Jo Lane, founder and designer at online interior design service See Your Place. ‘You can also get great wooden boxes on wheels to store lego and games, which can be tucked under a table when not in use. You don't always need rows of primary coloured plastic boxes to make a welcoming play area.’
2. Zone with a soft rug
Rugs are generally one of the best tools to use for zoning and anchoring a space – and a play area is no exception. Just make sure it’s one that’s soft enough. And perhaps a washable design like this Storybook Grove rug from Ruggable wouldn’t go amiss.
‘A soft rug helps establish a dedicated play zone and adds warmth and comfort,’ Holly at Holla Design says.
Emma at Kelling Designs adds, ‘A good rug is key – children naturally like to play on the floor, so creating a comfortable space for this is ideal.’
3. Add storage seating
Multifunctional furniture makes for a great addition to any multifunctional space. In this case, I - and the experts - would recommend storage seating like an ottoman, a stool or even a window seat or a bench as a hidden toy storage idea.
‘Multifunctional furniture, such as a window seat with built-in storage or an ottoman footstool, provides additional seating while offering valuable storage for bulkier toys,’ Emma at Kelling Designs says.
4. Curate toys
‘The trouble with combining two frequently used spaces in the house means there is risk of clutter and stray toys polluting an otherwise neat and tidy adult area,’ says Francesca Leat, owner, director and head designer at Francesca Leat Interiors.
In order to stop toys spreading everywhere throughout your open-plan living room, take a curational approach to your little one’s toys. ‘Take the Montessori approach and only include a small handful of toys that are easy to tidy away to encourage methodical and calm play that doesn't disrupt the rest of the space too much,’ Francesca explains.
Just make sure those toys are their favourite ones. You can then rotate the rest of the toys every few weeks.
5. Make the whole living space family-friendly
‘In my personal and professional experience, children don't usually go to a dedicated area to play but tend to stick close to wherever you happen to be and play next to you,’ Jo at See Your Place says.
That’s why Jo’s approach is to make the whole open-plan living room children and family-friendly. ‘If you make the area where you spend the most time play-friendly and have key toys and play equipment stashed close to hand, you won't then end up spending all your time carting toys from one space to another,’ she says.
My top open-plan play area picks
Made with solid pine wood, this two-drawer unit is not only perfect for toy storage but it's also a bargain. And if you want to add some colour or pattern to it, you could very easily paint it.
This is probably the prettiest and most charming bookcase I've seen. And it doesn't look overly childish which is great for a shared living space.
Mustard Made's stylish and colourful locker-style cabinets are great for family living rooms. And this style is low enough to use for toy storage, too.
Rattan storage baskets with a lid like this one are not only one of the easiest way to put away toys, but also the most stylish.
When it comes to your choice of toy storage baskets, they don't necessarily have to feature a playful motif. It can be as simple as timeless as this chic seagrass number from M&S.
On the other hand, if you do want to add a little it of extra whimsy to your child's play area then you can opt for a fun toy box design like this straw castle.
This storage footstool just landed at Dunelm but I predict it's going to be a massive hit. And the funky look is perfect for a family living room.
This wavy storage ottoman from Habitat is also available in solid off-white and rust colourways. But I think this striped version is both the most stylish and charming.
Sticking with the striped theme - which I believe works really well for a living room play area - this classic window seat comes with hidden storage within, too.
Holly at Holla Design concludes, ‘Ultimately, the most successful open-plan living spaces are those that balance practicality with style, creating an environment that works for the whole family.’
