I’ve talked before about the life’s-work that is our home restoration project (if you’re a newish visitor, you can read about it here and here). We’re probably about 10% through our list of projects, having tackled the kitchen and the more pressing – and depressing – stuff like turfing out the mouse population and reducing the bracing fresh air which gusts through every seemingly-closed window.
Next on our list was a play space for Harry; we’re lucky enough to have a perfect room for this, sandwiched between the kitchen and Snug, and featuring an ancient but very cool wrought-iron spiral staircase which leads straight upto his bedroom. When the last owners lived here, the playroom was used as a games zone by their sons, complete with black walls, slightly crusty green carpets (let’s not consider that further), a myriad of sockets and cables, and wall-to-wall posters. What little natural light there was had been blocked with heavy curtains, gloom being the preferred natural habitat of the teenage male.
Painting walls and replacing the carpet was an immediate priority, but the rest we’ve done gradually, adding homemade furniture and toys here and there, and evolving the space as Harry’s grown from a wobbly toddler into a little boy.
The original fireplace appears to have had its legs sawn off at some point in the last 300yrs, but we decorate it nonetheless with string ball lights, garlands and bunting, depending on the season; at Christmas it had a curtain of cotton wool snowballs, and a vintage glitter ball currently sits in the grate waiting for us to find a new home for it (though I think it’s pretty settled at this point).
Nooks and crannies are used for storage; these sturdy chairs fit around the art table when we’re painting, but then retire, Shaker-style, to the peg rail to free up floor space
A giant bookcase found on Ebay houses toyboxes, Lego and other treasures like the animals from Harry’s Ark and his collection of fireman helmets (one for each of us; teamwork is everything).
A ratty sofa allows shoppers to queue in comfort when waiting to be served at Harry’s store, and doubles up as a boat, life-raft, island, den or car depending on what game we’re playing. One of the first things I ever made for Harry, his family tree, hangs on the wall and is regularly updated when family members are matched or hatched.
My favourite part of the playroom is the newest; a former cloakroom was awkwardly squeezed into a corner of the room and hoarded the only precious direct natural light. We knocked down the wall and ripped it out to extend the main room and create a small reading area with books and cushions.
The ‘book of the week’ corner utilises the boxed-in plumbing for the former faucet, and holds a rotating series of Harry’s favourite books, accessorised with paintings and pictures we’ve made, or things from the Dressing Up box, like this Halloween Hat and Broom.
Scattered around are some folded books, which I made one evening last week in front of the television, inspired by this amazing window display from US store Anthropologie.
I played around with folding a couple of charity shop books which we won’t read again, and had a lot of fun. Next time I’ll work my way through the whole book and make some over-sized hanging pendants, perhaps at Christmastime.
I added a junk store vintage sofa which I painted in off-white chalk paint and reupholstered in faux (wipe-clean!) suede; it was previously unfashionable mahogany so I bought it for a song and spent a couple of days overhauling it. It adds a touch of grace to the playroom and shows you don’t have to be surrounded by plastic-fantastic ‘kids furniture’ all the time.
Elsewhere paper stars & Harry’s artwork adorn the twisting staircase, acting as a height warning for unwitting grown-ups. The Jeeves & Wooster pendant light is made from a gilded bowler hat and is one of the few light fittings we’ve managed to reuse from our former, very modern house. Two squeezable trumpet horns are used in the summer for garden games and races, and frighten the life out of newcomers with their ear-splitting exuberance.
Old favourites like the cardboard rocket have miraculously managed to survive months of heavy-handed play; the rocket currently houses Harry’s most precious treasures and anything else which catches his eye around the house (car keys, watches, bananas… it’s an eclectic and hazardous mix).
We’re lucky to have a dedicated playroom, and one which sits so perfectly at the heart of the home, close to the rest of the action. Its layout and palette gives space for Harry to grow and for his tastes – and stuff – to evolve. I know that one day I too may be painting the walls in dark and manly teenage colours and shuddering as I peel up the once-oat coloured carpet, but till then we’ll enjoy the space, light and fun of a room filled with the passions of a 3yr old, who I hope will take as long to grow up as is humanly possible…
Hello Kate, another fabulous blog entry and I love your beautiful home! We are also very lucky to have a playroom but it hasn’t been touched since me moved in eighteen months ago. I was planning a book wall too and I was wondering what you used for your shallow book shelves? I also have a pile of books that were heading to the charity shop but I’ve change my mind now I have seen your amazing book art. Please could you give us a tutorial? Thank you for inspiring me again!x
Hi Nicole, thank you
re the shelves… we used some simple softwood planks from the DIY store to make long thin battens, then screwed planks of wood about 3 inches deep on top (the lightness and shallow depth meant it doesn’t need any further support. Finally we glued a length of dowel along the front to stop the books slipping off….. and then painted the whole lot white. Very inexpensive but it does the job. Having said that, I then saw this at IKEA…
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/50152595/
And yes, re the book art; at your request
I’ll share a – decidedly amateur – mini tutorial next time!
Hello Kate, until now I’ve just read your posts with my mouth open. I couldn’t keep it quiet anymore, you are fantastic! What you do for your child is priceless, your taste is flawless and your home is perfect. Never in my life I’ve seen person more creative and Harry is such a happy boy to have such a fantastic mom. Thank you so much for sharing all the beautiful things and creative secrets, I’m learning from you and you inspire me so much. Being single mom of a 6 month’s boy not always easy and your blog helps me to see more lite in life! I’m quite creative when it comes to photography but what you do is a rocket science for me. So thank you for sharing and God bless your beautiful family and your wonderful home. X
Hi Svetlana; wow, thank you so much; I’m hugely touched and flattered. And thanks for saying hello; it gave me a chance to look at your portraits which are beautiful (and if I were a single mom of a 6 month old, I would still be struggling to even get dressed in the morning, let alone be creative, so you win a gold medal from my perspective
That stair case is beautiful! And I love seeing the folded book pages. Room on the broom is one of our favorite Halloween books
Wow, what an amazing space you have created! In fact, your whole home looks beautiful, you have a real talent. The folded books look great too!
Oh Kate! If G and I just moved into that book nook, I swear you would never notice us. The space looks amazing…enjoy every minute of that delicious boy running through it. X
This is absolutely fabulous – we don’t have a dedicated playroom currently J and T’s toys and play spaces are all over the house but our big house project this year is to convert our adult centred dinning room into a playroom with a table for eating at. I’m pinning this for further inspiration as the year moves on (most in love with the book nook area and the book of the week)
A beautiful space, Kate! I particularly love the book art. Thanks for the inspiration…
It´s soooooooo beautiful! Congratulations for this work!!
What an adorable post, your sons bedroom is perfect, and I’m very tempted to start folding all of my books
sue
wow-wow-wow … so many clever ideas!
As always a great inspiration to us all ..
I will for sure be copying the family tree now another grandparent passed away …
Thank you again you never fail to deliver X
What a gorgeous playroom! Absolutely wonderful – congratulations!!
Love all the details you put in! Any chance you could provide more photos, but pulled back a bit to show the scale of the room and how the former cloakroom fits in?
you have one very lucky boy! I absolutely love the hat light pendent! tutorial?
Kate, this really is a dream home and a dream playroom with book nook….you are making your dream a reality and its very clear to see your passion and immense talent as everything is magical !!!!!
Every single time I check in on your website I smile from ear to ear. Never give up on your dream!!!!
Its wonderful!
Thanks Nat, that made ME smile from ear to ear!
Reblogged this on Susan Jane Bradfield and commented:
This is so amazing and inspiring. I wish I could utilise some of what you have done here into my boys rooms. I certainly fancy having a go at the book art.
Hi Kate, what a fantastic space for Harry- and you. You have a real talent for creating child friendly spaces which are also achingly cool for adults to spend time in. I think I’ll just add your entire home to my wishlist?
Thanks
A beautiful place for a child to spend time with his mom (mum).
That’s some staircase! Great space, Kate. I especially love the bowler hat lamp. I want one now.
Such a fabulous and inspiring space! Lucky Harry. That little staircase is such a great feature, but the best bits are the things you’ve created like the book corner, shop and kitchen. All gorgeous, Kate. x
Beautiful and playful ideas!! Lovely!! Thank you for the inspiration…I’ve been needing some!
In the words of Craig Revel Horwood – A.MAZE.ING. We’re still renovating our place, so I know how much work and effort goes in to creating the space Just How You Want It. But boy is it worth it when you end up with something as gorgeous as that. J’adore!
Jones x
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Hi Kate. Thank you so much for sharing with us your lovely world. You are really an inspiration. I found your blogue with the “French food market”, and have been quietly admiring all your lovely posts since then. But today I really felt like writing to you, just to say thank you. This cristmas I found my self doing a Gourmet food shop to my kids instead of going to a toyshop to buy some toy (that probably the kids would forgot in 5 minutes). The reaction of my 4 years daugther was: “How did Santa know that this was exactly what I Wanted!”. This moment was priceless. I’m your fan.
Your house, design and works are really fantastic. Congratulations Cláudia Antunes (Portugal)
Wow you are very creative the room looks amaZing. Where is the clock from above the fireplace?
Not enough “wow’s” to say how great this room looks! Love Sarah
I just found you via Pinterest, and look forward to lots of future visits here. Your book nook and “Book of the Week” corner are one of the cutest ideas I’ve seen!! Can’t wait to do this in our sunroom for our grandchildren. Thank you – love your blog!
I just found you via Pinterest, and happily look forward to future visits here. Your book nook and “book of the week” corner are one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen! Can’t wait to do this in our sunroom for our grandchildren. Thank you – I love your blog!