Has anyone here turned their living room into a playroom? I'm talking painting it in kiddie colors and the whole nine yards. I have a little house, and I have wanted the boys to have a real playroom for a long time. I have a spare bedroom (the dreaded junkroom) that I could use, but it is only 9'x9', and doesn't get much sunlight.

I am debating whether to bite the bullet and make the living room all theirs, maybe with the exception of leaving a loveseat in there. That's where all their toys are anyway, but I'd like to paint it and decorate it so that they feel like they have a 'kid space' that's all theirs...Did anyone else completely surrender their living room to the kids?

Jenny
single mom to spontaneous BBB 34w 2d

http://lilypie.com>

My boys own my Living Room and have since birth. It is decked out with all the toys, painted walls, etc.

I never really used it anyway so I figured what the heck. I'll have plenty of years to use the living room when they get older.

http://www.brianandcharlie.com/blog
^Alexandra^, Brian, Charlie 07/28/2003
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The formal living room has always been a playroom since we've lived here. When the little ones came, I painted a huge sesame street mural on one wall and hung lots of colorful, fun stuff all around the room and from the ceiling. It was great! This past summer I painted over the mural, because we're going to be selling the house. It was sad, but it's only paint. I took a picture of the kids in front of it for memories.

I say go for it.

We turned our formal dining room in to the office, which is just off the "living room" and so that gave even more space for toys, etc.

Michelle

Tyler 17 1/2 years!!
Steph 15 1/2 years!!
Ayden, Ryley & Dylan 3 1/2 years!!
http://triplethefunplus2.blogspot.com/

I guess my thought is that a living room is for living. If most of what occupies your childrens' day is playing there, then that should be their "living room." It sounds like it would be a much better use for your family's purpose. It will morph into something else as they grow.

Mom of: Kristi(25), Kevin(22), Kelli(20), Angus(8) and GGB - Ruca, Nadia and Max (6) Born 10-14-04 at 34 weeks.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I was starting to wonder if I was nuts for thinking about this! I guess it's time for me to get creative and start picking out loud bright paint samples. I'm excited, I've wanted to give them a room that wows them for a long time!

Jenny
single mom to spontaneous BBB 34w 2d

http://lilypie.com>

I say go for it too.

I've turned my whole house into a play area for them, with the exception of the Kitchen, the main suite in my bedroom (though they even have the extra adult room that is part of the main suite, that is suppose to be dh and my getaway, being used as their bedroom), and dh's office. They have so much that it spills into other rooms. We however have not painted it kiddie. We have though purchased those bookselve/plastic bins for several rooms to keep toys and books organized. Sure enough, things do spill on to the floor.

This is s small window of time. One day I'll get my rooms back. But, I certainly don't stress about it. A home in my opinion is for living, not to be used as a museum.

Have fun!

Agapi

Proud Mommy of
Kaden, Rowen, Kai
BGB 03-22-05

I turned my dining room into a playroom, we eat in the kitchen. The playroom is right next to the living room, which is nice, as the living room is still (somewhat) pulled together.

I didn't paint the room, but hung their artwork in big poster frames on a couple of walls.
Sushannah and Stephen

parents to:
Olivia, Maggie, and Sam
born at 31 weeks

As soon as my triplets could stand up my mom and I turned our living room into a play room. We ended up selling/giving away All our furniture and just leaving 1 couch and a flat screen bolted to the wall for safety reasons. After a horrible accident when my triplets were 1 and a half we decided not to have any furniture there. The kids need their space to be kids and if you are like me and live in a small house, then it is time to sacrifice one room in the house for them. I even painted the walls pink, baby blue, and yellow for them. My living room looked like a daycare for a good 2 years, but it was worth it. A good kiddy look/ grown up look is that I used many Norman Rockwell portraits to decorate the walls. I even had a play house and kitchen play set for them in the living room. I say go for it, they will love it and you will be the best mom in the world.

Mommy to:
Gabriel 9/9/04
Travis 9/9/04
Cecilia 9/9/04

Bianca

Our kids are old enough now to play upstairs unattended so I don't feel like I have to turn the living room into a playroom. I did however paint a wall in our living room with blackboard paint. I highly suggest it! You can get it in lots of colors now and my kids LOVE it. Not only do we use chalk on it but water and paintbrushes as well. We practice letters, shapes, numbers, etc. It's been fantastic for the $8 I spent on the can of paint. My only hint is that the chalk can leave dust on the ground so I woulden't do it over carpet. We have hardwood and I just make sure to clean it up promptly.