The ultimate kids’ playroom DIY guide

It’s no secret that all kids treasure and value a space of their own to play and hang out in besides their bedroom. A separate playroom is key for a child’s development. They need an area that they can call their own, in order to start learning how to take care of their own space.

Having a playroom is also a good way of keeping your child’s belongings in a contained area. The perfect playroom should be safe and fun, a place where your kids can have fun, alone. This is a short guide that gives you some tips on how to design the playroom by yourself.

The layout

Firstly, you need to examine the room you have in order to decide how you’re going to go about designing it for your kid. If it’s a large room, you may want to consider lining up all the toy boxes and other storage units along the walls, so their toys and video games aren’t lying around all over the house.

If you find that the storage boxes are too full of toys and video games, you can cull them once in a while, by selling them off on websites like www.musicmagpie.com. Also, if the room is smaller, use one side of the room for storage, and have the rest of the room open for playing.

The Furniture

Given that your kid is going to want privacy in the playroom, you should make sure that there aren’t any sharp corners or dangerous surfaces around the room. The seats, tables and floor should be kid-friendly.

You should think about purchasing soft furnishings as opposed to wooden or plastic ones, especially if your kids are particularly young.

 The Theme

This is where the fun begins. Kids love bright colors and inspiring things to look at. If your child has a particular fondness for something, incorporate it into the theme. For instance, if he or she loves dinosaurs, get some dino-wallpaper or a playing mat with dinosaurs on it.

You can go for something that’s kid-friendly, but you could also go for a contemporary feel that will make adults feel they can hang out there too, without being intrusive.

 Adults’ corner

It would be nice to include an ‘adults’ corner’ in the room, so you and your partner can drop in to see how the kids are doing. This can be something simple, like a grown-up size two-seater sofa at the back, where you can sit and watch your kids perform a show-and-tell session, or help them with their homework.

Photo Sources: 1 Poss Architecture, 2 Charm & Whimsy, 3 MPR Design Group, 4 Abbey Construction Company, 5 Eisner Design, 6 Wind and Willow Home, 7 Dennison and Dampier Interior Design, 8 Pinterest, 9 Lizette Marie Interior Design, 10 Pinterest, 11 Gander Builders, 12 Mindi Freng Designs, 13 d2 interieurs, 14 Gabriel Builders, 15 Pinterest, 16 Olga Akulova Design, 17 Poss Architecture, 18 Jill Seidner Interior Design

Chic DIY-inspired loft home in Los Angeles

Today we are bringing you something a little different from our usual posts here on 1 Kindesign. After scouring the internet for interesting and unique finds we fell on this unique Los Angeles home that is chalk full of DIY-inspired design that is so full of life. It is very inspiring and original and we enjoyed it so much that we wanted to share it with you! Here is some background information from the owner himself, Adam Pogue, who also has a fun instagram page entitled mrpoguemahone.

“I moved to Downtown LA three years ago and have never met my landlord. I responded to a craigslist ad that had been posted for a while. He gave me the code to the lock box and I would come here at different times of day, or night, and just hang out. I moved from a duplex in Boyle Heights that was kind of classic LA. It had an original Batchelder tile fireplace and built-ins and pocket doors, which were amazing, but I felt like I needed to respect those details and create space around them. I ended up wanting a space that wasn’t so specific, so I loaded my Scion Xb and headed over the bridge.

The space has gone through several transformations in the last few years. For a time, I had an IKEA bookshelf separating the “bedroom” from the rest of the space. I replaced that with curtain panels that I sewed together and dip-dyed. They’re not a solid separation, but they create an intimate space that feels separate.

I also created the rolling ottoman and benches for the TV and under the windows. The ottoman is upholstered in dyed black canvas and has a washable quilted top (I have two cats). The benches are 10′ x 12′ dark stained Doug fir on plumbing pipe frames. They used to be stacked with books on the lower level and the TV on top, but I wanted a bench, so I separated them. The wall behind the TV is stucco on masonry. I’m not so comfortable with hanging things in masonry, so my boyfriend (at the time) had painted a beautiful chevron pattern, which I recently re-painted.

I got the couch in an “as-is” section of a local shop like 10 years ago for $150. It’s huge and comfortable and I like the shape of it, so when it needed an update (and re-upholstering was too pricey) I ended up patch-working over the original upholstery. It took me a year of random hours with scrap fabric and spare time to cover most of the visible surfaces. I recently started re-covering the re-covering.

I also ended up painting the credenza and replaced the legs with wheels so I can easily roll it away for projects, or gatherings, that require more space. I originally made the hanging above the bed as a knotted fleece rug and the sconces on either side are upside-down plant pots with rope-wrapped wiring.

I found the glass coffee table and my workspace shelving at St. Vincent de Paul’s (amazing thrift store) for $85 altogether. The desk and the bench (between the “bedroom”) I got at a vintage shop, and used The Brick House refinishing method. And the plants! Some I’ve had for years, but most are from clippings. The stacked plants in the living room are attached to a drainpipe from the roof through the apartment

As for the rest, I try to choose things I love. I generally enjoy old, handmade and well-designed pieces. I set aside spaces for things that are sentimental. Kind of shrines in a way.”

Please enjoy the tour and don’t forget to leave us your thoughts about this unique home at the bottom of the post! If you have a home that you just remodeled or that you feel is very unique in design and you would to share with us, please contact us here.

Photos: Old Brand New Blog

37 Super chic DIY headboard ideas

Decorating your bedroom with an innovative headboard can make a beautiful focal point. There are so many ideas out there for headboards; one can get very creative without having to do a generic headboard. DIY headboards can save money and display your creativity, a personalized headboard that could be even better than one on a showroom floor! People are using everything from mirrors, to wall decals, to door frames and picket fences to create unique one-of-a-kind headboards, and coming up with ideas for one can sometimes be daunting. Many times it is hard to determine what headboard will fit with your decor. Or, you might have a limited budget and need a fantastic idea that will be easy on the pocketbook.

The materials for a headboard can cost anywhere from $500-$1,000, depending on what you have in mind, or it can be as inexpensive as your creative imagination. So if you are looking for incredible headboard ideas, you are in luck, as we have gathered a collection of 37 inspiring headboard ideas that will surely fit with your bedroom. Many of them you can make on your own. Make a personal statement in your bedroom retreat with a fresh new look by adding your own personal stylized headboard. Don’t forget to let us know which one is your favorite!

Unique living terrariums for your home

Lítill terrariums, handcrafted in Portland, Oregon are not your typical terrariums. Lítill, which is the Icelandic word for “tiny,” seems to fit with the aesthetic and the vibe of the design. Influenced by the minimalistic yet colorful ambiance of Palm Springs, Lauren’s terrarium designs are miniature, modern works of art, small living sculptures created as decor for your home. Lauren collaborates with a variety of people to help piece together one of her unique masterpieces. First, she comes up with a line drawing and dimensions, which she then passes on to her glass blower, who crafts the actual container. She then sources plants and cacti from all over, ensuring that slow growing plants are chosen so they will not grow out of the vessel. Each treasure inside the terrarium is carefully hand-picked. Lítill offers six different kits of such terrariums. Each of them includes the unique container, sand, and a selection of special plants. All Lítill’s mini terrariums differs in size and shape because the glass vessels are hand-blown.

These terrariums are lots of fun to display around your home and they can be replicated quite easily on your own. Pier 1 Imports and other home accent stores have decorative glass containers to begin. Go to an art supply store like Michaels Arts and Crafts to get the sand, moss, river rocks and any other types of accents such as seashells to display with it. The plants and cacti can be picked up from Home Depot or any other garden center. Design them for your dining table and change them up for the seasons. Happy crafting!

The terrarium above can be found at Terrain.