Playroom Inspiration: the Soft Furnishings

Playroom Inspiration: The Soft Furnishings

If there is a more enjoyable part of the home to decorate than the playroom, then we’ve yet to encounter it. It gives us an enjoyable sense of freedom from making things ‘just so’, and fewer opportunities to worry over the final result. It is designed to go through countless transformations, reorganisations, changes of use, and various phrases, and designing a space that can accommodate all that is the polar opposite to designing an evergreen living room, or a kitchen intended for decades of use.

That said, the playroom doesn’t have to be a wholly utilitarian space of toyboxes and low-to-the-ground tables and chairs. It should ideally be a space in which the family can gather, and where quiet moments can be captured – a daydream, a book read aloud, a conversation, or a board game played on the floor.

In order words, make it sumptuous – make it comfortable – but in a way that supports play and imagination, movement, and mess.

A Nursing Chair to Oversee the Room

While the playroom has undergone many transformations over the generations – not just in terms of the toys, but the ways in which they are used, too – the nursing chair represents one of the few pieces that has never gone out of fashion or proven itself superfluous.

Characterised by a soft and comfortable seat and, often, a rocker, the nursing chair represents a miniature escape into peace and rest, there and waiting in the corner.

Look into hardwearing upholstery fabrics with a timeless print. The sheer number of sentimental memories that will be created in your nursing chair will prevent you from ever wanting to replace it or have it reupholstered, so choose something that will withstand the test of time, and suit another part of the home when the birds have flown the nest.

For this, a natural fibre like linen or cotton – or a soft cotton blend – will prove highly durable and, at the same time, soft and comfortable for those hours spent in the playroom.

A Smattering of Floor Cushions for Them (and You)

For obvious reasons, it’s always a good idea to keep plenty of the playroom’s amenities close to the floor – not just for the children playing, but for any grownups who find themselves roped into two hour long play sessions on the floor.

A few solid, supportive floor cushions will never go amiss. Bean bags can work but represent more of a liability than traditional stuffing. To support a sense of playfulness, don’t be too rigid about pattern matching or sticking to a limiting colour scheme – use this room as an excuse to explore all the patterns and textiles you can’t find a definitive home for elsewhere in the house.

These patterns needn’t be overtly childish. Using bold abstracts and geometrics are sufficiently ‘out there’ and ‘un-serious’ to feel right for the space, without the risk of the children outgrowing them in a matter of years. These pieces can eventually be repurposed and placed in the children’s bedrooms or TV room, without looking out of place.

A Floor Mattress for Tummy Time, Naptime, and Quiet Time

When we think of the playroom, we often think first of the more energetic, action-based play children spend plenty of time pursuing, but some of the most enriching and imaginative activities take place when the bulk of the energy has been spent, and thoughts take over from action.

Floor mattresses are a lot more versatile than matts. As opposed to rubber or foam, they are made soft and comfortable with stuffing, while remaining thin enough to be rolled up and stored away if floorspace is limited. They also offer you more flexibility in terms of fabric – the ability to design something long-lasting and beautiful, that will find another use of itself in the future.

A soft, organic-looking pattern, like this Ashok pink linen, padded with a thin layer of cotton filling or wool – can offer the perfect surface for tummy time, or the ideal soft landing for anyone still grappling with the mechanics of going from all fours to two feet.

Furnishing the playroom is one of the most exciting rites of passage for any new or soon-to-be parent, and softening the edges (literally) with plenty of comfortable, quiet retreats from the demands of playtime is one of our favourite ways to turn it into a fun, welcoming, and, most importantly, usable space. Take a look at our full range of fabrics here for more inspiration.