Basement Playroom
 Completed Play Room Probably the best bang for the buck is finishing an unfinished basement. This playroom is right down the stairs from the kitchen making it a great place for kids to play while Mom is preparing dinner. No need to cleanup when company comes — simply close the basement door. |
 Before Remodeling For just a few thousand dollars, the unfinished space to the left was A space like this can be quite flexible. With different finishes, it can also be a perfect media room once the kids are older. A few comments on details: A new wrap-around porch blocks light from the windows but colorful curtains block the now dark windows. It was cheaper to paint the the exposed duct that travels the length of the room than to create a drywall chase. Painting the duct the same color as the wall makes it almost disappear. An extra thick pad under the rug keeps the room comfortable and warm. All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build |
I like the idea of of a basement playroom for kids, but if you don’t have a separate space, is there something you can do in the living room to keep kids from getting into trouble while you’re cooking dinner?
Kerry – Thanks for your question. I must admit, it’s made me think — in part because I don’t know what age kids you have — but I assume they are fairly young. My mother’s solution was to use materials that were easily cleaned and were quite forgiving of bumps and bruises (to both the furniture and to little heads). My family didn’t entertain much when we were little or just entertained families who also had kids so it didn’t matter much what things looked like. I think the real challenge is for families that want their living rooms to look sophisticated and to also be kid-proof. Today’s textiles are so much more advanced than ones from even just a few years ago. Today’s micro-fiber faux suede is terrific! It looks sophisticated and comes in terrific colors — I have a couch in royal blue in a micro-fiber suede. I’ve had it for almost 10 years and it still looks new. You can clean anything off of it — the only problem is scratching from animal claws. Crypton has also started making dog and kid-friendly high-end textiles. Leather is also incredibly forgiving of stains. In addition, many of today’s carpets are also kid and dog friendly. If carpet is not your thing, they have terrific new rubber flooring that looks sophisticated and is soft. Using a large, firm ottoman for a coffee table can eliminate a lot of bruises and is very flexible. Finally, if you have lots of storage — built-in or free-standing, good-looking bins and baskets — it’s also a breeze to clean-up when company is coming. Good luck – let me know if this helps.