Blue

A BASEMENT PLAYROOM THAT LETS THE KIDS BURN OFF THEIR ENERGY ALL YEAR ROUND!

THE LOCATION

Toronto, Canada

THE KIDDOS

6yo, 3yo and 6mo
FEATURES WE LOVE

Active play space for hockey, soccer and basketball

Climbing wall

Basketball net

Sensory swing

Non-slip ball-responsive gym flooring

Low & accessible holders for the kids’ sports gear

Quadruple (4x!!) the storage space

THE TRICKY SPACE
When this family approached me to transform their tricky basement into a fun active play space for 3 energetic kids, I was excited to put on my problem solving hat and get to work!
The space featured smooth, slippery tiles and irregular piping protruding from the back wall, making it unsuitable for kids who love to run around. Additionally, the lack of storage caused it to quickly become a catch-all zone for play and household items, large and small.
The long, narrow layout required expert reimagining to become functional. My priority was to open up the floor space so the kids could move freely and safely. This meant space planning was crucial to incorporate storage and active play elements while maximizing open space.
Lastly, I wanted to infuse the joyful, colourful aesthetic of the family’s home into their new basement playroom!
THE TRANSFORMATION
Solving for functionality and safety first, I came up with an INNOVATIVE OPEN-BACK STORAGE SOLUTION that hid all the protruding piping along the back wall, and added a storage MEDIA UNIT, effectively QUADRUPLING THE STORAGE SPACE.
Next, I personally sampled four brands of SPORTS FLOORING, before meeting with the client to test the bounce response of various balls on the tiles in person. We chose the ones with the best ball responsiveness, durability, non-slip quality, and customizable fit.
Now comes the fun part. I was inspired by the pastel colours of their home and brought that to life with ABSTRACT WATERCOLOUR WALL DECALS. I even added DRIED FLOWER ART of their dog and cat in colour-matched acrylic frames. Everything felt perfectly whimsical and authentically them! It was an immediate “YES!” for my client.
Onto the sports features! I’m proud to have created a fun space that’s packed with opportunities to play SOCCER, HOCKEY, BASKETBALL, SWINGING, CLIMBING, and more! Of course, the rock wall holds are colour-matched to the room design too!
What’s even better is the LOW AND ACCESSIBLE HOLDERS FOR THE KIDS’ BALLS AND STICKS so the kids never have to wait for the grownups to initiate play.

 
This playroom is designed by Sophie Shay of CHEZ SHAY DESIGNS.
Instagram: @chezshaydesigns

My sweet clients wanted a wall of bright and cheery floral wallpaper paired with a soft pink paint for the remaining walls. With richly stained nursery furniture, neutral bedding, and sweet decorative accents, this fun nursery came to life.

This was a super fun project! I wanted a space that would be able to mature over time, but still feel playful and fun for the current phase. Blue was his favourite colour and just took it from there! We strategically created four zones in this space and I think it turned out awesome!
 
For more visit:
https://www.andreagrbic.com/post/into-the-blue
Designer: @andreagrbichome
Photographer: @elzaphotographie

When we got pregnant with our last baby, we decided to put the boys in our large bedroom above the garage. It was not in the best shape, and we did what we could to make it nice for them. It was cute in the end, but admittedly a rush job due to the baby on the way. A few months after our last was born, we decided to give the room the attention it deserved.
We gave the room all new carpet, some gorgeous striped wallpaper and reused as much as we could for furniture/decor to keep cost down. I was inspired by themes like Peter Pan, and vintage styles mixed with modern for the room. I love adding little touches from small artists and shops to give the room character!

As the founder and interior decorator at Charm Custom Interiors, it was so rewarding to complete this special project for my son’s baby nursery.💙🌟Theme: ”Dream, Explore, Discover”🌟🧑🏾‍🚀👨🏾‍✈️🌙🪐🌎🚀
I decided to choose a color pallete and theme that wasn’t too specific so my son can mature and evolve with the space.  I used various shades of blue, beige, and white while incorporating textures like wood, woven textile, leather, and gold metallic accents. There’s a combination of images like the dreamy blue sky, airplanes, astronaut, and exploration which provide the playful, imaginative element.  I hope my son is inspired to reach for the stars and know his options are limitless.🌟🌎🚀💙 Instead of hiring vendors to complete the install, my husband and I did everything ourselves.  We painted the walls & ceiling, hung wallpaper, hung curtains, replaced the light fixture, assembled furniture, and installed the decor finishing touches.
When thinking of a starting point for designing your space, think about what people, place, hobbies, etc. inspire you.  What feelings and emotions do you want your space to bring to its occupants? Once you find a source of inspiration, build around it.  I approach each project with a Pinterest board, curated mood board, color pallete, room measurements, room layout, and 3D design.
Website: www.charmcustominteriors.com
Instagram: @charm_custom_interiors
Facebook: @charmcustominteriors
Houzz: https://www.houzz.com/pro/webuser-570315671/charm-custom-interiors

Big boy room upgrade! We decided to go with a fun bold pineapple print to match our beautiful blue linen bedding. I chose a natural finish bed, and a neutral carpet with to pair with the eye-catching wallpaper. This keeps it fun, but will also work with him as he grows! We tried to incorporate other textures like natural wood bookshelves, leather floor poufs and white textured linen black out curtains to keep an organic minimalist feel.

Due to the circumstances I was not able to see the new home in person before putting an offer in, but luckily, being in this field, I quickly visualized it’s potential! Seeing the bay window in one of the rooms I immediately knew I wanted this to be my daughter Leonis room. It was my dream to have a reading nook which she now has as a little girl. Naturally I contemplated making the accent colour pink, but when I saw this rug I knew it was perfect! When you invest in timeless pieces and keep-sakes it can grow and mature with the room. This room turned out so beautifully – it is everything I wanted for her. We also included a wall of toy storage for items that just belong to her (instead of in the shared playroom with her brothers). I think it’s very important for each child to have a sharing space, but also a separate spot that just belongs to them! I hope you love this room as much as I do!
 
For more info visit: https://www.andreagrbic.com/post/enchanted-garden
@andreagrbichome
Photography: @elzaphotographie

This playroom was designed by Sophie Shay of CHEZ SHAY DESIGNS.
Instagram: @chezshaydesigns