Green

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

Choosing the dark and moody masculine theme for my son’s room was a personal and inspired decision. I wanted to create a space that not only reflected his personality but also felt cozy and stylish. The walnut furniture and personalized walnut name sign added a touch of sophistication and warmth that I thought would resonate well with his preferences.
The deep tones of the walnut furniture created the perfect masculine vibe I was aiming for. The idea was to make the room feel both comfortable and stylish. The personalized name sign was a special touch, making the space uniquely his. I believe that the environment we create has a significant impact on our mood and overall well-being, so I wanted his room to be a place he truly enjoys spending time in.
For those considering a similar project, my advice is to really think about the individual’s likes and dislikes. Tailoring the design to their preferences makes the room more meaningful and personal. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different textures, lighting, and unique touches like personalized signs—they can truly transform a space.
Ultimately, the goal is to create a room that not only looks fantastic but also feels like a true reflection of the person who occupies it. Enjoy the process and have fun with the design!

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

We did not necessarily want to choose a “theme” for baby boy’s nursery, but rather incorporate worldly, natural & earthy elements to bring a calming & grounding effect to his sacred space.
The primary focus was on mixing textures and elements. We went with high quality pieces that would last for years to come and be able to transition with our son as he grows.
The biggest inspiration for the project was all of our worldly travels – on our babymoon, we traveled to France, Morocco, and Italy and wanted to encompass some of those aspects into his nursery.

We are big DIYers and over the last few years, have DIYed a lot of the renovation on our 1960s house. When we found out we were expecting our first child, I knew I wanted to do something fun and special with her nursery. Before we got to the fun stuff like decorating however, the husband did a bunch of research on some bones-work on areas he wanted to improve on the room (things like removing the popcorn ceiling, adding sound-dampening measures to the room etc) and he got to work!
We were gifted a dresser from some friends that had used it with both their kids, so we knew it would be a great project to refresh for our own nursery!
Then, after all that work, it was finally my turn to have fun with designing and painting the nursery (at 33 weeks pregnant too!!)
While I love “themed” rooms and have done my fair share of them in the past, I wanted to design something that would be easy to buy accessories/items for, and not box ourselves into a corner with a too-specific theme. I also wanted to try to design something that in 3-5 years from now, she might still enjoy having as her room.
We are big gardening/nature people, and we also love the feel of mid-century-modern decor, so I took those areas of interest and loosely designed the room around them. I did a combination of MCM and plant shapes for the mural, picked a warm color scheme (most of our house is a combination of warm yellow/green/brown colors as well) and carried that theme throughout the room, by designing and painting some art and unfinished wood decor items to tie the room together!
We’re thrilled with the end result, and it’s been so easy to add items to the nursery, as the colors I used for the mural are very common to find in crib sheets, changing pad covers, baby clothes, stuffed animals etc.
Here’s all the DIY work we did before decorating the nursery
Here’s what we did to turn an old dresser into a modern-looking changing table
Here’s some behind-the-scenes pics on the nursery mural I designed and painted

Introducing Remy Carter’s neutral woodland nursery!
There’s something extra special about designing your second son’s nursery. We wanted Remy’s room to feel natural, and simple while also feeling cozy, and warm. The design is something that can grow right alongside him, and the green accent wall is timeless!
Nursery by https://www.instagram.com/rachel.krumbach/
Photos taken by Tarah Elise Photography