Playroom

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

A BASEMENT PLAYROOM THAT ACTUALLY GETS YOU EXCITED TO HOST PLAYDATES AGAIN
 

THE KIDDOS

7 and 2
 

FEATURES WE LOVE

Reading nook

Arts & crafts hub & artwork display

Music nook

Video game hub

Toy hub

Climbing wall & monkey bars

Workout nook for the grownups

Open & closed storage

 
THE TRICKY SPACE
My client shared with me her vision of being THE PLACE where all her kids’ friends want to hang out.
But, like so many of us, they moved into their home during the pandemic. Life happened and they never got around to creating a plan for the basement. It turned into a parking lot for toys over time. The space did not spark joy.
Her kids are artistic, enjoy having friends over, and love to climb, but there was nowhere to do any of that. Mom and dad loved getting their workouts in but dreaded going down to the basement to use their exercise bike.
My client was also racking her brain trying to figure out what to do with the awkward oversized built-in bench, which offered no extra functionality and took up so much of the precious floor space.
 

THE TRANSFORMATION
I dreamed up a space where her kids and friends will love for YEARS to come. A place to move their bodies, to nourish their minds, to create, and to connect.
I immediately saw the opportunity to use my client’s existing 4×4 shelves to create the DREAMIEST READING NOOK, while adding intentional OPEN AND CLOSED STORAGE.
I added a CLIMBING WALL with a rock wall and monkey bars, a TOY HUB, and a VIDEO GAME HUB. I even created an ARTS & CRAFTS station with accessible paper and supplies, artwork drying rack and a table that was ready for creativity and messes (acrylic table protector, washable rug).
As for mom and dad, I made sure there was plenty of new storage, comfy grownup seating and even a WORKOUT NOOK to boot!
 

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

AN INVITING ART SPACE THAT KIDS LOVE TO USE AND KEEP TIDY!
 

THE KIDDOS

5 and 3
 
FEATURES WE LOVE

Arts & crafts hub

Artwork display

Reading nook

Music nook

Open & closed storage

 
THE TRICKY SPACE
My client has a beautiful sunny nook on their main floor. But it’s just been sitting empty since they’ve moved in 3 years ago. They just couldn’t figure out what to do with it.
Big sister was becoming quite the artist, and little brother loves reading and dancing. Without an intentional plan in place, these activities were taking up the entire main floor, with paper and art supplies everywhere!
This 100 sq ft nook is the first thing you see walking into the home. Not only did it need to integrate seamlessly with the rest of the main floor, it also needed some expert space planning to really maximize the flow and function of the space for two kids!
 
THE TRANSFORMATION
We wanted something fun and inviting, but not too kiddish!
We went with warm neutrals with pops of bold jewel tones. The kid-sized chairs even match the ones my clients have in their dining room! The retro cool vibe felt fun and so authentically them!
Nailing down the layout for a shared space is key. As I planned this room, I pictured how it would be used by two kids and established a clear walkway around the art table. There was plenty of room to move around, whether it’s getting up for more paper, or setting down their art caddy ready to work.
To make the most of the space, I added a cozy READING & MUSIC NOOK on one side of the room’s wall and tucked an ARTS & CRAFTS HUB into a recessed spot on the other.
In Montessori, we’re all about helping kids to help themselves. Having paper, markers, and scissors within easy reach empowers our kids to take charge of their own creativity.
DISPLAYING KIDS’ ARTWORK is a must. Kids take immense pride in their artwork when they see it displayed. I came up with a simple display that lets those 2D and 3D masterpieces shine.
 

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

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

Siena’s Parisian Playroom was inspired by our love for the City of Light. I designed the room around Anewall’s Parisian Street Mural Wallpaper, and then commissioned a local Austin artist, Susie Stokes Gibson, to create a Paris-themed mural. My husband, a woodworker, created a custom cubby design for toy storage. The room has a calming, neutral palette with pops of pink and a French whimsical vibe- We love spending time playing in this room!

This basement playroom project started off with a completely blank canvas; the ask was to create a cozy, comfortable, colourful & functional space for a very busy toddler! I wanted this playroom to feel bold and adventurous yet soft enough to work with the rest of the home. So we opted for a wonderful muted jungle wallpaper and an oversized muted geometric area rug to ground the space. These elements inspired a blue, green and yellow colour palette which we layered with interesting shapes, patterns and textures for an elevated feel.
Playrooms always need a solid organizational systems, one that’s easy to stick to! So we made sure to integrate both open and closed storage for this family — the closed cabinetry is perfect for art supplies, puzzles and toy collections divided into clear bins, while the open shelf encourages autonomous play with easy-to-access toys on rotation. Creating designated purposeful areas is probably the single most important aspect of any playroom design.
My clients already had a great dining table, so we used it to create an arts & crafts zone with beautiful soft green chairs. These are my favourite ones to use in kid’s spaces because they are wipeable, have a closed back and are light enough for kids to move around themselves.
To promote imaginative play we added a fun kid’s play couch, a canvas playhouse with the sweetest little windows and a wooden climber. A low coffee table is the perfect spot to play with building blocks, puzzles and trucks! Fun decorative touches bring so much personality to the room, like knotted floor cushions, pom pom bins, a flag bunting and wool wall hangings. The end result is a colourful fun-filled playroom with endless layers of fun to explore!
Photography: Heidi Lau

My little one loves animals so much so we decided to start a little family project to create a fun jungle themed playroom for her. Her older brother and sister both helped pick out items and shared their ideas to help make it the prefect fun and inviting playroom for her.

A modern Spanish twist on a sweet playroom. This space has seating for seven, storage for tons of toys, an art station with supply storage built-in, and a lot of color!