How to design a playroom with dopamine decor
If there’s one room in the home that begs for bold color, pattern, and creativity, it’s the playroom. Far from just a room to hoard toys, a well-designed children’s room should inspire, encourage development and independence, and of course: spark joy.
But let’s face it, as an adult, it can be hard to come up with playroom ideas that don’t ruin your carefully curated interior design style. So that’s where the experts come in.
Blending dopamine decor ideas and the loud luxury trend, Smart Playrooms is a design-led duo that transforms run-of-the-mill children’s spaces into vibrant, functional, play-centric fun rooms that serve to delight both kids and adults alike.
(Image credit: Smart Playrooms)
The good news is that sad beige nurseries are finally on their way out, making room for an explosion of color. Playrooms are the perfect place to break away from neutrals and lean into your more expressive side.
Karri Bowen-Poole, founder and CEO of Smart Playrooms, has spent over a decade transforming how children play at home. Teaming up with her lead e-designer Robin Hull, the duo has created a one-stop shop for sensory-rich, color-confident playrooms that inspire meaningful play and learning.
As a team, they have produced countless jaw-dropping rooms using their full design or e-design packages, which bundle everything from layout plans and color palettes to curated shopping lists and play-focused furniture.
Heading to the Smart Playrooms website, you’ll find their e-design package, which is split between the Climbing Zone E-Design, which focuses on movement and motor development, and the All Out E-Design, which designs a fully custom, multi-zone space. For both, you’ll receive 3D rendering, floor plans, a shopping list, and they’ll even meet virtually with your contractor.
Think of it as the shortcut to a Pinterest-worthy playroom, without the overwhelm.
(Image credit: Smart Playrooms)
Alongside these clever, all-in-one design packages, their curated shop of playroom pieces is almost entirely custom-made in the USA and utilizes Montessori and Reggio Emilia philosophies.
Blending design-focused aesthetics and functionality to create everything from climbing walls to playroom storage ideas, their designs look nothing like the bulky, overstimulating toys you’d usually find in a playroom. It’s dopamine decor with one mission: to create spaces that excite kids while supporting their development.
Designing for children doesn’t have to mean chaotic, and can certainly still be super chic. It’s about making intentional, joyful choices that resonate with little ones – in a playroom, that might mean a bright green slide or a fluffy swing.
So if you’re looking to make your playroom just as intentional and well-designed as any other room in the house, Smart Playrooms might just be the shortcut you didn’t know you needed.
Shop Smart Playrooms
Farmhouse Style Playhouse
Who said that toys can’t fit in with your aesthetic and be fun enough for kids? Fans of farmhouse decor will love this adorable playhouse, with its own built-in kitchen with utensils, wooden play food, and window boxes for you to fill.
Exclusive Designer Furry Swing
This fluffy sheepskin indoor swing is so chic and is designed for kids and parents of all ages. Full of whimsy, it has been handmade using cotton rope and a solid oak wooden seat, which can come with or without boho-style tassels.
If your playroom is a little more compact, the Manuka indoor slide is a great addition to a small playroom. Made from natural wood with specially made child-friendly steps for easy and safe climbing, you can choose from a blue or pink finish to suit your little one.
Have you ever seen a cuter bounce house? Designed for bouncing, sliding, splashing, and selling (it is a market stall after all), this allows for pretend play and can be used indoors or out, with or without water, thanks to the shaded canopy and water feature.
Inspired by Montessori, the high-quality wooden climbing arch is a simple yet engaging design. Promoting exploration and imaginative play, it has been made with hardwood handles that are easy to grab and climb, and made with eco- and kid-friendly finishes.
Tide Water & Sensory Table
This sensory table is a new addition to the Smart Playrooms offering that brings buckets of fun to the garden or playroom. It is designed not only for outdoor water play, but also for crafting and sensory learning, too, with built-in storage, a lid, and it can hold up to 25kg of sand!
Whether you’re working with a blank slate or trying to tame toy chaos in your existing playroom, Smart Playrooms’ curated designs and shoppable site offer a clever, creative, and joyful shortcut to creating spaces that your children will love – and you’ll actually want to spend time in.
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