Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Your kids are only little for so long, but a themed playroom can keep their imagination young at heart. Plus, instead of distracting from your home, this playroom can enhance your living space.

If your den is a dumping ground for toys, it’s time to change things. Most likely this room is also a catchall for other items as well that might not be safe for your children to be around. By creating a giant playpen with a fenced-in section, you can keep your eye on your children and ensure their safety. The fence can create a division between a playroom and an adult lounge so the room is more functional.

Some themes you might consider are a travel hub (maps and other transportation accessories), Hawaiian luau, under the sea, secret garden and peaceful forest. Pieces you might want to have in the playroom might include a table and chairs, cubby holes or plastic containers, dry erase or chalk board, bean bags or lounge chairs and a rack or closet for costumes.

The summer is the perfect time to drive around and visit as many garage sales as you can, especially if you need to furnish a nursery. As a result of the recession, some people moving or finding ways to make some extra cash, so you might get lucky and find items in close to new condition.

It’s best to assess items you come across rather than search for the actual piece of furniture you want. For example, a desk or bookshelf (depending on the design and how handy you are) can be turned into a changing table. Also, if you can’t find a rocking chair, consider a rocking reclining chair, because you can always put any colored or patterned slipcover over it.

While you’re making your rounds, you might find general pieces for your home too. Just keep in mind that with a little paint and accessories, you can make the furniture match and be functional in your home.

Many new homes have tall ceilings, which is a visually appearing characteristic. However, high ceilings don’t serve a purpose other than creating the illusion of more space. A way to take advantage of this space is to create a library loft.

If you have a home office, a library loft is a practical way to store books that you don’t need to refer to often. Also, closed files can be kept up here too. Even if you create the loft in your family room or sitting area, it can be beneficial for your children or the book collector member of your family.

The ceiling trim can double as a baseboard, but you will need railings, a step ladder and bookshelves. More modern bookcases such as the KARTELL Bookworm shelf can make the loft more inviting and fun for children. If there is room, a Rhodes futon chair with a small table are some cozy touches.

Hatboxes are not just for hats. They can be an attractive way to store candy and crafts, or you can leave them open and create displays for your bathroom or bedroom. In your master bathroom or guest bathroom, you can roll up extra washcloths and place small lotions and bubble baths in a decorative hatbox. Extra grooming supplies will be easily accessible, and the stylish boxes will create a spa like atmosphere. Sarah’s Hat Boxes sells fabric boxes in all different colors and patterns.

If you have any old antique trunks, you can store valuable or sentimental items in them such as family quilts or photographs. Trunks are also an easy way to store toys and other things you need to quickly get out of sight.

Hatboxes and trunks are easy stack, so you can easily maximize your storage and prevent clutter from building up.

A playhouse is nice for the kids, since it gives them a place to hangout that isn’t underfoot. Also, it gives them a spot that’s in your backyard where you can keep an eye on them.

You can get everything from simple cottage style playhouses to Victorian mansions that are bigger than your first apartment.

If you’re into themed play areas, then you might like something like this freestanding firehouse (hose not included).

It’s one of several options at Kids World Play, and its vibrant red walls certainly make it stand out. The 8′ x 10′ structure comes with optional chimney and dimensional shingles.

If you’ve got kids who like to draw on the walls, it may be easier to work with their tendencies than stop them.

A chalkboard gives them a place to scribble without repercussions, and with chalkboard wall panels, you could make their whole room (or maybe just a section of one wall since the panels are $50 a piece) a place where they can express their inner artist.

They’re available through Inquisitive Kid with several colors of chalkboard trays. There’s also a cork board version of the wall panels.

And if you’re an adult who wants a place to scribble… we won’t tell that you didn’t buy yours for the “children’s room.”

If one of your kids is an aspiring NBA star, you may have already added a basketball hoop to your yard, driveway, cul-de-sac, etc., but what’s a basketball court without any lines?

“The Easy Court Premium Basketball Court Marking Stencil Kit contains everything you need to set up a regulation key and free throw line, and a high school regulation three point line without measuring and without any messy over spray. The reusable cardboard stencil lays out in just minutes, and the included basketball stencil paint sprays easily and cleanly, for crisp lines every time.”

Of course, before you permanently paint up your driveway, you might want to make sure your fledgling basketball star really enjoys the sport!

Easy Court Premium Basketball Court Marking Stencil Kit

When I was a kid, there was no designated children’s bathroom in the house, so I guess it never occurred to my parents to buy a shower curtain with a kids’ theme. I don’t feel too deprived, but if you’ve got a bathroom that is definitely kid zone, it could be a fun and inexpensive way to allow them to personalize the space.

Target has a whole line of shower curtains for kids (and there’s a section for tweens and teens too), so you can find something the young-uns will like.

For the sports-loving children, you could try this football, soccer, and basketball model. There are matching shower curtain hooks if you want to go all out.

Some of the other themes include Disney Cars, penguins, Spongebob Squarepants, and dinosaurs. It seems there’s a shower curtain for nearly every kid’s passion. Prices run around $20-$25.

When we think of creating outdoor living areas, we often think of entertaining spaces or quiet sanctuaries for the adults, but if you’ve got kids, you’ll want to incorporate them into your planning too. How about a seating and eating area that’s just for them?

This cute picnic table is made with kids in mind. It features a checkers/chess board built into the tabletop.

There are quite a few children’s picnic tables out there with “game tops,” some of which allow the kids to play several different board games right on the same table.

This weatherproof table is one of several children’s tables available at UK-based SchoolScapes. They’re made to be used in schoolyards and playgrounds, but there’s no reason you couldn’t add something like this to your own outdoor living space, creating a nook that’s just for the kids.

If you have children who dream of going to space camp, then you can inspire their astronautic aspirations with the appropriate cabinet knobs on their dresser or perhaps on the cabinets and drawers in the kids’ bathroom.

This space shuttle and astronaut are part of Amerock’s Accent’z Collection of cabinet knobsdesigned just for kids (though if you are an adult and like them, I won’t tell). Fire trucks, police cars, sports balls, and animals are also options.

At $6.43 a piece, the fun knobs shouldn’t break the bank.

From Eclectic Ware