Neat, colorful space works for kids, family

As the first room seen by guests from the front door, the children’s playroom in a farmhouse-style home in Chapel Hill needed to be attractive as well as functional. Now in elementary school, the kids needed an area for homework and crafts.

The 150-square-foot room opened to the foyer through glass French doors. The owners’ primary requests were for ample storage and a surface area for homework.

Our team at Martin Design Agency began with a design for custom built-ins on the largest wall. White wood cabinetry with display shelving and hidden storage created a clean, versatile backdrop for the kids’ art and family photos. A stained wood countertop added detail and contrasted with the white cabinets.

Sherwin Williams’ Mega Greige (SW7031), a warm gray, provided a complementary neutral background on the remaining walls, allowing our designers to bring in color with the furnishings. A pedestal table was painted with mustard yellow Annie Sloan chalk paint, an environmentally friendly option, and red metal industrial-style chairs added more color. A braided rug from Capel Rugs brought the colors together – yellow and red, along with blue from the nearby music room.

We replaced a traditional semi-flush-mount light fixture with a brushed nickel barn pendant centered over the table for homework. Finally, we created a gallery wall using custom-framed family photos.

A busy household creates endless paperwork, and large file drawers and generous hidden storage keep everything organized. Even if custom isn’t in the cards, you can achieve a visually pleasing look by using identical storage baskets and boxes. Be sure to overestimate your storage needs so there is room to grow.

This family of four did not use its formal rooms, so we made the spaces function for music lessons and schoolwork. Through the use of color and furniture consistent with the rest of the house, we created a casual and kid-friendly look without sacrificing style at the home’s entryway.

This story was originally published October 2, 2014 at 2:04 PM.