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Finished Basement Playroom Décor and Organization Ideas
- Missy Carlin
- Nov 5, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 24
Playroom décor ideas for a space that is both fun AND cute
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them—at no cost to you. I only share products I truly love or use in my own home.
We finished our basement in 2022 when we were expecting our second child, knowing we needed more space for our growing family. With the unpredictable real estate market and the comfortable interest rate we locked in with our home in 2019, moving wasn’t our first choice.
The primary goal of finishing the basement was to create a dedicated playroom space—a place to store our growing collection of toys while giving our kids a fun space to play and grow. We had been using our upstairs loft area in our small cape cod house as a home office /playroom with our son but with a second bebe on the way we had to convert that space to her princess suite–thus the need to expand to the basement. You can learn all about our basement renovation process here!
I do get a corner of the finished basement space for my home office - more details on that to come. My husband also gets a corner of the space where he puts a set of weights…and I want to put somewhere else but hey, he deserves a little piece of the pie…
Playroom Design Inspiration
The initial design inspiration for the playroom came from the Nugget play couch we got for our son as a Christmas gift. I chose the now discontinued "Rodeo" orange rust color instead of my usual neutral palette, which led me down the road of a southwestern style but some twists and turns along the way led to what it is now which is just a cozy place to play with a hint of scandi-modern style. Picking a theme for a room or whole home is helpful because it keeps the space cohesive and helps filter out decor that doesn’t fit the vision.
This hanging pennant with “These are the good old days” on it was one of the first décor pieces I bought for the playroom from a local play café– it truly serves as a nice reminder to me when I’m down there playing with my kids. IT GOES BY SO FAST. It is going by so fast!
Playroom Storage Solutions: IKEA to the Rescue
Toy and game storage was what we built the whole finished basement space around. With two young children, we knew we needed lots of storage for toys, games, and craft supplies. Instead of custom built-ins, we opted for budget-friendly, functional storage from IKEA. And their pieces are the definition of scandi-modern so the perfect style for our space.
We bought five in total, placing four side by side as a TV console and toy storage. The fifth is used in another corner for storing art supplies. To give them a more styled touch, I swapped out the standard handles with matte black ones for a more elevated and contrasting look
These double as seating and extra storage for toys. They’re practical, stylish, and add a warm pop of color and woven texture to the space.
IKEA Trofast storage unit: I love its raw wood finish, which adds to the Scandinavian vibe of the room. The bins are perfect for organizing Magnetiles, toy animals, and train tracks, and the top provides an additional low surface for play.
Playroom Furniture Ideas
We didn't fill the basement with a lot of furniture because we wanted the kids to have plenty of space to run around and spread out all the toys that come pouring out of those storage cabinets. The little futniture we do have each serve multiple purposes.
The Activity Table
Having the right surface area for the kids to do crafts on and another surface for play was important to me for the basement space. We initially used a Pottery Barn Kids table passed down from my sister, but after some time, I realized a larger, lower surface would work better. This way, the kids wouldn’t fall off the chairs (as they tended to do), and we’d have more table space for two little ones to use at the same time. I chose the Carolina activity table from Pottery Barn Kids. Its adjustable legs mean it will grow with our children, transitioning from a play table to a homework station when they’re older. I love multi-functional furniture that can evolve with our family!
The Nugget Playcouch
We love the versatility of the Nugget to be a trampoline or tunnel or where we lay and cuddle up for a movie night.
Toys or Décor?
While not necessarily furniture items, the play tent and play kitchen take up a lot of space and are omnipresent, so I love that they seamlessly blend in with the rest of the room. While some people may call this sad beige, it keeps the space feeling a little less chaotic and less overstimulating. I think the piles of extremely colorful toys that are usually pulled from the storage cabinets and dumped around the room are enough visual chaos.
Wall Décor & Artwork
Our refinished basement was a blank canvas—black ceilings, tan walls, and white carpet. I like the industrial look of the exposed black-painted ceiling which adds some character, but with no other architectural features, I wanted to add character with wall decor. Here’s how we styled it.
Target framed artwork: Originally chosen when I was going for a southwestern style, but they have a Scandinavian vibe too right…the frames on these are a nice warm wood tone
Macramé wall hanging: This piece from World Market perfectly matched the orange Nugget and added texture and depth to the wall.
Gathre mats: A bit of a splurge, but these large wall mats brought texture and interest to the walls and a hint of color. There’s an animal alphabet one, world map, and flower theme.
DIY banner: Made from Rifle Paper Co. prints that I saved from a desk calendar (similar one here), it adds some fun and a pop of color above the world map mat.
The World is Your Oyster art print: Also from Rifle Paper Co!
Pottery Barn Teen pinboard: A large-scale pinboard to display the kids' art and cover more wall space. Plus, it pairs beautifully with the vintage-inspired rug (now out of stock) from Pottery Barn Teen that protects the white carpet under the play table from play doh and crayons.
Wall clock: I liked the green color of this clock and its large numbers –added a cool graphical interest to the wall. And reminded me of the clocks in my grade school.
Magnetic Chalkboard: This cute house-shaped magnet / chalkboard ties into the Scandinavian feel of the room while also providing another form of play for the kids.
Corner gallery wall: One of my favorite spots in the playroom is the little gallery wall in the corner, featuring artwork by Emily Winfield Martin. I first saw her work in her children’s book, The Wonderful Things You Will Be. Her whimsical style and playful color palette felt perfect for a kids’ space. Along with her art prints, I framed a greeting card from a local shop, a few Etsy downloads I had printed on mpix.com, (Alphabet print and silly goose print) , and an "Explore" pennant—all adding personal, artistic touches.
Designing a Playroom That Grows with Your Family
I know that this space will continue to change as the kids grow and their needs shift. Eventually, the playroom will take on new roles and responsibilities, but for now, it’s the heart of our home—a place to play, learn, and spend time together. I love adding my own artistic touches to the space (even if the kids don’t notice), while they delight in the hidden storage and endless possibilities.
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