My Montessori Playroom
If you’ve been following me on the gram, by now you probably know that I’ve been hard at work on my next project: a custom Montessori playroom for my kids in our backyard garage! As a DIY queen and cute space enthusiast (both self-proclaimed, thank you very much), this was the perfect Spring project, allowing my creative and design juices to flow while also giving my kids something to enjoy this Summer.
I know what you might be thinking: this is a super expensive project and/or this sounds like a lot of work! Well, to be honest, it doesn’t have to be! With a little imagination and elbow grease, I managed to turn one lesser-used space into a safe, educational, and enjoyable room — here’s how!
What is a Montessori Playroom?
Before I get into the process, let’s talk about what exactly a Montessori playroom is. Montessori Method describes the space as a way to “promote concentration and independence”. Unlike a traditional playroom, they are simplified with a limited number of toys and/or activities to include a lot of open space. Each toy has a purpose, promoting engagement over entertainment, all displayed at your child’s level for them to find themselves and with a designated space to teach order and routine.
A prime example of what would be in a Montessori playroom over a traditional one is having wooden toys over electronic ones. Wooden toys require imagination and creativity for your children to be entertained, whereas electronics generally only require the push of a button to create an experience. By filling the room with these types of toys in a calm, relaxing environment, the room becomes simultaneously entertaining and educational.
The Process
We started by creating a mood board and sourcing any furniture we already had that might work for the space. I also pulled some of the cute toys from the kid’s bedrooms that could double as decor. Chalkboard, costumes, and a bunch of the Lovevery toys (a Montessori play kit subscription service. Being a playroom I knew organization and storage was a top priority. The Ikea kitchen cabinets doubled as toy storage. We went with green so it added to the playful vibe, repurposed a TV console as more toy storage, and of course, you can never have enough wicker baskets to store “all the things in”.
Next I knew I wanted to create as much play floor space as I could and an imagination station. I layered a tent over my favorite playmat from Gathre and filled it with pillows and stuffed animals. And no playroom is complete without a kitchen set up. I’m a big fan of the one from Kids concept I also ordered a Cushy Couch for the seating and doubles as the ultimate fort. Next up was some sort of education station. I snagged the Ikea Sensory table which can double as a desk. I used my Gather wall tidy to store flashcards, wooden instruments, tools, and magnifying glass. and plants we discover in the garden. I sourced books that focused on language, the kids are learning Spanish thanks to my incredible Nanny and these must-have books. We also love books on mindfulness and emotions. I made sure I had stools at all the sinks to encourage the kids to do it themselves.
Then I added some art as-is for the majority of the house I snagged another piece from the Poster Club. How cute is this piece?!
Last but not least (aka my favorite part) was painting the room using Clare paint in colors Meet Cute and Neutral Territory. I selected these colors and application design with the help of my IG followers and I’m so happy with the final result — calming, neutral tones that set the tone for concentration and relaxation. Having a painted accent really brought the room together and gave it a real playroom feel. My aim was to create something geared towards the children but still pleasing in a design perspective.
Featured Brands and Accessories
I am so lucky to have been gifted lots of incredible items to use in the room by some of my favorite brands. Gathre is one of my all-time favorite brands, and I absolutely love the floor cushion, throw pillow, and wall tidy they sent over! Not only are the products super soft and comfy, but the designs are also beautiful and totally match the aesthetic I was going for with the neutral vibe. Feel free to use code BRANDY10 at the checkout on their website for some lovely products of your own!
The Poster Club is another one of my go-to brands to add that finishing touch to any space. Just because the room is for kids, doesn’t mean it can’t have a little bit of art! The Poster Club has so many affordable styles to choose from and even offers framing options when you order, so getting art is quite literally as easy as just hanging it on the wall as soon as it arrives. Can’t go wrong with that!
Now that the room is done, my kids have been enjoying it almost every day! It only took a few months to complete, but I am proud to know that it will provide my kids with years of quality entertainment and education. As a busy mom with a lot on the go, I also get to benefit by having a calm space to get some work done while they are busy playing in a safe environment. Let’s be honest a playroom is going to get messy but you can do what you can to keep the space looking fresh and pleasing. Could this room be any more of a win-win? I don’t think so!