First of all, what a beautiful house.
I'd start by taking everything out of the room, and then paint it gray! :)

I think the corner between the windows should be the play area. You can add a 4x4 expedit and some ribba shelves to the walls for kids books and toys. Perhaps add a little sitting space beneath one of the windows for a reading nook. A larger rug would help, if it's in the budget. As for a landing strip, the perfect thing would be an old sideboard, to bring some texture into the room.

Turn your desk around and have it face the center of the room, if cords and safety will allow. I think the main thing is this room has a lot of small amorphous objects with nothing to center the space. Centering it with the reading nook would be sweet and useful.

I agree with bluemamie regarding the play area & larger rug. A little reading chair for your daughter would be nice & she'll grow to love using it. If you buy a decent one & not too small, it will grow with her & can move to other rooms in the house later.

And, add a rug runner starting from the door. Move your little landing strip area to the empty wall & put the mail sorter above it. I can't tell how much space you have, but if you have enough room for a sideboard that would be great. If not, there are plenty of narrow console tables that can do the trick. Right now, it looks like you have 3 places to put things when you walk in the door. Locating all those things in 1 spot will encourage everyone to use that 1 spot. You can also just hang a shelf on the wall & put the bar with hooks underneath- perfect spot for your daughter to hang her coat & backpack, dog leash, kid friend coats, etc. Even a narrow tray for their shoes would work well there.

Where you have the hooks now, put in a large, floor length mirror- you'll be able to check our your reflection on your way out, your daughter will be able to dance in front of it & it will reflect the lovely room. Get a nice mirror with a good solid frame.

The window treatments are taking up lots of visual & actual space. If you change them out to fabric roman shades, then you'll have more wall space for the kid storage. You can make them yourself rather cheaply (custom made ones are SO expensive!) I do like your matchstick blinds though. Your daughter won't use this area for play forever, so perhaps wait on doing anything with the curtains. Or, you can raise the rod closer to the ceiling, extend them past the frames & then sew a contrast silk band to the bottom (black could look pretty darn sweet). Make the curtains just skim the floor. So those are just a couple of options for the windows.

Then if you no longer need the space for a play area, you can get a beautiful round entrance table, with a huge flower arrangement fresh each week on it. That is what this space is made for.

I agree with bluemamie regarding the play area & larger rug. A little reading chair for your daughter would be nice & she'll grow to love using it. If you buy a decent one & not too small, it will grow with her & can move to other rooms in the house later.

And, add a rug runner starting from the door. Move your little landing strip area to the empty wall & put the mail sorter above it. I can't tell how much space you have, but if you have enough room for a sideboard that would be great. If not, there are plenty of narrow console tables that can do the trick. Right now, it looks like you have 3 places to put things when you walk in the door. Locating all those things in 1 spot will encourage everyone to use that 1 spot. You can also just hang a shelf on the wall & put the bar with hooks underneath- perfect spot for your daughter to hang her coat & backpack, dog leash, kid friend coats, etc. Even a narrow tray for their shoes would work well there.

Where you have the hooks now, put in a large, floor length mirror- you'll be able to check our your reflection on your way out, your daughter will be able to dance in front of it & it will reflect the lovely room. Get a nice mirror with a good solid frame.

The window treatments are taking up lots of visual & actual space. If you change them out to fabric roman shades, then you'll have more wall space for the kid storage. You can make them yourself rather cheaply (custom made ones are SO expensive!) I do like your matchstick blinds though. Your daughter won't use this area for play forever, so perhaps wait on doing anything with the curtains. Or, you can raise the rod closer to the ceiling, extend them past the frames & then sew a contrast silk band to the bottom (black could look pretty darn sweet). Make the curtains just skim the floor. So those are just a couple of options for the windows.

Then if you no longer need the space for a play area, you can get a beautiful round entrance table, with a huge flower arrangement fresh each week on it. That is what this space is made for.

Definitely repaint - how about BM Moonshine? That color gray reads like a bright gray - the room currently looks dark. Checkout younghouselove blog - i think their dining room is moonshine. Also, I would replace the curtains with a chevron print in a bright color - to carry on the chevron in your toy basket. If you could find the chevron in one of the colors found in your poang that would be great. Everything else that is added should be white.

Nix the curtains, and perhaps move the small Ikea rug under the computer desk and gray chair.

The wall between the entry door and the window would make a perfect landing strip spot. Keep the desk and the play area where they are. You now have three areas for three functions.

Also, consider moving the dog bed near the desk to free up the flow in and out of the room.

For the landing strip wall, move the coat hooks lower so the kid can hang up and get her coats on her own. You can then mount a small shelf above it.

Very good comment so far. I only want to encourage you.... you will do fine. My living room normally is also the play area, and what I do is having nice baskets where I put stuff away when not in use. You can make a small version of your office for the girl with a small desk that resembles yours and a nice display of art...

I know exactly what you mean by tan with too much green in it! I had that color in my living room for way too long but the husband refused to repaint. We finally did it and I am so much happier with the new color, so yes, paint away!
I think the main thought behind everything you do in this room should be to eliminate visual clutter. Play rooms can look cluttered quickly, the same for office areas and entry ways. Closed storage is your friend.
Can you fit some shelving (possibly a large Expedit) on that mostly empty wall and use it as a combination bookshelf, toy storage, landing strip? I'm picturing boxes on the bottom shelves for toys, maybe even one for shoes, one compartment with a cute mail holder and a small tray for keys, phones, etc, and the rest dedicated to books, etc.
One thing that would be really cute would be if you could find a white desk with curved legs for your daughter to match yours and get her a grey upholstered chair.

Great bones! Mostly what you need is storage to control the toy clutter. All the stuff on top of the radiator is distracting. I agree with the expedite shelf idea. You could make it into a double duty storage and reading area by making a foam cushion to put on top. Add some pillows and make a library shelf display for books. Your daughter can climb on top to read while you are working. Also, I have seen lots of discounted linen or fiber baskets at Marshall's that you could use in the shelf for toys. That way you have a relatively adult look that can transition to hold sports equipment and school supplies later.

Just to clarify - I meant lay an expedite on its side horizontally so that you have a long low shelf-bench...not to let your kid climb to the top of a vertical shelf

I agree with everyone else on using an expedit. I would also use straw bins to conceal toys so the area can be less manic. I would use colorful things as accessories, but keep them more sophisticated because this will be an office as well. It stifles productivity when you're surrounded by toys and other child-oriented things. Hiding them when they're not being used would help keep the area organized and teach your daughter to put things away.

Agree with the others who said get rid of the curtains. Then, how about puttting benches with cubbies under both windows (for toy storage and a "window seat" for your child. The empty wall could use a low book case with pictures above (maybe use the cute dog potrait as a center piece) I'm picturing all these in a crisp white to play off your trim and new wall color.

I have a room like this! Power to you, girl! Ours is a rental, and the first home we had also had some similar elements... so as we look for our next home, there are certain things I'm looking for. First and foremost: a convenient front closet by the door! Given that you can't do that in this space (and neither could we with our last two homes), here's what I recommend:

1. Where the little desk is now, instead place one of those entryway/mudroom storage benches with hooks. This will house your coats, and the bench can host whatever else immediate accessories you need: scarves, gloves, hats, whatever.

2. To make your windows look bigger, either:
a. Extend the curtain rods outward, so the interior of the curtain falls right where the window frame starts.
b. If option a takes up too much precious walls space, then instead mount white-ish roller shades, accordion shades, or install white-ish plantaition shutters. and get rid of the curtains altogether.

3. If you go with option 2b (which I prefer), then on the section of wall that how has your coat hooks, instead purchase an expedit-style shelving unit, maybe two-cubes wide and fove tp sox cubes high. The lowest two or three cubes will hold toys (get baskets, trust me) and what's left on top is for your grownup stuff. If you can swing it, install some pretty task lighting (use Ikeas stuff) so you have some cascading spot lighting.

4. On the big wall that now has the little mirror, put a little desk there and frame it with Expedit-style shelving (perhaps floating up above) to maximize storage space. Add a hanging pendant fixture or else more Ikea-style task lighting from the shelving above. Even undermounted shelf lighting could look nice. You could go for some sort of closed secretary-style desk if you like. And if it's a desk you don't use for extended periods of time, maybe opt for a backless bench/ottoman for seating (so you can tuck it out of the way) that also has storage in it (great for toys toys toys!). And if you just don't want to take up visual space, you can get yourself a transparent "ghost" chair--there are affordable options on Overstock.com. The desk space is also an opportunity to fill part of the wall with a pretty pin board or other fabric or wallpaper-style graphic.

5. At the corner where you now have a little narrow corner unit, instead buy two storage ottomans (I got two off Overstock) and maybe a little table that is the same height for the corner to join them together. Use these for more toy storage -- just get those things out of the way! And the very good news is that when guests come, they can sit there, too! You can get a round pedestal table for there, too, to create bankette seating if you like... not sure if that would be crowded? Try it out. Here, too, a pendant light from the ceiling might add some charm.

Well, those are my ideas! Have fun!!!

PS: There are the storage ottomans we purchased for under our corner windows. We got two of them. They're inexpensive. Best if they're covered in a fabric of your choice, but as is they're not too bad. Come in a variety of colors and--good news!--they clean easily, thanks to microfiber. Hey, it's kid-friendly okay? :) http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Portfolio-Blane-Mocha-Tan-Microfiber-Wall-Hugger-Bench-Trunk-Storage-Ottoman/5677988/product.html
When company comes, we fold two colorful kid-size quits and place them neatly on top. to hide the microfiber. We pull over two cocktail tables, and folks are very happy to sit at the window and chatter away!

Wait, look, they come already covered in a neutral fabric! I wouldn't EVER trust my kids with this, personally... maybe if it were a removable slipcover? Anyway, something to consider: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Portfolio-Blane-Khaki-Sand-Skirted-Wall-Hugger-Bench-Storage-Ottoman/6230485/product.html

ps: The storage ottomans I posted are deep (back and down) enough for serious toy storage. I recommend getting some baskets for inside to break up the space and help prevent the ottomans from becoming a jumbled mess inside. Okay, this really is my last post on the issue. :)

Enjoy remaking this space!

Colour! I don't agree or disagree with layout advice I am not good at that. However the first thing that hit me is that there is not a predominant colour so it made me feel that everything was all jumbled together. This is natural because you have just started, but I think it adds to the impossible, what to do, feeling. If you choose gray (not just for the walls) it doesn't mean you can't also have bright colours. Once you choose and start implementing a predominant colour I think the room will start looking pulled together and more peaceful.

Painting the room gray is a good idea. I would remove the group of small frames, declutter the shelf aobove the radiator and paint both in white (radiator and shelf), and the hooks near the door, too.. Add a high bookcase in the corner, and a lower bookcase in the empty wall, both in white. Complete with bins or baskets for toys storage and some trays & bowls on top of it to make a landing strip for adults. Bring some Ikea cheap white sheer curtains- the ones you have look heavy..
I would keep the room in white & gray with some spots of colour to make it look airy.
And I would move all those small frames over the hooks

Wow, thank you all so, so much! These ideas are fantastic and very helpful, I can't wait to get started! A lot of ideas were along the lines of what I was thinking but unable to nail down myself. It always helps to have a fresh set of eyes to bring some clarity! Furniture just ends up in "its place" for so long that it's hard to see it anywhere else, even if it doesn't always make sense... And now I know it totally doesn't ;)

Yup, great ideas. Have you seen the 1x5 expedit? Nice bench, storage, play height. It can be augmented with cushions, duplo boards or baskets. Maybe this lower version could serve two purposes as an entryway bench. We like ours.

Yeah, I've definitely been eying up the Expedits, just not sure which to get. The large one would be AWESOME for toy storage, but it's just too big for the blank wall (which is a main walkway into the rest of the house). I was thinking the 1x5 on its side under the double window with a cushion, so I'm glad people are re-affirming that idea ;) I saw on Pinterest some people use 2 of the 1x5's creating an L-shape in a corner, and I'm totally into that, just have to make sure it'd fit under both windows! Thanks again for the ideas, guys!

Move the small rug to under the desk, and get a more kidfriendly rug for the play area. I love the green shag ones that look like grass :)
Can you build out above/next to the radiator? If you can build bookshelves above and to the left of the radiator (or build a sturdy radiator cover and put an expedit above the radiator, plus a bookshelf next to) it would give you tons of storage now, and be easy to convert to a 'library' look when it is no longer needed as a play room.

Thanks @SarahSnow, I agree to all of that! Someone else suggested putting the gray IKEA rug under the desk, I'm definitely going to try that. And I know the room needs a bigger rug, and something good to sit and play on, so I was already thinking shag. I was thinking about a few more of the IKEA shelves with brackets above the existing radiator one for books (not daughter's books, but adult novels and photo albums – out of kids' reach!) I don't think I can wall-mount an Expedit though... The walls are plaster and those suckers are heavy!

if you're very handy build a radiator cover. if not, find out the cost. they can hide the heaviness of the rad without impeding the heat and it additionally provides a small landing space on top via the shelf. you could put baskets on the shelf for mail, gloves, hats.put a few decorative hooks on the wall above for keys, make it the spot for the little things.

Here's what I'd do. Get a big rug that almost fills the room, with just a little wood floor showing at the edges. If your door doesn't want to open over a rug, use a runner in that strip from the door going into the next room (the doorway next to your desk.) Or, use a runner there anyway, as that space will get more traffic and get dirtier, and you can clean or change it out easier when dirty. The big rug will be the play area.

Then, move the desk to in front of the window next to the door. Really, try it. I had to be convinced to put my desk facing a window by a friend when staging my home for sale (I always thought it would be too much glare on the computer screen), but I loved it so much, I always place my desk looking out a window now. Screen glare is not a problem.

I agree the curtains take up too much room here. And I'd replace those dark blinds with something in an off-white, something that would extend the full width of the window inset - custom cut, if necessary - I don't like the way these don't come to the edges or meet in the middle on the double window - use either honeycomb, or ones with fabric vanes like silhouette type that hunter douglas makes, and skip the curtains. You can hang a simple fabric valance to those curtain rods if you want. If you can't part with the long curtains, just set the desk a bit out from the wall and leave them there. Though if you are using curtains, you need to move the curtain rods off the woodwork and hang them on the wall higher and wider, and you need non-shiny curtains (think cotton or linen) that hang straight, not bulging out, and that go all the way to the floor - these are too shiny, too short, and too fat.

Between the door and the desk, if you really want to store more coats and things, put in a wardrobe - it doesn't have to be hanger depth - a more narrow one with hooks inside, and some shelves, would be helpful, and would hide the stuff inside when closed.

Where the desk is now on the stair wall, I'd put a deep shelving unit (14-20 inches deep, depending on how big your room is and what all toys you need to store), with big areas in it for storing all the toys. Only, not an expedit. You can use a modular unit so it is taller where the wall is taller. This is the best place to store all that. You can get one with doors, or some spaces for baskets. Hang something decorative on the wall above it. Have it be a color, not white or black or grey or off-white or tan.

I would have a radiator cover made - it will extend the play space, as no one will have to worry about bumping into it when it is hot when they are playing on the floor. It is better to cover than to paint them. This also has the benefit of being able to have one made with a bookcase unit made on top of it to store even more items. You can use some shelves for framed or decorative items as well. And, if you want to have the whole unit made wider to hide those risers next to it, you can do that as well. Only make that part less deep, as you don't have a lot of room to walk by there to the stairs. If they are steam risers, have the front panel over them made of metal screening, just as you will the front of the radiator (and possibly sides, depending on how deep your radiator is.)

I'd paint the radiator cover off-white to match your woodwork, as it is like a built-in woodwork piece (though I see your woodwork looks bright white, which I think is as much a problem as your paint color, if not more - it seems to bright white for the beautiful old house, though it could be just how the picture looks), as a wood color stain or dark paint on the radiator/shelf unit would be very dark with your floors and doors - though you might paint the back of the shelving unit a color. You can set the chair over there in front of that unit somewhere.

If your doors are stained, do not paint them black - leave them unpainted please. I'd pick your wall color to go with original woodwork, rather than paint original wood to go with wall paint color. Just add a fabric panel to the door (it can be lace, or sheer, or semi-sheer) to that window in the front door (assuming that door next to the coats is your front door - I'm not sure what that door across from the stairs is - if it is a closet door with a mirror, or another exterior door with a window - if it is a window, put a panel on that window, too.) I'm seeing white/off-white for these too, though you could use a color picked up from the colors you will have in your rug.

On the wall that has just the mirror, I understand why you have no furniture there - it looks like there is another doorway just opposite the front door, and you need that space free to walk in. At most, you could put a little narrow, not too wide either, table or console, but still you'd still have to navigate around that, so I would also be tempted to put no furniture on that wall, as you have not.

I'd say pick your rug (and runner) first, and then pick a wall color paint to go with that. I don't like the bright white desk and more than the bright white woodwork. Though if your woodwork is bright white all over the house, you likely aren't painting it off-white. Easier to paint the desk. Though you might consider painting some of the woodwork in this room a darker color than off-white - a real color, to coordinate with the wall color. Or not, but you don't need to add any more bright white in white furnishings - so I'd paint the desk maybe - though it may look better by the window, or toned down with color in a rug and different wall color. I'd use color on the wall, not grey. Grey won't look much different than what you have, in terms of lack of real color to ground the room. Get a rug you like, pick a color in it for the wall. Perhaps a color will make the bright white woodwork look OK.

Just pick a paint color that not only coordiates with the rug, but one that looks good with the color of your wood floors as well (as the color on the wall does not now, as nor I think will grey.) Don't be afraid to pick a paint with more color in it - I could see a yellowish tan in here, an olivey green, etc. Yes, grey is crisp and clean and neutral, as you say, but that's what's wrong with this room (and many posted here with questions) - it is all neutrals - the tan wall, the white desk, the brown floor (which is gorgeous, by the way), the tan rug, the gray chair, the neutral carpet by the stairs, the radiator - all these neutrals don't play well together - a room looks better when the neutrals are grounded in color, and when there are fewer colors of neutrals in them. You've got a neutral floor, neutral wood doors, and neutral white woodwork - that's more than enough ... use color for the rest. Except for the blinds and window door panels, and curtains if you do them - there you can use neutrals, but light not dark ones.

New idea/remix of some of the above: We have had very good results with floor-to-ceiling "built-ins." Start at the door and go all the way to the radiator with a combination of shelving and closed storage. Near the door it would be bench/shoe box plus coat hooks, then morph to shelves along the first window with a window seat/toy bin below the window. Fill the corner with shelves or cabinets. Shelves or cabinets would run across the tops of the windows and put another bench/toybox below the second window. Incorporate the whole with a radiator cover. Consider incorporating your desk as a drop-front unit into the corner cabinet. Or set up a matching "built-in" under the stairs with a fold-down desk.

This kind of wall-to-wall-floor-to-ceiling combo is what we have done to maximize storage and function in our small rooms. It can be achieved with off-the-shelf kitchen cabinets or possibly someplace like Ikea (the nearest Ikea is 3 hours away from us so I am not really up on their offerings). If you use flat-pack furniture to wrap around your windows, by all means bolt the things to the walls! you can run moldings across the tops and bottoms to make them really look built in. Make them all white to match the house trim.

The logic of this idea is to reduce the number of objects in the space. Combining coat rack, books, desk, toy storage all into one unit will free up your eyes and make the space expand.

As far as color goes, do whatever feels right. If the gray doesn't work, try something else. And I agree with everyone else about the windows -- less is more.