I Turned an Awkward Nook into a Playroom in My Row Home

I’m admittedly one of those people who’s convinced I’ll never let kid stuff take over my house. Let my long living room turn into a play gym? Never! I’ll keep all of the baby accoutrements neatly organized within their assigned spaces, and clean up any straggler teddy bears and teethers each evening. 

Now, this is easy to say when I have a non-mobile baby, so ask me again in a few months. But, for the time being, I’ve found what I like to think is the perfect solution for creating a playroom in a small home. I used vintage furniture and an awkward, under-utilized nook to carve out a play area. Here’s how I did it.

I live in a small-ish row house. I don’t have a lot of extra space. Introducing another zone would start to feel crowded. But there was one space in my home that wasn’t being used. Being in a Victorian home means lots of nooks, and, in the dining room, we have not one but two nooks. I have a sofa in one — my favorite spot to sit and relax — but the other sat mostly empty except for a single vintage chair.

While the dining room isn’t the obvious place to put a playroom, that’s where the unused square footage was. And if there’s anything small-home living will teach you, it’s that you need to take advantage of the space where it exists. Plus, giving an otherwise awkward area a purpose actually makes the entire room feel more intentional.

Incorporating a play area into an already decorated room meant I wanted to work within the world of grown-up furniture. I didn’t want a playful bookshelf filled with colorful toys on display. I already designed a dreamy little nursery where charming toys take center stage. In this space, I wanted to create the illusion of an adult room after 7:30 p.m.

I searched for a sideboard, which is the obvious storage piece for a dining room, and, as it turns out, the ideal way to maximize cleverly concealed playroom items. After more hours on Facebook Marketplace than I care to admit, I found a 70-inch-long vintage Baker sideboard, which expertly fit into the 72-inch-long nook. With shelves, drawers, and open compartments within its multiple storage sections, it was built with room for linens and dishware — but, for my purposes, it’s now full of toys, books, and, for now, some empty space. 

Luckily, I had time on my side to find the right piece, which meant I found something that feels intentionally styled within the existing dining room decor. The pale washed yellow and grayed-green sideboard looks as if it was made for the blue-green color palette in the dining room. At first glance, there’s no reason to think it’s anything other than another piece of dining room furniture.

But there are a few giveaways that this is actually a playroom. There are a few pieces that don’t fit within the sideboard, and they have been thoughtfully chosen to go with the overall color palette. 

A handmade play gym, crafted by my sister’s father-in-law for her kids and passed down to us, has a neutral color scheme amidst its animal characters. And a big basket full of blankets and play mats brings in a touch of warm woven texture and pretty blues. Each item feels like a design element, adding to the room rather than creating clutter.

The question is, of course, whether this will stick as the baby gets older. My bet is on yes for the playroom space. As for the color palette? My naively optimistic, design-minded self is going to think positively for now.