When we first bought our house eight years ago, it needed a ton of work. Slowly, but surely, we made changes to every single space in our home. Although we have finished most of our big projects, I would consider only one room “done” in our place. It is my favorite space in the entire house – Ellie’s playroom.

Her playroom is a former sunroom, which was used by the original owners to watch T.V. When we moved in, we turned into a virtually unused breakfast room. Seriously, we never went out there. But when I was pregnant with Ellie, I thought it would make the perfect play area for our daughter. The space needed a fresh coat of paint, new light fixtures, storage and furnishings, but it had easy access to the outdoors, which I thought would come in handy. Last winter, we hired our favorite contractor to add bookshelves and a desk, install new lighting and paint the room.

We really wanted the room to grow with Ellie, so we tried to keep everything neutral and multi-functional. I chose gray paint and simple light fixtures in the hopes that they would last us awhile.The built-in desk is used mostly for storage now, but I think it could be a great spot for homework and art projects later.

When our contractors were finished, we had a pretty, but blank slate to work with. I wanted to inject color and personality and chose a palette of purple and gray with spots of pink.

Windows ring three of the four walls, so I knew whatever we chose to cover them would have a big impact. In the past, we’ve had roman blinds and sheers, but the room can get really hot in the summer if all that glass isn’t covered. I chose curtains that were bright white with a fun purple and green stripe. Buying this many curtains is a significant investment, so I tried to pick something she might like for the next seven years or so.

When organizing the room, I tried to keep the middle of the floor fairly open, so she has room to play or host impromptu dance parties. I set up stations for art, “cooking” and rocking her baby. Next to her play kitchen is large bin that holds make believe toys, like her plastic safari hat. I have a similar one on another wall for stuffed animals.They’re great for quickly putting away odds and ends.

The little, round table was a gift from our sweet neighbors. I found chairs that were sized for it online. The small bench behind the table was used to display plants, but it now holds blocks and dollhouses.

Some of my favorite details in the space are the white plaster picture frames next to the bookshelf. I love how they provide a little architectural detail to this space.

Kids have toys with a lot of pieces, so to corral all those little items, I bought inexpensive baskets and gave them a good coating of pink or purple spray paint.

Next to the bookcase is a wicker chair from my single days that I painted purple to match the room. Sometimes, she lets me read her a book in it, but mostly, she likes climbing into it and then commanding me to sit in the small, child-size chair across from her.

On the bookshelves, I’ve tried to keep everything pretty minimal. The canvas bins hold things that are alike. We have one for puzzles and another with Legos. Keeping things grouped together makes them easier to find and put away. The small basket on the lowest shelf has her baby supplies.

Did you see the bookends? They’re birds, and I am obsessed them. You can’t see it, but there’s another on the top shelf with her more fragile books (i.e. paper ones).

This bouquet of pinwheels on her desk is from her first birthday party. I love the shot of color it adds to the room.

The floor in the room is original. It’s a porous surface that absorbs water, so it’s impossible to hurt, which makes it perfect for a playroom. However, kneeling or sitting on it is uncomfortable, so I chose three rugs to cover the main areas.

Ellie comes home with art projects pretty regularly from school. I love displaying them here on a bulletin board. We also have a clock and stereo on the desk, along with coasters for me.

The far wall has picture frames I spray painted pink and purple. Inside each are illustrations from children’s books and an adorable Etsy print. I chose pages from Ferdinand, Fancy Nancy, Bread and Jam for Frances and Twirly Pearly.