A longtime mantra in the fashion world is to look for quality “investment pieces” and then build your wardrobe around them. With clothing, that might mean the perfect little black dress that fits just so and then accessorizing for each season accordingly. We love that concept and think it’s the perfect analogy for building a dream playroom that will delight the whole family. Below is our recipe for creating a playroom you can feel good about, and more importantly, one that will grow with your family for years to come.

Solid Foundation

For starters, we suggest looking for quality larger items that will ground your play space. These items will be the LBD of your playroom, so it’s important to carefully consider what suits your needs and style, because let’s face it, you’re going to be seeing quite a bit of these pieces throughout the little kid years. Factors to consider include size, budget, and aesthetic.

For example, let’s take our Essential Play Kitchen. Built with solid maple, quality Baltic birch plywood, and nontoxic finishes, it’s a piece that will withstand years of play and still look incredible. A bestseller for a reason, the Essential Play Kitchen is going to be a durable and chic base upon which to build out a play space.

Accessorize

Any great foundation is just screaming for accessories! This is where you can really have fun and suit the smaller items to fit your child’s interest and age level. Try some our fan-favorite accessories like our Pasta Set and Children’s Apron. Or, get creative and bring in a few small items from your own kitchen to liven up their play space, lending a real-world element to their imaginative play. Cleaned out spice containers, empty mini cereal boxes, and a small spatula are all great low-cost additions to the play kitchen area.

Level Up Accordingly

As children grow, so do their interests. What starts as the perfect toy for a small toddler can quickly become boring for a growing preschooler. To keep things interesting and up to age level, we suggest swapping out accessories to help them level up their play. For example, our Essential Play Kitchen can easily expand to become a restaurant. Let your little one practice taking orders, writing, and counting as they whip up a gourmet a meal for their customers. Our Crescent Table, Crescent Chairs, and Market Stand are all great pieces to add to your collection, encouraging children to expand their imaginative play in all different directions.

Gone are the days of rooms filled to the brim with broken toys, played with for a few days before being discarded to the piles in the corner. Parents today are putting more thought than ever into the clothing we buy, the food we give our children, and the products we bring into our home, and our playrooms reflect that. A playroom built on quality pieces will serve you and your family well for years, and even generations, to come.