Photos courtesy of Smart Playrooms
When looking for ways to add value to your property, there is a chance you can do more harm than good. So, when it comes to looking for ways to improve the liveability of your home whilst protecting or increasing the value, always consider the quality of the improvement and the cost of removing or changing the ‘improvement’ later on.
One trend on the rise, is to create an indoor playground where the kids can play, rain, hail or shine! In fact, this home feature is proving so popular there are even professional playroom designers to help you design and build your indoor playground.
The key to adding value in anything that you do to your home is to do it properly and with design aesthetics in mind.
US company Smart Playrooms works with clients to create indoor playgrounds for their kids, with outrageous features such as monkey bars, trapeze rings and rock-climbing walls. The results are simply stunning and become a real feature of the home.
Smart Playrooms create Instagram-worthy spaces which add value to the property. Designer and CEO Karri Bowen-Poole recognises the profound impact the playroom has on children’s behaviour and how they interact, learn and play. Family’s see the value of a private space dedicated to the fun and development of their children, particularly when the design is considered, functional and creative. Family property buyers are screaming out for kid friendly homes with multiple zones and incorporating an indoor playground gives families the ability to entertain their kids at any time, whether its raining, cold or dark outside.
However, potentially messy spaces need to be created properly and with a designer flair in order to add value. Here are our tips to make sure your indoor playground doesn’t turn into the kids’ mess room.
Photo courtesy of Smart Playrooms
Tips for creating an indoor playground
Single function, not multi-function
The real value of an indoor playground is when you give the room a dedicated purpose, rather than trying to combine a bedroom/playground or a study/playground. By creating a dedicated space, you have a stronger impact and you aren’t restricted in how you create the space. One of the beautiful elements to a professionally designed space like the ones Smart Playrooms create, is a committed design that the kids can enjoy as they grow and increase their skills. This also means they are less likely to drag their toys or play equipment into the living areas.
Get the professionals involved
We aren’t all amazing designers, so when it comes to adding value, always get the professionals involved. They have vision, creativity and contacts that will make your project amazing. Professional designers like Smart Playrooms will take into account how children play, visual stimulators and how to keep them active in a small space. You can see just how beautiful Smart Playrooms spaces are, so it’s definitely worth spending the money to get a professional involved. Whilst Smart Playrooms are based in the USA, contact them to see if they might be able to provide consulting services for your Australian home.
Big is better
If you’re expecting your child to spend a few hours playing in the playroom, you’ll need to have a good sized room to create the indoor playground. The more space you have, the more zones you can create within it. The more zones, mean more time in the playroom and less repetitive statements of “I’m bored…”.
Choose the location wisely
The ideal situation is to have a room within the house that is at least 15m2 (ideally 40m2 for optimal use) that is close to a living area so that the parents can keep an eye or ear out while the kids are playing. If you’re building an extension, renovating or building a brand new home, incorporating a multipurpose room gives you the ability to incorporate an indoor playground when the kids are young, then turn it into a spare bedroom, rumpus or gym later on. Alternatively, you can purchase a pre-fabricated, modular or pod studio to add to the backyard.
Photo courtesy of Smart Playrooms
What to put in an indoor playground
There are so many options to suit many ages and learning types. Having different zones like a quite zone for reading or rock climbing gives kids options and flexibility to create their own fun.
With the addition of colour changing LED downlights (16 million colours to choose from), you can create ambiance suited to the activity all from an app on your phone. Colour psychology is a real thing. For example, a pink light might help calm a child as it is a calming colour, whereas orange enhances critical thinking and memory – perfect for the learning and creative zone.
Here are a few ideas;
Activity zone
monkey bars
trapeze rings
rock climbing walls
mini basketball court
climbing rope
rope ladder
floor mats
padded stairs or ramps
balance beam
mini trampoline
basketball hoop with soft sponge balls
punching bag
swing
slippery slide
foam pit
Learning/creative zone
arts and crafts table
white board or chalk board
fairy lights
colour-in wallpaper
toy boxes
Chill zone
media lounge
hanging chair
bean bags
bookcase
board games
hammock
tepee
music speakers
Photo courtesy of Smart Playrooms
Adding value to your home
Value is always in they eye of the beholder, so adding an indoor playground will be attractive to some family buyers, particularly those with younger children. However, it’s important that you don’t devalue the property by removing bedrooms or creating a space that is more of a junk room than stylish playground.
When creating an indoor playground it’s important to make the elements easy to remove or change should you need to sell your property. Paint is easy to cover over, but elements like flooring is more expensive to change at a later date. Choosing a neutral pallet for flooring, walls and ceilings gives you the ability to add features that can be removed later on.
If you’re considering adding an extra room, renovating or building a new home, Mint Equity can assist you with sourcing the finance to support your improvements. Contact the team at Mint Equity to find out how we can help.