hello sunshine
A BAsement Playroom where kids can burn off energy all year round
the Location
the Kiddos
Toronto, Canada
6yo, 3yo and 6mo
Features we love
Active play space for hockey, soccer and basketball
Climbing wall
Basketball net
Sensory swing
Non-slip ball-responsive gym flooring
Low & accessible holders for the kids’ sports gear
Quadruple (4x!!) the storage space
“We had such a great experience working with Sophie! She has great ideas, and is very responsive and any questions were answered with such care and detail. She went above and beyond.”
the tricky space
When this family approached me to transform their tricky basement into a fun active play space for 3 energetic kids, I was excited to put on my problem solving hat and get to work!
The space featured smooth, slippery tiles and irregular piping protruding from the back wall, making it unsuitable for kids who love to run around. Additionally, the lack of storage caused it to quickly become a catch-all zone for play and household items, large and small.
The long, narrow layout required expert reimagining to become functional. My priority was to open up the floor space so the kids could move freely and safely. This meant space planning was crucial to incorporate storage and active play elements while maximizing open space.
Lastly, I wanted to infuse the joyful, colourful aesthetic of the family's home into their new basement playroom!
the “Yes” Space
Solving for functionality and safety first, I came up with an OPEN-BACK STORAGE SOLUTION that hid all the protruding piping along the back wall, and added a storage MEDIA UNIT, effectively QUADRUPLING THE STORAGE SPACE.
Next, I personally sampled four brands of SPORTS FLOORING, before meeting with the client to test the bounce response of various balls on the tiles in person. We chose the ones with the best ball responsiveness, durability, non-slip quality, and customizable fit.
Now comes the fun part. I was inspired by the pastel colours of their home and brought that to life with ABSTRACT WATERCOLOUR WALL DECALS. I even added DRIED FLOWER ART of their dog and cat in colour-matched acrylic frames. Everything felt perfectly whimsical and authentically them! It was an immediate “YES!” from my client.
Onto the sports features! This playroom is packed with opportunities to play SOCCER, HOCKEY, BASKETBALL, SWINGING, CLIMBING, and more! Of course, the rock wall holds are colour-matched to the room design too!
What’s even better is the LOW AND ACCESSIBLE HOLDERS FOR THE KIDS’ BALLS AND STICKS so the kids never have to wait for the grownups to initiate play.
“She was able to take our underused basement which was mostly being used as a storage space and turn it into a beautiful play/sports area for our kids! We now use this space on a daily basis and it’s summertime!”
Ready to turn your basement into
something wonderful?
