I don't see any way to picture space use until the toys are gone.

Hi There! To make sure I understand, you want to create a sitting room area. The area should be multifunctional to be used with seating and for light play. Do I have that correct?

The layout is what should be the focus. You’d want to first decide on a look and feel, then you can have a trunk or some sort of decorative piece that will house the toys, but will still function with sitting room layout.

If you’re interested, I can create you a 3D rendering and a furniture plan to show you how the space can be used.

Probably the first room in the home is not the best location for a toy room. Where else can the kids go? Toys in their room?

What do you really want to do in there? Sit in a comfortable chair to watch the kids play? Or sit on a loveseat/sofa with 2 kids to read them books? Or sit in there for a glass of wine and a good book after the kids go to bed?

It seems the children own the room. I hope there is another room for the adults to have a visitor or two without risking falling over the toys. Or the kid stuff can move to another room. One way or another, the only way to have quick pick- up of toys is to provide baskets or bins which fit inside a closed storage unit or closet.

" I hope there is another room for the adults to have a visitor or two without risking falling over the toys. Or the kid stuff can move to another room."

Why? The kids are surely more important than occasional visitors of any age. It's their home too. If this is the only room where they can play and also the only gathering room in the house, their play is much much more important for these next few years. In my home it is, anyway.

If visitors are offended by the evidence of my active, bright children then it's too bad for them. They can go, because the kids won't be made to feel inferior. When I know I'm having company, it is at a time of my choosing and I prepare the house accordingly with the help of the kids. Drop-ins are always welcome, but don't expect that my kids and their things will disappear for you. This seems to be an acceptable arrangement for our visitors.

We're only addressing the post honestly.

In my house, adults are in charge. Children are there, but they do not own the house. Toys go in cubbies, etc. After looking at the pictures, it appears as if the only chairs in the room are for children. Clearly adults not welcomed.

@Pam P I *think* your post is in response to the one I wrote, and I think possibly you thought I was the OP?

I agree that there needs to be an efficient way to corral the toys into some semblance of order. And that the room can be made into a pleasant place for adults and children alike.

I do *not* agree with the sentiment expressed that children and their activities should be tucked away in a bedroom so as not to inconvenience guests.

In these pictures I see a lot of toys put neatly on shelves or lined up around the room. Clearly an effort has been made to keep things tidy. It's a TOY ROOM. Of course the kids' needs come first. Maybe there are more toys than necessary. Purge purge purge.

I see a room with a lot of doors and a fireplace, difficult to lay out seating even without the pressure of being a toy room.

I also see a sitting room by the stairs that is meticulous, and a tiny peek at a dining room that is orderly too.

I see no clutter on the floors, no disorder in any room including the one in question.

The post is asking "how can I organize these toys? And how can I provide comfortable seating for the adults?"

Jumping on the OP for not having an organizational system and for allowing the children to "run the house" isn't the same as providing solutions. Let's empower parents of young kids with practical tips.

I'm curious to know what's behind curtains also. If they are windows, perhaps a window seat with storage underneath. I have a feeling they are French doors. Otherwise cabinets either side of fireplace for storage

Hi! So I definitely understand the challenge of sharing the house with small kids (mine our 5 and nearly 3).

My suggestion: I would add two large wardrobe size cabinets on either side of the fireplace. Or just a single one along the wall where the small table/chair set is now. Ideally ones with adjustable shelving.
I would then store as much of the kids things there as possible. Of course somethings can stay out (like the little table and chairs).

Once you’ve done that you can post new photos and we can come up with a plan that serves you as a family.

I can see from the photo that the living room is adjacent and this is the perfect spot for the kids to play while adults sit within earshot. The Kallax cubbies from IKEA are a great way to organize toys in baskets or on shelves. I’d put one on each side of the doors or fire place. My advice as a kindergarten teacher is to organize in ways that make concrete sense to children so that they can easily put the toys away on their own - with really little ones this might even mean labels on baskets. Once toys are organized, there is room for a love seat or chairs. I don’t think you need to get rid of children’s toys or tables - I’ve seen playrooms that are disaster areas and yours is not. If you have friends over, the toys are there to keep all of the children busy. The table is a great spot for quiet crafts. You have a nice space there!

Okay I have three young kiddos, so I get the need for their space and adult space in the same room. I’d start with a much larger area rug. You certainly have the room for it and it will provide a cozier feel and more carpeted space for the kids to play with toys.
The cubby you have with storage cubes works well. Add one to the opposite wall and change out the cubes for a neutral color that adds more adult appeal. That should help visually. Move all items to one side of the room-you WILL have to purge but trust me, you’ll feel better.
Then add some furniture back in. Two large chairs with a table between or a small couch and chairs near the fireplace will feel warm and inviting. Don’t forget lighting and don’t forget to have fun with the space. People who know you get that you have kids. They will appreciate not stepping on the stuff but don’t make it sterile!

I would like to create a seating area for adults and a play area for kids. a rendering and furniture plan would be great. unfortunately there is no other place for toys. the next room over is a family room with a tv and a staircase. what about the middle of the room where the rug is. I feel like it's so big and open. all other suggestions sound nice. keep them coming

When you get a sofa and chair in there the space won't seem so big at all. And the kids need room to play, and you need room for traffic to circulate.

Start with storing the toys.

Then- if you can provide dimensions people can suggest a floor plan.

Also- what toys need to stay out?

I could see you starting with an arrangement something like this...

or this...

OK, this is a temporary problem sinc ethe children will grow up, be teenagers and you won't see them again until college.
A loveseat and large comfy chair with an ottoman that opens for storage. Do this in a busy print the color of peanut butter and jelly that did not come off hands after lunch. Big cubbies on either side of fireplace for toys, but low enough to sit on. Stacked cubbies are really ladders. Set up "this weeks toys", putting away all but what can be comfortably placed in the room, and trading out for others the next week.
Last-remove fancy adult mantel decor and replace with cute framed pics of family in bright frames. A colored vase with bright flowers will perk up mantel.
Kids in bed, room picked up, have a glass of wine while sitting on the love seat. Notice how the wine is the same color as jelly ;-D

what do I do with all that space in the middle? if I devide the room into 2 spaces I would feel like I am craming everything into on each side of the fire place and then I have all this space in the middle. I always envisioned putting some seating infront of the fireplace with a rug.

Hey, eliza909! I'm not a pro...just a Mom of 3 almost-grown kiddos who always arranged furniture in a way that worked for us. Sounds as though you have a vision in place, and simply need some cheering on. Here's what I did when my littles were little...If you don't have someone to help you with the heavy lifting, clear all the small stuff from the room, and grab some painter's tape. Outline where you want your loveseat/couch and chairs to go. Then fill in with your other furniture & kids' toys. Is that double doors or windows at the back of the room? If built-ins are something you don't want to budget for right now, you could use an old hope chest or long bench with baskets underneath to corral the toys in that area. If it were me, I'd keep the space as open as possible, and create 'zones' for play, art tables, reading, etc. Low shelves or cube storage flanking the fireplace will also help with storing all the stuff kids use.

Think about how you want to live in the space, and make it work for you and your family. Hope this helps and Happy Houzzing!

Eliza I'm a little confused as to why you think you will have too much space. Maybe if you post a floorplan someone can do a layout for you to show you how nicely the room will come together with a sofa and chair in it. I don't think there will be any such problem as too much space, and kids do need space for play. You just haven't reached train set or Lego age yet...

A quick and dirty sketch showing you a potential layout. My rendering shows the f/p too far to the right and proportionally too small. The toy shelves should each be at least as wide as the fireplace is.

I estimated your room at roughly 12x16-18 and I assumed the curtains are covering French doors. If they are covering windows you could put chairs or a sofa there, too.

Where I show a reading chair in the upper left corner, you could place the play tent. To me it looks like a good amount of walking/playing room, not empty at all.

Remember that this is not to scale.

Well it seems there are a few issues that need to be addressed here first. It looks like you need some storage, and we should have some dimensions of the room to be able to fully help. We also need to know what's behind the curtains. There is a possibility that you could do storage benches there. Then on each back wall do storage cabinets. This would be a good way to have adequate storage in the room. Then perhaps get a sofa and float it in the room facing the fireplace. You could then put chairs on each side of the fireplace facing the sofa. Or add a TV above a console on one side of the fireplace. These are all possibilities of course that might work in your space.

behind the curtains. yes need to figure out the storage situation so it flows with the room. we already have a tv in the next room over where the staircase it. we set up the wires in the walls for that room already. if I put a sofa in middle of room facing the fireplace and two chairs on side of fireplace facing the sofa with a rug under. then do I need another rug for the play area ?