It’s time for another “final” room reveal in our most current home! After so many fits and spurts in this space, it’s amusing to me that our downstairs playroom is among the first few “final” spaces I have ready to show you. We’ve jammed a lot into this fun and functional playroom; and while it’s not quite exactly where I thought we’d end up when I first laid eyes on the space, it’s been a happy place for us to play and be as a family during our time here in Kansas!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

As I like to do in all my room reveal posts, let’s take a quick walk down memory lane to remind us all where we started! This home is a standard split-level home, which means we have two living/family spaces: one upstairs and one downstairs. Before we even arrived in Kansas last summer, I knew the downstairs space would be perfect for a playroom!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

The long back wall of the playroom was ideal for a row of cube shelves, both to create a focal point and provide ample storage. So before our things even arrived, we hit up IKEA for a few Kallax shelves and set them up so we could get toys loaded in (and off the floor!) right away.

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

And after just a few new DIY projects and storage solutions, many of our old belongings transitioned nicely into a fresh and happy playroom! I’ll link up all the projects in this space below, but first let’s take a full tour!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

As intended, the row of cube shelving provided three things for the space: a focal point, much-needed toy storage, and a place to setup a television/video game system. Although there is an 8″ deep ledge in this room, the shelves provided a 15″ deep counter-type space that came in handy quit often!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

It took me forever to determine what to do on the expanse of wall above the 8″ ledge. I knew I wanted something bright, colorful, fun and (of course) temporary on the wall, but was having the toughest time deciding what. Just a few weeks ago I pulled together this eye-popping mountain mural made entirely with ombre shades of cardstock folded in a really creative way! It was completely unintentional but really livened up the space.

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

As you turn to the right (toward the windows and the back of the house), we have our big blue sectional with a smattering of cozy pillows and blankets. The cornice box is from our old house just covered in some new cobalt fabric.

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

The blue trunk serves as both toy storage (more on that below) and the coffee table. I’m not sure the grasscloth was the smartest choice for a playroom, as it might need some touching up in the next house 😉

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

On the small wall back behind the sofa, I created a mini gallery wall out of a bunch of prints, paintings and photographs from our last house. I don’t love the white frames on the cream walls here, but it was better than leaving the frames all piled up on the floor for the year!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Back behind the sofa, we set up an old antique gate-leg table (that I inherited from my Grandmother) to serve as an art, coloring and game table. Paired with some wooden stools (that I meant to paint to match but never got to!) and a wooden coloring caddie, this little space did indeed see a lot of use!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

If you have a floating sofa and need a way to add in a gathering/game/coloring/snack table, this setup has really, really worked so well for us! Fingers crossed we can manage a similar setup in the next house!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

The fourth side on the left (which is super hard to photograph) was honestly just a place to hang some of the bigger/matching artwork we had in our last house so it didn’t sit in the garage. While the arrangement was a bit too big for this wall, it did allow us to get some color on the far side, balancing out the big mountain mural and dark blue couch! #lemonsfromlemonade

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

How We Are Storing Toys in Our Playroom

We love, love, love using the IKEA Kallax shelves for toy storage. Not only are the DRONA bins that fit in them so deep and fillable, but the size of the cubbies themselves really do allow for most (certainly not all, but most!) toys to fit nicely! We use 10 DRONA bins with picture labels cut from contact paper on the bottom row, and then a smattering of other bins, boxes and baskets (or nothing at all!) to store toys and books on the top shelves!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

One of my favorite things we did in this space was put the IKEA Kallax shelves up on feet. Not only did this give us some room under the shelves to slide some long, flat items but helped the whole unit look more cohesive, intentional and decorative.

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

The turquoise DRONA bins hold all sorts of junk we don’t need toys. Some of the bins are just a big catch-all for a smattering of things, but we have implemented a few storage solutions that have worked really well!

Metal lunch boxes (also from IKEA) have worked great for corralling play food and Play-Doh rather than than letting it all float around the bins…

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Our puzzles are contained in sets using these DIY Puzzle pouches. These have held up SO well, and I STILL need to make more for a few puzzles that don’t have them!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

We also keep lots of little games and pieces together with these see-through toy bags I made last year. They are still holding up and working great!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

My beloved flip-top plastic boxes (bought at the Okinawa version of the Dollar Store) hold a variety of figurines and sets of toys…also labeled with more contact paper images!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

I snagged these green wooden boxes years ago on clearance at Target. Ever since I brought them home, we have used them to store Little People, Little People Animals, and other random mini toys that wander home from Happy Meals and birthday parties. They are super functional and look great, so I am pretty sure we will continue to use this solution for as long as we need it!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Last but not least, we store LEGO kits in Snapware boxes…a solution that has been a total game changer for our family!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Last but not least, inside the blue trunk…

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

…are all of Henry’s trains, track and train accessories. After using so many different solutions for Henry’s train collection over the years, this one has been THE BEST! Everything fits, it’s easy to open and close, and he can see everything he has!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

All in all, thanks to a variety of storage solutions (boxes, bins, Snapware, trunk) loaded into our IKEA Kallax shelves, this space has truly been a super functional place for Henry to play and for us all to watch movies and play games together!

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

Room Resources

So much of what is in this room was brought forward from our last house. Nonetheless, I’ve done my best to round up the sources for what you see here! If it’s not on the list, it was a DIY (which are all linked up further down)!

  • Paint color – Sherwin Williams 6098 Pacer White
  • Blue ombre cardstock on mountain mural – Michaels Craft Stores
  • White Kallax shelves – IKEA
  • Feet on Kallax shelves – IKEA
  • Tall white vase – Target
  • Short white vase – Marshalls
  • Large brown lamp – consignment shop
  • Turquoise bread box – Target
  • Turquoise DRONA bins – IKEA
  • Green wooden boxes – Target
  • Blue sectional – Custom from Carleton
  • Pillow covers – made from body pillow covers from Target
  • Wood gate-leg table – antique hand-me-down
  • Wooden stools – purchased overseas in Okinawa, Japan
  • White frames – Michaels
  • Large abstract painting – Marshalls
  • Neon yellow abstract – Society 6
  • Watercolor abstract – Society 6

New Projects in This Space Since Moving to Kansas

How to Add Feet to an IKEA Kallax Looking for a really quick, inexpensive, temporary and EASY wall treatment idea? Try this 3D Mountain Mural maid entirely with paper! Get your Lego kits organized and labeled with this simple organizing project! Never loose a manual or piece again! Find an old wooden toolbox in your favorite antique store? Use this simple method to transform it into the perfect coloring caddie! Toy Storage Solutions on I Heart Organizing

Other Projects Seen In This Space

Ombre Deer Head- Puzzle Cases-001 Peek-a-Book Toy Storage Bags Small Toy Storage Grasscloth-Covered Trunk Image-Labeled Toy Bins Canvas Frame

Having a basement gave us each the space to spread out in this house, but I was actually surprised at how much the toys were dragged up and elsewhere throughout the house. I certainly LOVED having a dedicated space for all of our toys, but Henry is a super social kid (and likes to be wherever we are) AND is starting to play with more things in his room. I’m not sure we will have the luxury of a playroom in our next house, but I’m not convinced that’s a bad thing either! Nonetheless, we have sure loved having this extra family space this year!

Ready for one last look at our 1-year, totally temporary transformation?

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!
I’d love to know what you think of how this space turned out! What is your favorite part? Do you have a dedicated playroom in your home? What kind of storage solutions do you find work the best?

Check out how this military family transformed their rental basement into a fun and functional playroom complete with smart toy storage and whimsical DIY decorations!

I hope you all are having a great week! Coming up next week, that first installment of my Cricut Explore for Home Decor series and a quick roundup of my recent projects around the web! See you then!

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See You Soon!
Megan