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laurabarajas Okay, here is a wall design I like but would ask your opinion on Using different colors. We also have a 4 ft orange bean bag coming anyday for my 15 y/o boy like the 3' one my daughter recently got. I should also mention I am a craft hoarder and am undecided whether to incorporate a craft area in the playroom or loft/ study area( where it is now) more pictures to follow soon

laurabarajas This is the loft I had talked about. I'm not really happy about the white desk arrangement. It's such a big wall that its on. I was thinking some kind of shelving from ikea or something that can hide art/craft supplies. Also putting up some cork (covered or painted) The desk just gets extremely cluttered to the point where u can't see the desk! The 4 frames I'm thinking about putting on the other wall now that I see them.
Thoughts?

laurabarajas Big blank wall!

Interiors International, Inc. A sectional would be great when using the room for media viewing.

laurabarajas Another little blank wall

laurabarajas any helpful ideas would be appreciated

orangecamera At 9 and 15, your kids probably have plenty of ideas for what they want. I'd start by asking them what sort of feel they want for the room, and what colors, etc.

If it's really for them to hang out in with their friends, a small fridge and microwave might be a real hit. Lots of comfy seating. And how about a nice large table for working on school projects, or whatever your kids' hobbies are. It looks like you have musicians...so also think about soundproofing, and enough power outlets for all their equipment.

Would you consider removing the carpet and putting down a hard floor and area rugs? That will get rid of the plastic floor protectors, and make the room feel more open. Also, less worry about problems if someone knocks over a jar of paint or a beverage.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design I'd love to see the wall with daughter's desk painted orange! And then the walls of the kid's media room need also to have some orange, and also dark blue. I could see an orange stripe continuing into the media room from the desk area, against a white wall for most of the room, but against a dark blue for the window wall, and perhaps one of the side walls.

Forgive me for finding the stripe inspiration in a very young kid's room. It would also work for the much older offspring of Laura. Toddler Room

I would use the blue rug in part of the room and find an orange rug to angle over part of the blue rug.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID Orange Zig Zag Zrug

trasgorshek How much do you want to do? It really depends on budget. If money allows I would say for sure a sectional in the media area for the kids to lounge on with the bean bags in front and to the side. If you could incorporate closed shelving around the TV would be ideal, then you could hide the toys, components, games, etc. when not in use. Then I would put a band area in the corner to the right when you walk in the door for all the instruments.

For the loft, if you want to keep your crafting space I would suggest going to a drafting table with a side craft storage unit...I will post some pics here in second. Do you have concerns with your kids and the balcony? Balcony's always kind of freak me out so I try to block them but then I worry about kids thinking they're an obstacle course just waiting to be climbed. My first thought was to create a little seating area right there but that really depends on comfort level with kiddos. I have a similar situation. We have a loft that is the kids space but not near the room you have. After I get little one settled down I will send you some pics so you can see what has been done so far.

Again, it really depends on budget because nothing listed above is cheap. Utilize Ikea as much as you can. As far as color, complementary colors work great together and have the boldness for kids or grey's and whites are nice as well. I would suggest window coverings, especially with media viewing. I would go big and bold on artwork. For an economical suggestion you could do large poster frames from Michaels and put in Theater posters of their favorite movies. Then you could rotate them out. Many times theaters will give you theirs when done if you ask in advance or you can purchase online for around $20. Hope this helps some.

laurabarajas @orangecamera- i'm sure if my kiddos read your thoughts they would cheer loudly as i shudder at the thought of a fridge(= food and spills) upstairs. I fight with them daily about bringing food up there. they have (had) a cheap air hockey table that has turned into a food and beverage bar for them and their friends. It is now wobbly and in the garage sale pile. BUT if i could figure out a way for them to maintian a mini fridge and keep it clean and tidy it might be do-able. YES i am trying to make this a comfy place. I think the bean bags should help with that. but i would like more. I would LOVE a sectional and after the suggestion agree, just don't think its in the budget (we have ALOT to do in other areas of the house) when we have the current couch already. It was a steal at the copenhaugen scratch and dent warehouse. Maybe I can revisit to see if i can find another steal sectional. Is there anyway to expand the seating by adding comfy chairs or something??
@carolyn- wow big orange wall! didn't see that one coming. I have a question with that, I did a orange stripe in my sons room (pictures to follow as i need to upload with phone) his room is the door you see with the pullup bar-if you can tell) Would orange strip from his room to the orange in loft to the orange in playroom be overkill? he also has a orange rug from crate n barrel in his room?
@trasgorshek- oh gosh i do love the idea of a sectional just don't know if its in the budget?? YES i was picturing closed shelving (alot of ikea searching and ikea hackers searching) but i'm having trouble with a configuration. I invision that whole media wall dark. and i'm debating on whether to ditch the current tv stand ( its about 22" deep and 18" high, 55" wide-yes shorter then the tv) for something that will blend but all the ikea stands seem to be only 15" deep or so and this tv is heavy. the stand is glossy black and ikea has glossy black also??YES i was picturing a seating area in the loft area too or maybe a place for dumbells for the teenage boy.
Questions for all:
1. what do you think of a dark, possibly dark blue or black wall for the media wall?
2. mix current tv stand with glossy black ikea furniture?
3. if i add inspiration photos that i've found will you please give me your opinion if they will work or if i'm off base.

laurabarajas This is my sons room. Difference there is a almost life size black silhouette basket ball guy and hoop right in the middle if the wall/stripe. And an orange large rug.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Your son's room is super cool. So we'll want to use a different accent color in the kids' media room...perhaps the blue of the rug, mixing it with lime green.

laurabarajas That sounds good I was already leaking towards those colors anyway. What do u think of the idea of a dark wall behind the tv? I thought it would blend the future tv cabinets since its not goin to be wall to wall cabinets ? Also does anybody have a link to a program I could try. I've seen others use it where the take the picture given o the space in question and add/ change the paint color or add curtains to visualize???

laurabarajas Would carrying the gray wall from his room to the playroom and accenting in blue and green and oranfe be okay? Would it look like a repeated room? If ok what scoot for the loft desk wall

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Leave out the orange and you should be fine. That's his very own accent color and should not, in my mind at least, be repeated. The gray is a neutral and can continue into the media area with no restrictions.

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Sherwin-Williams has a visualization program you could try.

orangecamera For inexpensive furniture, especially in an environment where it will get a lot of use, try craigslist, garage sales, etc. And if the kids are already bringing food up there, you might as well let them have the fridge and microwave. Just make sure there's a good sized trash can so they can clean up after themselves. Stock a cabinet with plastic bowls for popcorn and pretzels, plastic cups for beverages, and plenty of napkins.

blindsdirectcanada A Cellular shade would work really well in this window.

http://www.blindsdirectcanada.com/blinds-toronto/shades-toronto/cellular-shades.html

Jean Tuck I would use flooring that is easier to clean if kids will be having drinks/treats in here and washable throw rugs to any color reno that you chose over the years . I like the arched window but you can acheive a similar look with a fan like or louvered wooden element placed solidly over the current window.