The Power of Color in a Playroom Nook

Awhile back I shared a wonderful meditation nook I discovered on a “girls spa weekend” in North Carolina (see post here).  Simply put, it was a bed placed at the end of a hall for guests to relax in while in-between treatments. Of course the vibrant drapes and oodles of comfy pillows added to the experience.

So here was my “inspiration room” for a retreat area in my own home:

I decided to use a nook in our bonus room, which serves as our play room, guest bedroom and upstairs family room. This is the nook before I got ahold of it – looks like a daycare!

By switching things around, I used what I already had and created my own version of the retreat using lively colors that matched the spirit of the play room.

But after awhile, I tired of the kiddo vibe. After writing the Color Trends for 2011 post, I started thinking about how I could use color to change the impact of my retreat (and reclaim it from the kids!).  Plus, remember…this is also a guest room when needed.

I was really drawn to both the “escape” and the “tribal” trends – I wanted something with an organic earthy feel, but that felt light and full of possibilities.

So I did a couple (very inexpensive) things:

• I updated the bedding to something very neutral and soothing (and yes, “on sale”).
• I added roman shades for texture and to add privacy for guests (very easy project – they hang on regular curtain rods)
• I recovered the body pillow with a playful giraffe pattern (which ties in with the chocolate brown sofa on the other side of the room), and switched out the pink pillows with other ones I had in storage.
• I simplified the wall art to be serene and relaxing.

Overall, I spent less than $200 (just for the bedding, shades and curtain rod). Now we finally have a space that is more comfortable for guests, and I have my little corner of the world where I can relax.

Who knew…color really is that powerful!

{Next step – add a soundproof curtain in front of the nook that makes me invisible to the kids while they’re playing Wii across the room. Yea, wish me luck on that one!}

How have you used color to change the feel of a room?