Simple Joys: Our Favorite Room

After moving into our new apartment, we quickly found that W's playroom has become our favorite room in our home.  It is intended to be a breakfast nook off of our kitchen, however, we are accustomed to eating as a family in the dining room and felt that the space would be better used by W.  I love that his play centers around the room where I spend much of my time cooking.  He seamlessly floats between playing and helping me throughout the day.

The playroom is also where I now have my gliding chair and it is also the favorite place for most adults in the house as well as a comfy place to take a break, to snuggle and to read books.  Daddy often sits in this chair when he comes home from work while I put the finishing touches on dinner.  It's also a great place to sit, drink a cup of tea or coffee from my favorite mug and knit, read, meditate or pray.

On the high shelf above my chair I have some of my favorite things that help make the room feel homey.  There is the first basket that I made last year, a picture of my grandparents' farm and a little oil diffusing votive holder.  This is also where I put instruments such as my lap harp and penny whistles that I want to keep out, but away from W.


I love that W also has a little table and chairs in this room.  He sits here for snacks and to color.   Above his little table is a little shelf with two drawers that hold his crayons.  We are using the shelf as a mini nature table so that he still has some seasonal items in his main play space, though our primary nature table sits behind the sofa dividing the living room and dinning room.

(Obviously I took these pictures just before Easter.  

It has just taken me a while to get around to writing this post.)

On the other side of the room is W's main toy storage and play space.  Eventually I will be putting arches across the backs of these shelves like this so that we can make a little house with his giant rainbow playsilk.

Above the play area is the mobile I made for W last winter.  It features a shepherd boy W has named Sebastian and his sheep.  

Sebastian is also featured in the window valance which I made by felting wool onto a playsilk.  My mother then cut and sewed the valance and I think it is just perfect.  The sheer curtains behind it are also made from silk veils.  The whole thing has such a beautiful airy effect.  Sometimes W and I like to make up stories about Sebastian and his sheep.

Between this main play area and the kitchen counter I have a fold-out  table that I often use if I am baking or doing projects where I need a large work space.  I imagine it will be a wonderful place to cut out fabric if I ever get my sewing machine set up again.  Above it is the chalk board where I try to do a seasonal chalk board drawing each month.

This hook  where W and I keep our aprons is  between the playroom and the kitchen on the other side of the room.  I love this rooster hook.  W picked out this hook as well as two rooster rugs for this kitchen and I just love them.  We also often keep cheery  rooster place mats on his little table.    Also in this picture you can see our rhythm chart which helps us to keep track of our activities and meals for each day.