Creating A Kids Play Area

When Alan and I were house hunting, the patio and deck of our current home won us over. Since then, we spend almost every day outside on the patio whether it’s to enjoy morning coffee, Sunday brunch or a quiet dinner at home.  We also entertain family and friends on a weekly basis. I love the pretty string lights twinkling above us as we toast the night.

One area that has been lacking is a kid friendly zone.  Between my niece and nephew and our friends’ kids, we usually have a full house. Plus, Harlee will be crawling and walking before we know it.  I set out to designate a portion of the patio for a kid’s play area. I used existing furniture and toys and topped it with Enbrighten Cafe Lights from Jasco to set a bright tone!

I love bright and happy spaces for people of all ages and the soft glow of cafe lights is quintessential to enjoying our patio all year round.

I started with setting up the teepee and draping it with colorful pom pom garlands in felt and plastic bulbs. I also added a layer of tulle to keep bugs out when the kids are inside the teepee playing.

A kid’s play area need to be cozy– in addition to fun, obviously! I put down sheepskin rug in the teepee in lieu of a rug. I also added plenty of pillows because let’s face it kids love pillows. Whether it’s to snuggle into to read a book or more realistically for a pillow fight, right?

The Pom Basket helps keep everything organized. At the end of a party or playdate, I put all of the toys inside the basket and bring into the house. At the next party, the kids know exactly where to go to get the fun stuff. Plus, it’s a pretty piece that I can keep inside the house without worrying about how it fits into my decor.

Unlike traditional cafe lights, the Enbrighten Cafe Lights cast a soft glow setting the stage for a vibrant evening with friends and family.  The Enbrighten Cafe Lights are not only LED and energy efficient, but they are also shatterproof and don’t get hot which makes them perfect for a kid friendly zone. Winning!

I also use the TouchSmart Timer to automate the cafe string lights. This way I can plug in the lights and they light up on their own every night.

I had all of the “larger” pieces around the house and just pulled them together to create this space. The vintage rattan chair and table used to sit on the other side of the patio on their own, but now create a comfortable seating area. Plus, the woven stool is perfectly sized for tots. The round pillows double as chair cushions and pillows, plus the punchy color just brightens the space even more.

Victoria and Hunter can’t get over this Sunnylife stereo. Any time they come over, they dash to Harlee’s room, pick it up and start tuning the radio for their favorite tunes! Because they love it so much, I decided it belonged in the play area on the patio so we could all enjoy music during parties.

Photography by Kyle Ellis

Sources: TeePee | Cafe Lights c/o Jasco | Sunnylife Stereo c/o Milk & Honey Babies | Pom Basket c/o Perfectly Smitten | Vintage Rattan Chair (similar here and here) | Rattan Table (similar here) | Round Pillows | Large Square Pillow | Large Pom Garland is DIY | Sheepskin Rugs  | Lomo Camera

Wearing: On me: vintage dress and belt | On Victoria: Natty Dress | On Hunter: Zara

Sponsored by Jasco Products. Thank you for supporting the brands that make A Vintage Splendor possible.