Playful chic

Who says a children’s play area can’t be chic?

With clever use of patterned Resene wallpaper and moody hues like Resene Raven, play spaces can absolutely blend fun and sophistication. If toys clutter up your living space, an outdoor play area is a fantastic option to consider – there’s no reason they can’t be just as joyful design-wise as an indoor play zone.

As more of us seek to maximise space at home, transitioning children’s play areas from indoors to a deck or patio has become a trend. The shift is more than just a practical move, it’s a choice that embraces the benefits of outdoor play for kids: fresh air, potentially more space to burn off steam and a connection to nature. This trend is also gaining traction as more of us are realising the importance of outdoor play for children’s development. In a world where screens dominate, a dedicated outdoor play area encourages kids (and parents too) to step outside and explore. It’s a win-win situation, combining functionality with the beauty of outdoor living.

Children’s design has evolved significantly in the last few years, with creativity and simplicity taking centre stage. Where children’s spaces might have been an afterthought once, today they are carefully curated areas. We’re seeing a move away from cluttered, overstimulating environments towards spaces that are more thoughtfully designed with a focus on quality and longevity. Designing a functional yet funky kids' play area requires a balance between practicality and aesthetics. The key is to create a space that is fun and engaging for children, while still being visually appealing to adults. Incorporating your own style into the design of a play area may seem challenging, but it’s entirely possible! One way to achieve this balance is through clever use of colour. In our sophisticated yet fun kids' play area on a patio, we splashed pops of brighter hues like Resene Petal, Resene Highland and Resene Wallpaper Collection 313010 on accessories and furniture, and kept the walls in the neutral shade of Resene Eighth Spanish White.

Our patio play area blends playful elements with a stylish aesthetic. The cubby house is simple and really comes to life with colour. Its exterior in Resene Raven is a great example of how to combine sophistication with a sense of fun. The deep grey hue of Resene Raven gives the cubby house a modern, sleek appearance, while the interior is lined with Resene Wallpaper Collection 313010. This adds a whimsical, floral touch. The pairing of pink florals and black might seem unconventional, but it works beautifully.

Wallpaper is an excellent way to add charm to a little one’s play area. Adding wallpaper (whether it’s inside a cubby house or as a feature on an outdoor wall) instantly elevates the space, making it feel special and like they have their own tiny home. You can involve your kids in choosing wallpaper for their play space, too. To apply paste-the-wall wallpaper to a cubby house, ensure the walls are clean, smooth and sealed. Measure the area you want to cover, cut the wallpaper to size. Apply paste to the wall, then hang your wallpaper smoothing out any bubbles as you go. This simple addition can transform a plain cubby into a magical retreat for your child.

We designed the remainder of the play area with the same balance of fun and sophistication in mind. We opted for Resene Eighth Spanish White on our walls and trellis, a soft neutral that offers a perfect backdrop for the bolder elements in the space. The foreground trellis stain colour washed in Resene Bask adds subtle separation and structure to the space in a natural tone. The deck in stained in Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain in Resene Tiri grounds the space with its modern deep grey that still allows for the natural wood grain to show through.

The Resene Raven cubby house is complemented by bolder hues – a table painted in the pastel pink Resene Petal and stools painted in bold Resene Rulebreaker and Resene Highland. Keeping the brightest hues in the space limited to furniture ensures the patio still feels chic. A blackboard created with Resene FX Blackboard Paint inside the playhouse is a must-have for drawing and games.

To create a blackboard wall or furniture piece at home:

• Surface preparation: Ensure the surface is clean, dry and smooth. Sand any rough areas and wipe off dust. If painting over a previously painted surface, lightly sand it to create a key for the new paint.

• Priming: Apply a primer, like Resene Quick Dry Primer on timber, if painting on a porous or bare surface. Let it dry completely.

• Application: Stir Resene FX Blackboard Paint thoroughly. Apply the first coat using a good quality synthetic brush or roller, ensuring even coverage. Allow it to dry, then apply a second coat. If you’d prefer a coloured blackboard, use Resene FX Chalkboard Paint.

• Conditioning: Once fully cured, condition the blackboard by rubbing a piece of chalk across the entire surface and then wiping it off with a damp cloth. This helps to avoid permanent marks from the first few uses.

Large pots painted in Resene Baltic Sea and a Resene Tana pot add a touch of the tropics to the space. Smaller pots in the foreground painted in Resene Double Tana, Resene Vibe and Resene Watermark add a little more liveliness to the deck. Plants are a great way to make a children’s play space feel more ‘adult’ and chic. They make a patio feel more thought out, but are subtle and don’t obstruct the play area.

Another playful element to add is a handmade tic-tac-toe set and skittles – easy to DIY at home. We painted our wooden tic-tac-toe set in Resene Pearl Lusta, Resene Cest La Vie, Resene Woodland, Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Vibe, Resene Watermark, Resene Highland, Resene Petal and Resene Manhattan. Our skittles are in Resene Duck Egg Blue, Resene Vibe, Resene See The Light, Resene Watermark and Resene Cest La Vie. These small details are what make the play area feel full of life and personalised.

Transitioning children’s play areas to an outdoor deck or patio is a trend worth considering – fun and function can certainly exist in the same space with a playful approach to colour and pattern.

Colours and products mentioned in this article

Styling by Annick Larkin. Photography by Bryce Carleton. 2024