Aesthetic Playroom for a 1 Year Old

Hey Ya'll! I'm back, after a year hiatus. This working mom life is something else.Alas, your favorite basic mom is here to show you how to make an aesthetic af playroom for your 1 year old!

When we moved into our new rental this year, I was so excited to take a room and make it a fun and cute space for Luna to be in. I was expecting to turn an extra bedroom into a playroom, but I'm extra and decided to turn one of our living rooms into the space Lulu could play in.

I think that no matter where you live, your house should feel like a home. I often hear (usually from my hubby) that we shouldn't put money into rentals..that homeowners are the only ones walking this earth worthy of having a nice home. Yeah, no...that's total bullshit! If I'm living in it, it's going to look and feel like my home regardless of my renter status.

Okay, now that we've gotten some sass off our chest, let's get into some playroom decorating tips!

Start with a Neutral Color

One of the foundational things I did to make a cohesive space was starting with a color in mind. Personally, I love the color orange. It makes me happy, but if you know me, you know that I love neutrals and muted tones, so I chose browns to start with the vision for the room.

Because I love neutrals and warm tones, I knew that I wanted to incorporate as much light wood as I could to later compliment the orange. I added a wood table and a wood toy storage organizer. I also found wood wall accents like a mirror and a rattan shelf.

Pick a Theme

The second thing I did to create a cohesive and aesthetic space was to visualize what I wanted the space to look and feel like. The theme I had in mind while creating Luna's playroom was fun and educational. I wanted her room to be fun, so she could play her little heart out, but I also wanted it to have a light classroom vibe.

I found ways to include wood and warm neutrals, while including educational pieces around the room. I found a hanging alphabet off of Amazon, a neutral map from Hobby Lobby, a hand-me-down alphabet and numbers mat and a wooden clock. To add to the aesthetic, I also included as many wooden and Montessori inspired toys. Most of them were from yard sales and some are from Luna's Kiwico subscription. Of course, I also added a few books to add to the room.

Add Color Accents

Working with neutrals can be boring to some, but the fun thing about neutrals is that you can always dress them up. Since I started with browns and light woods in mind, I knew that my main "pop of color" was going to be terracotta orange. It's one of my favorite colors and works with the brown/neutral/boho vibe so well! For that touch of terracotta, I added a terracotta chase (free from Facebook Marketplace) and a terracotta sign with Luna's name. If you recognize this wooden sign, it actually used to be baby pink. My husband and I painted over it with terracotta paint from Hobby Lobby.

I think that because terracotta orange is still close to the brown and muted vibe, it allowed me to add even more colors to the room. For Luna's wooden toy organizer, it came with colored plastic bins. I think that the bins add the perfect school vibe. My favorite thing about that organizer, is that I got it for free from Facebook Marketplace. If there's anything that I love more than neutrals it's free stuff!

Make it Fun

Aesthetic does not equal boring! Just because Luna's room is cute, doesn't mean it's not fun. One of my favorite items in her playroom is her ball pit. We purchased that ball pit as her 1st birthday present. She has so much fun in her ball pit!

I really wanted a ball pit as her birthday present, but everything I was finding was either pink, blue or grey. Respectfully, none of those options was going to work, so I went on a hunt for a ball pit that would fit the aesthetic. I was so happy when I found a dark brown ball pit and neutral colored balls. It is the perfect mix of fun yet aesthetic. Don't settle! The items you want are in the aesthetic you're looking for. It just might take a little extra work finding it, but it's out there!

Bonus tip: Bins and baskets are the quickest ways to make a room look organized. A lot of Luna's toys don't fit "my vibe," but having bins and baskets to put them in makes the room look put together within the aesthetic that I'm shooting for.

Alright friends, I hope this helped! Reach for the luna, land on mars. Xoxo