Dwell's 8 Favorite Playrooms

In a Boise home, a former closet was transformed into a double-height library, complete with a reading nook and a rolling ladder from Spiral Stairs of America. “That’s my favorite part of the house,” says Dan. “When I see Stella reaching for a book, there’s nothing better.” Photo by Lincoln Barbour.

Writing on the walls is encouraged by the magnetic slate chalkboard from Claridge Products. The Phoenix table by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso does double duty as a play table or a coffee table, depending upon who’s in residence. The Tulips felt rug is from Peace Industry, and was made in a fair-trade workshop in Iran. The casework is constructed of anigre wood.

The kids’ rooms were designed to let the littlest Brenners express their own tastes. “When designing you need to accommodate lots of functions, from piano lessons to just hanging out,” says Phillips. “A house should have all the elements that allow you to relax.”

Only a set of sliding doors separates the kids’ room from the master bedroom in a Toronto, Ontario, home. When the time is right, there's a track inlaid in the ceiling for a four-panel bifold wall to divide the space into two private rooms for the children. Read the whole story here.

Eve works at the desk in her double-height bedroom. Vogt’s mythically aquatic-themed mural reflects both the taste of a young girl and the pared-back aesthetic of any modern enthusiast.

Moe stands in front of the circular opening between the living area and the sleeping/bath quarters.

Ella's bedroom sports walls covered in polka dots that JJ hand-cut from fabric.