(Please correct me if I am mistaken.) I took this to mean that she wanted advice about all of her assumptions. I think that nailing the windows shut because she's worried about smuggling is a bit weird. Opening a window to let in fresh air may solve her basement problem. Not to mention that if that window is an egress window, it could pose a safety risk to make it so that they can't open it. This post was edited by greg_2010 on Thu, Dec 4, 14 at 8:32

Our son always had a playroom in our current house. When he was uder 6 it was on the main floor in a 9X12 room that is now our office. That was plenty of space for him. When he got older we moved him to the basement which only resulted in him pickig a toy or toys and bringing them to the living room. At 6 he wasn't willing to play way down in the basement unless we were in the rec room. I think you can make it work if you play carefully. The loft sounds really cool. We're having a loft in our so's bedroom ths time and he's thrilled. He's 10 now and there won't be a playroom in the new house but he'll have space in the rec room/craft room if he wants it. There are a couple ways you can do it (well probably many ways) but here are a few ideas. It might be a good idea to built the loft independantly so you don't always have a loft inthat room. Someday you'll want the space as a den or computer room when the kids are bigger just like we did.

What a GREAT room! I'd have loved something like that when my own DS was that age. He really only had the living room to play in. I can't imagine how many hours we accumulated "picking up" before he went to bed only to pull it all out again the next day. I saw a cute idea recently if your grandson gets into the little matchbox cars at any point: a parent put the IKEA magnetic strips (commonly used in kitchens for utensils or knives) on the wall, and the little boy just stuck his cars up there to put them away.

Hi Susan! That seems like a really long room- def. a challenge. Do you feel like you can spilt it?... let’s say the sitting area toward the window, and the dining toward the kitchen/bar? If that’s possible, then I sketched out an idea... Swing the sofa to the center as the divider. Either use the sofa you have (it may be too large/wide for now, scoot it to the left side) or find a two cushion love seat. The coffee table in front. The rocker in the corner. Move the charger from the entryway to the right side wall... (that cleans up that entry too). The dining table- if round now- might work in the dining space. Personally I love stools at bar height spaces, and they take up less space visually. The entry area with the sconces and the mirror will be less cluttered... maybe find a low seated storage bench? I didn’t see much in the playroom area- but that beautiful ladder shelf could work in the sitting area, maybe? If not, I’d at least move it away from the window a bit, better spacing. Maybe? ...just some ideas! I’m working on the kids room myself... and a wine bar area... and a library... and a guest room... and an office!! So doing a LOT of idea work too!