Note: Details and links of where I bought all the products are at the end of this post.

Ever since we had kids, we had been living in an apartment and it was so so convenient with the little ones. The living space, kitchen, bedrooms – all on one floor made it super easy to keep an eye on the kids. However last year we moved to a villa (a two-storied house), which meant all of our bedrooms are upstairs while the living space and kitchen is downstairs. We have one room downstairs which was supposed to be the guest room but I converted it into a multifunctional playroom/study which could act as a guest room when needed.

So here are some ‘BEFORE’ pictures of the room downstairs…

Now let’s see the ‘AFTER’a ‘BEFORE’ again..

and yet another ‘AFTER’

I am a big fan of IKEA, their prices and their practical pieces.  I wanted this room to be a functional space where the kids can play (and not bring all the toys in the living room), do their homework and read while I am in the kitchen. I wanted the school bags to be here so my kids don’t have to take them up and down every day – which is great for my little boys!

When I saw these hooks in Ikea, I knew these were just PERFECT for this place!

 

The bookshelf has their books, some toys in the baskets and it also acts as a display shelf for their artwork, pottery and lego structures. (I guess this they learnt this from their Mama – my bookshelf always has books and some decor pieces, which you can see here and here)

 

Managing the timetable for 3 kids can be very tricky! One has PE, one has swimming and one has Library –  imagine the chaos! Trust me, it can be a nightmare!!! So something that is very helpful (or let’s say I can’t survive without) is this chalkboard timetable (I found it in Jarir Book Store). It is for everyone to see – me, the kids and the nanny – everyone knows what needs to be packed for each kid!

And I also keep some inspirational quotes for them because kids read and they remember stuff… so why not use some inspire them (or brainwash them 😉) and plus they look pretty too!

 

Speaking of which is why I chose a Dr Seuss quote for the chalkboard wall (if you missed that post, you can see all about this chalkboard here)

Another thing I love and the kids enjoy doing is this velcro World Map. It keeps my boys busy for hours…

The functional daybed from IKEA makes a comfy reading/napping place and when we have guests, acts a very comfy bed for two people to share!

The customized cushions on the daybed are a gift from my best friend when she came to visit us from Kuwait.If you are wondering, why I only have the boys study desk in this room  – it is because the big sister has just moved her desk to her own room. As she is growing older, she needs her own space and quiet to do her homework, however, she loves to play and read books here in this room with the boys.Having a room for the kids downstairs has done wonders for us – as we are mostly downstairs during the day and its easier to keep an eye or help them with homework etc.

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Where  I bought the stuff from

Kids Study Table – IKEA (here)

Kids Chair – IKEA (here)

Velcro Map – Amazon (here)

Chalkboard Wall – Amazon (here) and you can also check the post on the DIY project that I did with the wall here

Kids stool and table – IKEA (here)

Carpet – IKEA (Its a very old one and is discontinued now)

Daybed – IKEA (here)

Customized Cushions  – Pottery Barn Kids (here)

Hooks for school bags- IKEA (here)

Chalk Board Time Table – Jarir Book Store

Book Shelf – IKEA (here)

Baskets – IKEA (here)

Wall Cabinets  – IKEA (here)

Easel – IKEA (here)

 

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You can check out my other room makeovers below

Living Room, Home Office, Entry Way (Blue Accent Wall)