Designing the perfect playroom on a shoestring budget

(ARA) - Playrooms are ideal spaces for encouraging children's creativity, providing them with the stimulation they crave and helping them create a connection with others. The great news is that you don't have to build an addition onto the house or set aside your family vacation fund to create a great playroom.

Many unused extra spaces in the home can function as playroom spaces. Whether it's a sewing room you no longer have time for or maybe an extra bedroom that isn't being used, make sure the space is safe and secure for the ages of children who will be playing in it. Spaces under staircases and large closets can make great play areas and give an almost fort-like feel for your child to play make-believe in.

"Create universal spaces that will grow with your children," encourages Nancy Bohnett, academic director of Interior Design at The Art Institute of Las Vegas. "Your first child may be a 3-year-old girl who loves princesses, but she may outgrow her love for pink in a few years and gain a baby brother who will also use the space as he grows." To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.