So many of us would love to have more space in our homes, especially when that space is at a premium. And that problem is often made more acute when we have our kids’ games and toys taking over what floor area we do have.

Time to get creative. Have you ever considered making your rooms dual purpose? Doubling up your dining room as a playroom? Sounds a bit far-fetched until you consider that a lot of people get limited use out of their dining room, reserving the space for dinner parties and family gatherings that happen only a handful of times a year.

So, what look would best serve the two disparate rooms in one?

A light, bright airy colour scheme with light-coloured furnishings can give you have a grown-up, sophisticated look for the dining room. While a splash of colour here and there will liven it sufficiently as a fun area for the kids during the day.

On a practical level, you might want to choose a dining room table that can withstand a bit of rough treatment at playtime. You could go with a distressed look or perhaps a chunky, robust farmhouse table.

Of course, a beautifully designed tablecloth could make its entrance any time you want to convert the daytime nursery into the place to entertain. Two tables arranged end to end will alternatively give you more surface area for the kids to spread out and the adults at mealtimes.

A more bohemian dining room might benefit from a combination of chairs of different eclectic styles. And as most dining rooms make a statement with the lighting, with a ceiling light or chandelier, you could opt to go with something more fun to complement your creative space.

If you’re looking for toy and book storage, think creatively again. Arrange shelving for that purpose with the top shelf positioned at the same height as the surface of a sideboard, credenza or buffet. That way, you can clear the top shelf and put away the kids’ paraphernalia then use it for food service at dinnertime.

We think we have the perfect solution for achieving the dual purpose room. We offer a selection of made to measure sliding door wardrobes in which we can build you an arrangement of shelving and drawers. Giving you the opportunity to partition the kids’ playthings from all your dining room linen and cutlery.

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Dave Collins