Modern Boho Playroom Refresh On A Budget

Do you have a kid’s playroom that needs updating? Read on and I’ll show you how I gave our basement playroom a refresh on a budget.

I recently updated our basement playroom on a tight budget.

We’re sensitive to basement improvements especially because we live in a flood zone. The basement took 3 feet of water the year before we moved in.

It has a laundry and pantry. It has a playroom that includes a table where hubby plays board games with his friends.

Did I mention hubby’s favorite pastime is playing strategy board games? If you’re thinking Monopoly, Sorry!, or Risk you may not know about modern board games. Scythe, Catan, and Railways of the World are better examples.

Anyway, our partially finished basement is useful but we don’t do a whole lot financially to improve it. If you know anything about flood insurance you know it excludes contents.

partly finished basement — Immediately before the basement’s first painting.

Here is how the playroom looked, 5 years ago, after its first update.

Basement playroom — The original playroom. I used the same paint used on our living room walls.

Hubby had been dreaming about improving his board gaming area. We considered repurposing the adjacent pantry room; however, the playroom (where the kids and hubby both play) is more spacious. It was cluttered and dingy. Hubby can’t stand clutter. My plan was to neaten and brighten it up.

The flood risk limits the budget. I wish more could be done but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Here’s what I did.

I decluttered and organized.

I donated a bunch of the kids’ neglected toys. I got rid of 2 of the 3 kiddy tables on FB Marketplace. Hubby says my getting rid of stuff is his version of Christmas morning, ha ha.

I painted the bookcase white.

We had some water from heavy rain in our basement a couple months back. The IKEA bookcase took water damaged. Hubby wanted to get rid of it. I painted it and kept it.

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I used a Bull’s Eye Primer and Behr Alkyd Paint in white. When I started this project I thought quick and easy. Wrong! Painting the underside of the shelves was difficult. My hands were tired and sore. I couldn’t wait to finish.

I got gray cube storage bins for $4 a piece at Walmart. I bought plastic bins (it’s waterproof!) from Target. I also reused the bins we already had.

I accessorized.

I was going for coastal boho so I added a seagrass storage basket, greenery, and rope vase. Next, a gallery wall.

An entire gallery, only $15 at Hobby Lobby.

I made a macrame (shown further below) which was more time-consuming than I anticipated. It was one of those DIY’s where I realized I should’ve just bought something.

I whitewashed the plastic table and chairs with a spray paint specifically made for plastic (I used 3 cans). They’re IKEA originally but I got them at a yard sale.