A child-filled home -- and its designated play spaces -- can quickly go from cozy to cluttered with the influx of new toys around the holidays. But fostering fun in a home becomes child's play when spaces are organized and tailored to the children inhabiting them.

If there's room in your home, setting up a dedicated space for children is a way to give them a special, safe place to play, all while keeping toys, games and crafts in one spot. But more Americans are desiring a Scandinavian-style design aesthetic in their homes, one in which communal spaces in a house have furnishings that serve many purposes. That means children and their toys aren't necessarily sequestered away, says Kaci Malloy, senior sales leader for children's products at IKEA-U.S. The Swedish-founded company, IKEA, is the largest contemporary home-goods retailer in the world.

"Play is an essential part of life in that it fosters creativity, relieves stress and can bring children and adults together," Malloy says. "A silver lining of the pandemic quarantine is that parents and children have more opportunities to play together."

IKEA and LEGO have embarked on an enjoyable enterprise that incorporates imaginative building play with a storage solution that is anything but juvenile. Called BYGGLEK (boog-lee-eck), meaning "to build and play," the special boxes can be used as toy storage and also display creative LEGO builds, so a child's creations don't have to be taken apart to be put away.

"It's not about hiding children and their creativity away, it's about incorporating play into the home environment," Malloy said. "But having a lot of stuff -- or toys -- doesn't add value for a child. Choose quality over quantity."

To truly nestle into a child-centric home, one must first clear away the clutter of unused toys or playthings. This playful lifestyle embraces an environment that is both simple and functional, uncluttered and cozy.

"To create a place for play is realizing that it doesn't have to be a fancy space to be effective," Malloy said. "As children grow, their creativity will reflect their changing interests."

Play spaces can be as large as a spare room or as cozy as a special corner of the family room. Perfect play spaces combine both fun and function and need not be limited to certain play areas, Malloy says.

"Children want to be part of the home environment, too," she said. "How people play in a home depends on the physical space available and, of course, the children and adults who live there."

As varied as this space can be for each family, Malloy says there can be certain playroom practicalities. A few key pieces help turn any space -- no matter the size -- into a creative oasis for children:

-- Shelf Life. Bookshelves or shelving units can create a place for everything, so everything can be put back in place. Of course, easy access to books will encourage children to be lifelong readers, but shelves can also be a place on which children can display their latest LEGO builds. Costs for building your own bookshelf through IKEA can start at around $30.

-- Storage Stowaways. Baskets, cubbies or storage boxes can keep playthings organized and off the floor. Storage options that are mobile can fit into shelving units and allow children to not only choose their toys, but also encourage them to clean up after themselves.

Grouping similar toys in baskets not only organizes a space, it also gives children the freedom to grab a bin and go. The SLAKT storage box with caster wheels from IKEA starts at $69.

-- Play Table. Having a clean, horizontal space on which children can draw or piece a puzzle together doesn't have to be limited to a kid-sized table. No matter which style of table a child uses -- whether it's a communal dining table or coffee table -- consider a movable tabletop craft caddy for art projects. IKEA's pair of nesting tables starts around $30 and can fit most anywhere throughout a home.

As children grow and their playing preferences change, expect their creative spaces to also evolve. What may start as a haven for toddler toys can grow into a school-aged space with sophisticated building sets or board games.

In a shared space, area rugs can help define the play parameters. A rug also provides a soft place for children to play on the floor, whether they're putting together a puzzle or playing a game.

A chalkboard paint-covered area allows a family the freedom to actually draw on the walls. A space can also be personalized by designating a wall for children to hang or display their own works of art, Malloy says.

"Now, more than ever, adults need some playtime, too," she said. "Many parents are kids at heart, and creating a space for fun in the home means more opportunities for adults to hang out and play with their children, too."

Homeowners are coming clean when it comes to the bathroom amenities they desire. People are refreshing their bathrooms to minimize clutter, provide an escape from stress, and promote wellness, according to a 2020 National Kitchen and Bath Association report.

"Since the start of the pandemic, we are spending more time seeking places of comfort in our homes," said Adam Gibson, whose eponymous design firm is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. "As a result, the bathroom has become a place where people want to feel pampered and cocooned."

The NKBA's "Living Impacts Design" report highlights consumers' inclinations based on more than 750 completed industry surveys. Influential changes to bathroom design include: homeowners' need to escape from a hectic world, the desire to simplify life, and universal design practices, according to the research.

"Design trends aren't fleeting when construction is dictated by how people really live," said the master certified kitchen and bath designer and aging-in-place specialist Gibson. "A bathroom can be used by many people, but is still a very personal space."

Simplified

The first step to a super bathroom design is to make sure it remains squeaky clean. Cabinets and countertops with clean lines are easier to wipe down and disinfect. Creating customized shelf or drawer storage for everything from medicines to Dopp kits means there's a place for everything, so everything is put back in its place.

Marble countertops are a popular choice, but Gibson says engineered stone or quartz surfaces are waterproof and stain-, heat- and scratch-resistant, and can be manufactured to mimic stone. Because a quartz countertop lacks surface holes, it does not support bacterial growth or require sealing.

Connected

Comfort and accessibility -- while also being connected to the greater world outside -- is the environment people desire most in their bathrooms.

"In a bathroom, people want to access nature through natural light and plants," Gibson said. "People also want to tap into the world at large through technology."

A homeowner can aspire to build a top-of-the-line "smart" bathroom, one in which the lighting, shower settings, heating/cooling and audio/visual systems are automated and can be activated by a keypad or through voice-controlled technology. Also, water-saving features are hitting the mainstream in bathroom design. Using a high-efficiency toilet and water-saving fixtures saves dollars and makes sense for conservation.

Gibson says designers shouldn't make light of a bathroom's illumination, either. "A single fixture mounted above the mirror creates harsh shadows on the face. To be seen in the best light, people should have a mirror or medicine cabinet with lights on either side," he said. "The ultimate in connectivity is to be able to shave in great light, while watching the morning news."

Universal

In a bathroom, universal design features wider doorways, nonslip flooring, multilevel countertop surfaces and readily accessible switches and home controls. Universal design concepts are simple modifications that inherently make a space more livable and accessible for everyone, including those with physical limitations.

"More designers are thinking about universal design as a concept so people can age-in-place," Gibson said. "The key is to make bathroom accommodations accessible without making the space look institutional."


Large, zero-threshold showers -- designed with built-in shower seats -- are easy for everyone to use, including persons in wheelchairs. Shower doors are built wider, with grab bars that are cleverly disguised as towel bars, Gibson says.

Healthy

Bathrooms also can be a place to help heal the body and promote wellness. A free-standing tub with a whirlpool setting provides a therapeutic soak in bathrooms where there is also a separate zero-threshold shower option.

While the construction of a home's entryway powder room was popularized during the 1918 Spanish flu outbreak, today, Gibson is spreading a newer way to combat the coronavirus. Due to homeowners' requests, Gibson is designing home foyer sanitizing stations that include a free-standing sink and storage for shoes and packages.

"People walk into the home and there's a place for everyone to take off their shoes and wash their hands before entering into the living space," he said. "While this sanitizing station isn't a full bathroom, it is a watershed movement in design, which has come from people's need to be conscious of cultivating clean hand-washing habits."

Keep it Clean

-- To find a certified kitchen professional, go to the National Kitchen and Bath Association's website: www.nkba.org and click the "Find a Member" link.

-- Adam Gibson Design, AdamGibson.com

As the weather gets colder, the use of the backyard patio is heating up. Homeowners who want to create an entertaining space outside -- even into the winter -- prize the patio's appeal. Although summertime is prime patio-time, a patio can be more than a fair-weather friend to those who want to entertain during the coronavirus pandemic, says Emily McGee, spokesperson for the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA), based in Arlington, Virginia.

"Anecdotally, at the HPBA, we have been seeing home trends showing people were increasingly using outdoor living areas prior to the coronavirus outbreak," she said. "The pandemic has only accelerated people's interest in being able to entertain outside, due to open air and physical distancing guidelines."

A patio is an outside concrete or paved area usually located in a home's backyard. While wooden decks tend to feel more like an extension of a house, a patio integrates more with the landscape, because it is poured or paved onto the ground itself. Custom-built patios have evolved from mere concrete slabs into sophisticated outdoor rooms that really cook, with outdoor kitchens and fireplaces.

Creating an outdoor oasis on the patio extends the entertaining season into colder weather. "An outdoor kitchen, fireplace and outdoor furniture are amenities on a patio that make you want to spend time there," McGee said. "And, manufacturers are always creating more products that make it easier to create an outdoor family room."

Concrete is still one of the most popular materials used to construct a patio. However, the iconic, gray square slab of the 1950s has evolved into a concrete patio with decorative stamping and staining. Before pouring concrete or laying stone or brick, make sure you're working with competent contractors who have experience installing patios. After the design is drawn, the site needs to be prepared, so that the patio slopes away from the house and drains properly.

A patio should be built with outside-rated bricks, tiles and pavers because these materials have less than a 3% water absorption rate, which means they won't crumble during numerous freeze-thaw cycles in colder climates. In addition to using outside-rated materials, it's important to use waterproofing membranes, especially if materials are bonded to concrete.

Before a patio pour, make sure you have a permit (if required) and a detailed plan in place for where outdoor features will be built-in or placed, McGee says.

"The design of a home patio depends on the space and how it will be used," she said. "When planning for a patio, the first step is to NOT be overeager and buy the patio furniture first."

Fire and Ice

Outdoor fire features are a growing segment of fireplace installations and a natural way to create a warm space for gathering or entertaining on a patio.

A patio's design can be metaphorically set ablaze with a fireplace's flames ignited either through wood or gas. With enough planning, a fireplace can be located nearly anywhere, but before becoming consumed with an inferno of ideas, it's best to involve a professional installer certified by the National Fireplace Institute (NFICertified.org).

No matter where a fireplace is located outside, expect it to bring an elemental experience to your patio. "I think being drawn to a fire is primal, " McGee said. "There can be snow falling, but you can still be warmed by a fire."

Today's gas-burning fireplaces are made to look beautiful with or without the flames dancing, whether it's turned on or off. A dramatic log set can be arranged in a vertical bonfire or flames can emerge from fire-safe rocks or colored crystals to emulate an Eastern design influence.

A Brisk Barbecue

For many who entertain, "eating out" can mean walking into their backyard outdoor kitchen. The centerpiece for any outdoor cooking is the grill, but there are many kinds available for different types of cookery: smoker; pizza oven; Argentinian-style 'Gaucho' grill; or Japanese-inspired Kamado ceramic grill.

"Many people 'winter-cue' all season long," McGee said. "If a homeowner barbecues and smokes year-round, it can be more important to have an outdoor kitchen setup with countertop space to handle hot, smoked meats coming off the grill."

Any appliances, countertops or cabinetry in an outdoor kitchen must also stand up to both steaming and/or freezing temperatures. Be certain that any appliance installed outdoors is manufactured for outside usage and marked with an UL (Underwriters Laboratory) seal approving it for outdoor use.

Fixed overhead structures or pergolas are also popular on a patio and give a sense of an outside room by creating atmosphere, privacy and protection from the outdoor elements. Outfitted with a big screen television, this space can be a place where people bring their entertaining A-game.

Sit a (Cold) Spell

Patio furniture featuring chairs, tables, chaise lounges, outdoor sofas and umbrellas can come in a variety of materials, ranging from metal and wood to rattan and resin.

If entertaining outside is part of a homeowner's holiday plan, your furniture can also bring the heat. "There are any number of fire-pit tables and patio heaters that will keep the chill out of the air," McGee said. "If you have a gas fire pit, special accommodations will need to be made in the planning phase of your patio construction and make sure you follow manufacturer's guidelines when it comes to setting up patio heaters."

McGee says it's good to have a furniture layout of the patio before purchasing anything. "Entertaining on the patio doesn't need to be high-tech," she said. "You can encourage people to bring their own lawn chair and blanket, because with a fire going and food on the patio, you can be cozy outside, too."

Patio Points

-- Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, HPBA.org, click "Locate a Retailer"