When it comes to building a dream home, elegant great rooms, tricked-out kitchens and luxurious bathrooms top of the wishlists. But in Utah Valley, where large families and love of home preside in abundance, playrooms are also must-haves. Whether a cozy home theatre or a regulation basketball court, these playful rooms offer plenty of opportunity for extracurriculars.

Game Time

These dedicated amusement spaces make even monopoly seem stylish. In Saratoga Springs, a cozy den features a long walnut table and built-in benches that offer seating for the whole family. A neutral white palette and generous lighting brighten the lower-level rooms, while pops of color deliver an energizing boost. A Lehi home’s space caters to an older crowd, featuring a professional pool table and accompanying bar area. Dark hues and wood cabinetry cast a mature tone to the adult-friendly area. In other houses, even the virtual gamers receive a well-designed playspace—complete with multiple screens and stylish lounge chairs.

Playful Rooms
Builder and Interior Design: Firefly Homes Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Builder: Ivory Homes. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Regent Custom Homes. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Interior Design: Olsen Home Interior Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Shelby Homes. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Interior Design: Allison Campbell Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.

Athletes Welcome

Whether training for an upcoming match or simply blowing off steam, an in-home fitness area is a must-have for active homeowners. Several Utah Valley homes feature regulation basketball courts, including an Orem build with a court dedicated to the nearby BYU Cougars team. Other recreation spaces offer viewing windows from top floors, and discrete entrances from the basement level. For golf fans, homes in Highland and Alpine include high-tech golf simulators. Surrounding leather club chairs and cream sofas emulate a clubhouse feel with elevated style.

Playful Rooms
Builder: Regent Custom Homes. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Interior Design: Olsen Home Interior Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Shelby Homes. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Interior Design: Allison Campbell Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Builder: BLJ Construction. Architectural Design: Landforms Design. Interior Design: Osmond Designs. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Davies Design Build. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Interior Design: Maven Design Company. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Raykon Construction. Architectural Design: Mountain Land Design. Interior Design: Interior Concepts Design House. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.

Child’s Play

A home within a home: Detailed children’s playhouses were the name of the game this year. Several creative builders channeled their inner child when designing playful areas in surprising spaces. Take a manor in Mapleton, for example. It transformed a typically ignored area beneath the stairs into a whimsical cottage. A Saratoga Springs home features a jungle-themed sitting room complete with monkey bars and a climbing wall, while a home in Highland blended a youthful playhouse into an all-ages entertainment room. The custom built house gains a sense of charm with sleek black trim and floral window boxes.

Playful Rooms
Builder: Regent Custom Homes. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Interior Design: Olsen Home Interior Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Utah PWB. Architectural Design: Craig Kitterman & Associates Architects. Interior Design: Allison Campbell Design and Kimberly Parker Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Builder: Davies Design Build. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Interior Design: Maven Design Company. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder and Interior Design: Chatwin Homes. Architectural Design: JCD Custom Home Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.

Cinematic Experience

If there were one persistent trend among the Utah Valley Parade of Homes, it was the presence of in-home theaters. In an Alpine home, a sparkling dropped ceiling and chic leather recliners suggest a movie night under the stars. Another Alpine build channels a classic cinema feel with floor-length movie curtains and oval sconces. The accompanying cream sectional and colorful box stolls add a bohemian flair to the cozy space. A theater in a Mapleton home features teal walls, traditional wall paneling and tiered floors that ensure optimal viewing from any seat.

Builder and Interior Design: Chatwin Homes. Architectural Design: JCD Custom Home Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Raykon Construction. Architectural Design: Mountain Land Design. Interior Design: Interior Concepts Design House. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Builder and Interior Design: Blake Miller Homes. Architectural Design: Inouye Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder: Jensen MM Homes & Pools. Architectural Design: Kelly Swan Architecture. Interior Design: Allison Campbell Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.
Playful Rooms
Builder and Architectural Design: Valor Homes. Interior Design: Osmond Design. Photo: Ron Aguilar/Utah Valley Videos.

Don’t miss your chance to see these playful rooms in action. The Utah Valley Parade of Homes ends on June 18th.

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Avrey Evans
Avrey is the Digital Editor for Utah Style and Design, and our affiliate magazine Utah Bride and Groom. She enjoys keeping a pulse on upcoming design trends, propagating green thumb inspiration and indulging her affinity for alliteration.