A Fun and Sophisticated Guest Room–Playroom Designed to Do It All
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Time to read 4 min
Designer Jess Rey of Domicile 37 transformed a dark, awkward room into a bright, layered guest room and playroom that works for real family life. By mixing vintage finds, DIY builds, and SmithHönig textiles, she created a space that feels playful, sophisticated, and deeply personal. In this space you'll see:
A multi-use guest room and playroom designed for real family life
Soft blue-gray walls balanced with rich textures and vintage pieces
SmithHönig fabrics, pillows, and tassels used as design anchors
A high-design look achieved with DIY projects and thoughtful layering
The Challenge: A Room That Didn’t Know What It Was
When Jess Rey — the author and designer behind Domicile 37 — looked at this room in her Lubbock, Texas home, she knew something wasn’t working.
Originally part of a formal living room, the space had been divided in half by previous owners. Despite its south-facing exposure, it felt dark, cramped, and undefined. It had served as her son’s bedroom, then her daughters’, but never quite felt right.
Rey saw potential — just not in its current form.
The Vision: A Guest Room and Playroom in One
Rather than forcing the space into a single role, Rey reimagined it as a multi-use guest room and playroom — a place that could handle everyday family life while still feeling elevated enough for visitors.
The goal:
Light and bright, but not juvenile
Layered and soulful, not trendy
Budget-conscious, without feeling compromised
Color as the Foundation
“I knew I wanted the walls to be a cornflower blue,” Rey says. “But every paint color I tried felt wrong.”
She ultimately landed on Benjamin Moore Pale Smoke, a soft blue with gray undertones. At first, she wasn’t convinced — and neither was her husband.
“My husband was afraid it would look like a nursery,” she laughs.
That concern wasn’t unfounded. To keep the room from skewing young, Rey layered the cool blue with deeper tones and vintage elements, including a pink Persian rug borrowed from another room. This grounded the palette and adding maturity.
The Fabric That Set the Tone
For Rey, the turning point came with SmithHönig’s Camouflaged / Jagger fabric.
“The fabric was the first textural element I chose,” she says. “Everything else bounced off of it.”
She used the cotton-linen blend to create a custom bedskirt for the campaign-style daybed she built herself. The abstract animal motif, layered blues, and rust tones softened the room’s geometry while adding a sense of whimsy and depth.
DIY Meets Design
Rey’s hands-on approach defines the space.
She built the campaign-inspired daybed and storage herself, then reupholstered a vintage sofa — replacing batting, piping, and fabric to give it new life.
The neutral upholstery became a calm backdrop for bolder accents, including SmithHönig’s Obi Rose Taupe Pillows and a dramatic tapestry.
Layering Personality Into the Details
Accessories bring warmth and meaning to the room.
Framed artwork by Rey’s three children hangs beside a grand French Empire mirror she tracked down on Facebook Marketplace. An acrylic coffee table provides a play surface without visually weighing down the space.
SmithHönig’s Thatch Silk Tassels appear throughout — tied to bedposts, drapery panels, and drawer pulls — adding subtle movement and color.
A Sophisticated Playroom, By Design
Despite the eclectic mix of patterns and textures, Rey considers herself a traditionalist at heart.
“The base of my décor is always traditional,” she explains. “I mix it with something unexpected so it doesn’t feel granny.”
She smiles when she recalls telling her husband, “This is going to be the most sophisticated playroom ever.”
She wasn’t wrong.
What Makes This Space Work
A flexible layout designed for real life
A restrained color palette layered with texture
Vintage and handmade pieces mixed with DIY
Statement textiles used as anchors
This guest room playroom design proves that family-friendly spaces can still feel layered, intentional, and sophisticated.
Ready to layer personality into your own space?
Explore SmithHönig’s textiles and accessories to create rooms that feel playful, soulful, and unmistakably yours.
FAQs:
How do you design a guest room that also works as a playroom?
The key is flexibility. Start with a neutral, sophisticated base, then layer in playful elements through textiles, accessories, and artwork that can evolve as kids grow.
How do you keep a playroom from looking juvenile?
Balance is everything. Pair softer colors with deeper tones, mix traditional furniture with unexpected patterns, and use high-quality textiles to elevate the space.
What furniture works best in a guest room–playroom combo?
Daybeds, built-in storage, and multifunctional seating work well. Pieces that offer hidden storage help keep the room feeling calm and guest-ready.
Can a playroom still feel sophisticated?
Absolutely. Sophisticated playrooms rely on thoughtful layering—vintage elements, handmade details, and intentional color choices—rather than themed décor or trends.
What’s the biggest design mistake in multi-use rooms?
Trying to make everything match. Spaces feel more natural and lived-in when they blend old, new, playful, and practical elements together.
