The holiday season is officially upon us! With that comes busy kitchens, entertaining, and of course, kids home from school. Is your house ready for the additional indoor playtime? Here are some design tips to make your space adult and child-approved for indoor fun.

Easy Weekend Updates
Control the chaos. Keep the clutter contained by designating specific kid zones. Add a table and chairs in your mudroom, playroom, basement or garage to allow creative juices to flow in a crafting area, but not overflow into your entertaining spaces. Or really let the chaos run free by letting your kids color on the walls in that unused space under the stairs. Close the door to that area when guests come by, then repaint once the kids are back in school! To encourage quieter time, set up a corner with comfy pillows and blankets for reading a great book this holiday…extra points if it's near a cozy fireplace.

Time to Renovate or Re-Think your Space?
If you could use more space for entertaining your children or guests, you might be interested in some projects we completed for clients who had indoor fun on the mind. Our clients have wanted indoor sports courts, dance rooms, movie theaters, game rooms, craft areas, and even indoor pools. Having dedicated spaces for kids and teenagers to burn off extra energy and spend time with friends is a luxury, and could be key to making your home the place where everyone wants to gather. While these projects couldn't be ready in time for this holiday season, it's never too early to start designing for next year.

Don't think you have the space to create a kid-specific area? Let us help. We've developed plans that repurpose existing space, finish bonus spaces like attics or rooms over the garage, as well as new additions. With so many options, there's certainly a solution for creating a kid-centric space where your kids' imaginations can run free.

I hope are surrounded by family and friends this holiday season creating memories that will last a lifetime. Enjoy!

Tim Burch is a Vice President and Owner of BOWA, an award-winning design and construction firm specializing in renovations ranging from master suites and kitchens to whole-house remodels. A Northern Virginia native and third-generation builder, Tim enjoys calling on his 30 years of design-build experience to solve clients' home-related challenges. He is the Construction Advisor for The Mosby Heritage Area Association and sits on the Board of Building Appeals for Fauquier County. Prior to joining BOWA, Tim was the Lead Project Manager of Construction for the Emmy Award-winning construction reality television show, Extreme Makeover Home Edition on ABC Television. For more information on Tim and the BOWA team, visit bowa.com or call 540-687-6771.