Joanna Gaines Just Built a Secret Door in This Playroom—and It’s Giving Narnia

Step through the bookcase and you’re instantly transported to a playroom with warm layers of texture and charm. “This arched door, flanked by corresponding shelves, served as the inspiration for the rest of the space,” Jo explains in her Magnolia journal. Rather than contrast it, she leaned all the way in, painting the ceiling, walls, and cabinetry in Sherwin-Williams’s Jute Brown (Satin Finish). “A simple paint refresh helped highlight the original beauty of the arched trimwork, molding, and planked ceiling while staying within budget,” she adds. The result? Immersive and cocooning without feeling dark—a clever way to add depth while letting the architecture do the talking.

Then there’s the bay window. Instead of leaving it as-is, she turned it into a multifunctional stage-slash-bench, complete with scalloped trim, pull-out drawers and a blue houndstooth cushion that feels pulled from a Wes Anderson set. “The homeowners’ children love performing, so the team added a large cushion that can be easily removed—converting the seat to a stage,” she explains. “To lean into the theatre feel, we added light blue velvet curtains across a brass rod—perfect for putting on a play!” Not to mention the opposite wall, which highlights a custom interactive panel with colored pegs and a rock wall that would make any Pinterest parent swoon. “To help foster creativity and curiosity, we added a wooden interactive wall—complete with colored pegs for pattern-making and rocks for climbing,” Jo notes.

The rest of the space is filled with woodland whimsy: arched cabinets with mushroom- and snail-shaped hardware, botanical art in vintage frames, leafy potted plants and C.F.A. Voysey wallpaper that wraps up onto the ceiling like a storybook scene. “During the process, we discovered that this particular [wallpaper] print is actually a restoration of one of C.F.A. Voysey’s most elaborate patterns.” Even the adjacent closet-turned-toy room was given the full treatment, complete with striped wallpaper, scalloped trim and wooden cubbies that make cleaning up feel like part of the play. She explains, “We chose a light-blue, vertical-striped wallpaper to help elongate the small nook and installed more scalloped picture rail where the wall and ceiling meet.”

All in all, she summarizes, “I absolutely love how this space turned out. There are so many layers of story and detail within this tiny room that you could discover something new every time you step inside. Even though we created this space for a [longtime friend and her three kids], I hope it’s a room that inspires the whole family to savor the magic of childlike wonder for years to come.”

So below, find three staples from this look to bring a touch of Narnia into your own kid’s playroom.