If kids can make believe a throw rug is a raft and a card table draped with a sheet is a monsters cave, think of what wonderful games they could invent in a play loft or attic niche!

A play area for children doesn’t need to be large or elaborate to spark youthful imaginations. In fact an odd shaped corner in a small room may attract kids more than a large open area with no nooks and crannies. If you are looking around for an extra playroom, consider such areas as the landing at the top of the stairs, attics space that’s too short for adults, or a loft that is kid sized.

Furnishings should be minimal. Kids use furniture differently than adults, a table become a diving platform, chairs are train cars, and a couch is a trampoline. What ever you place in their play area is a subject to the wear and tear they give any toy. The floor is their most popular piece is of furniture, so make sure the floor covering is comfortable and easy to clean –they will be spending most of they play time at floor level.

If you include tables and chairs I the play area, they should be kid sized and sturdy. Avoid any with sharp corner and keep the furnishings to the side of the main romping arena so the kids won’t crash into them. The bean bag chair is popular for play areas because it fits all ages, its sturdy and the kids have a hard time injuring themselves with it.

Toy storage is important –after all, the point of having a play area is to keep the toys and children corralled in one place, not all over the house. The more convenient and attractive the storage the more likely the kids will pick up their toys.

No matter what kind of stereo you have, the final component Is the room in which you place the speakers. The more soft, sound absorbing surfaces in a room –plush wall to wall carpeting, overstuffed furniture, heavy draperies – the deader the sound you will get. The more hard, the sound reflecting surfaces in a room –hardwood floors, tile, bare windows –the livelier the sound.

Place speakers in the spot you think are the liveliest so the sound waves reach listeners with the most clarity. If you place the speakers in dead areas, the high sound may be swallowing up before they reach the listener. The speaker placement tips shown here are general guidelines for rooms with an average balance of soft and hard surfaces.

Even speaker perfectly placed in an acoustically excellent room may seem to produce a distracting hum. The sound may be coming the wires leading from the turntable into the amplifier. Using coaxial cable (insulated cable) will minimize the hum. If humming persists, check to see that AC wires aren’t overlapping.  If this wire must cross to complete turntable to amplifier hook up, cross them at right angles to stop static hum.

Symmetry for speaker placement

To ensure even sound, speaker should be identical acoustical situations, equidistant from the listener. For instance, if you place one speaker in a corner, put the other in the adjacent corner, not along a wall or out in the room. Likewise if one speaker is high up on a wall, the other shouldn’t be down low near a couch.

Speaker distance

The distance between speakers depends on their strength, the size of the room and the listening positions. The weaker the speakers, the smaller the room or the closer you sit to the speakers the closer together the speakers should be.

You can maximize or minimize bass sound by placing speakers in one of three positions: in the corners of the room for heavy bass sound, along a wall for medium bass sounds, or out in the room for minimal bass sounds.

Heavy-duty hanger for speakers

Hanging heavy speakers at ear level on a gypsum wall takes some ingenuity. One solution is to make super strong hanging bracket by sewing ¾ inch plywood down the center at a 45⁰ angle. Use 1 – ½ inch screws to fix one strip to be speaker. Mount the other strip into the wall stud with 3 inch screws. When mounting speakers vertically add a second spacer blocked of plywood to keep speakers parallel with wall.

One set of the sliding barn can close off this party room and seating area from the kids’ playroom. Another pair can cover the shelving in the storage wall. The rich wood of the doors and the ceiling beams are set a sophisticated country tone for the room. Note contrasting textures of baskets, jute-type carpet, fluffy area rug and wicker couch.

Component placement

Before you build or buy a cabinet or rack for stereo component, remember that:

-          Components should be placed to be easily accessible. If they are too high or too low, they are hard to clean and adjust.

-          Components should have good air circulation so they won’t overheat and wear out too fast.

-          Cabinets or rack should rest solidly on floor or wall so its acts as a sturdy foundation for the components. Shock mounts the turntable on the foundation so the needle won’t skip when someone walks by or when people are dancing.