“Our playrooms are designed to be a foundation for a space that will be used for many years,” Gault says — adding that these spaces grow and evolve in the same way Greenwich Play has over the last few years. She started the playroom design company in her dining room; since then it has expanded to include a showroom in Greenwich, Connecticut, and two satellite branches: in Boston and now Dallas.
The expansion to North Texas felt natural, according to Korinek, who is a transplant from Connecticut. She says the similarities between Dallas and Greenwich, including family-centered sensibilities, made this area the perfect place to land.
The pair hope their Dallas office can be a spot for Mommy-and-me nights, parenting education panels and other family events, similar to their Greenwich location. Of course, the main focus is designing playrooms that are intentional in how they support brain development. “It’s so fascinating,” Korinek muses, “that by creating a play space for children, we’re thinking about kids running, jumping, playing, burning energy — but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes.”
In addition to offering room to move, Korinek explains, gross motor spaces make essential connections in the brain that can impact learning. “It’s about more than just throwing a trampoline in the middle of the room,” she says. “Gross motor [skills building] is a huge [part] of our playrooms. Based on the family’s needs and space, we may have a climbing wall, or … custom structures — for instance, we like to create a gross motor obstacle course.” She notes that the company’s playroom designs also boost fine motor skills, pretend-play abilities and sensory stimulation; when enjoyed with a sibling or friend, playrooms also enhance social connections.
Gault notes that for a playroom Greenwich Play recently created for New York Knicks player Josh Hart’s 2-year-old sons, the team gave consideration to what might best serve twins. “When we were designing the space, we were really thinking about ways to make it so that they could comfortably and independently work but also come together and collaborate.” She points to her style of using zones to encourage different types of play as a way to facilitate this.
“For example, the table and chairs near the play kitchen are calling for a collaborative moment. The Brainrich Kids wall climber is more of an independent challenge. Then there are areas that could go either way. The magnet board that one gravitated toward eventually pulled the other one over, and they shared the space.”
