greenwich play | about us

hi! we're greenwich play

Greenwich Play provides family-focused interior design services to parents looking to incorporate style, functionality, and fun into their homes.

What sets us apart from any other design firm is our primary focus: the child.

Our design principles are centered around the developmental needs of children at every age and stage.

Setting up a purposeful, wellfunctioning play space for your child at home may seem simple in theory. Still, in reality, it takes research, developmentally appropriate resources, and strategic design, all of which we offer our clients.

our vision

A space at home that is thoughtfully and intentionally created for a child, giving them opportunities to explore their ideas and practice skills they are developing in a purposeful way. greenwichplay.com

There are simple yet powerful changes we can make to set up meaningful, developmentally-appropriate play spaces for our children at home.

Our spaces promote imagination, independence and confidence in children, while at the same time incorporating clients’ unique styles, goals and budget.

our client

A family moving and starting with a clean slate.

A family that has a play space in their current home that is not developmentally supportive. A commercially-used space that needs expert consult and guidance.

A family ready to turn an extra room into a purposeful family space.

An expanding family, in need of help designing a new space for children. Builders, commercial developers, and realtors.

why us

We are uniquely experienced in both early childhood education and interior design, making us especially qualified to create spaces that promote imagination, independence, and confidence in children.

Our design principles are centered around the developmental needs of children, at every age and every stage.

Setting up purposeful, wellfunctioning spaces for your child at home may seem simple in theory, but in reality, it takes research, developmentally appropriate resources, and strategic design, all of which we offer our clients.

Our arsenal of resources and vast experience affords us the opportunity to make smart, creative recommendations that meet all price points.

courtney gault

FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR + CHIEF PLAY OFFICER

Hi, I’m Courtney Gault, the Founder and Creative Director of Greenwich Play. I'm an award-winning interior designer and early childhood expert. I also hold a dual MS in general and special early education and an MFA in arts administration.

My experiences in education range from teaching kindergarten at an all-boys school to acting as a oneto-one educator to preschool-aged children.

In 2017, I left the classroom and founded a consulting service offering families professional support, guidance, and age-appropriate resources to help them thrive both in and outside the home.

My years in the classroom gave me a wealth of experience in creating spaces that encouraged imaginative, open-ended play. But, the real shift came when I became a mother and developed a deeper understanding of how much of an impact our environment had on our son’s development.

I founded Greenwich Play to focus solely on creating beautiful, functional spaces throughout the home that the whole family can enjoy.

I am so grateful to be able to combine my passion for interior design with my expertise in early childhood development to create chic, multifunctional home spaces.

courtney van naarden

VP OF MARKETING + MAKE BELIEVE

Hi! I'm the other Courtney and I'm so happy to join the Greenwich Play team. I started my career at PR and marketing agencies in New York, where I focused on initiatives for consumer brands such as Netflix, Chobani, and Procter & Gamble.

Like so many women, I took a professional pause to start a family, and never really felt like going back to the “corporate world” made sense for the life I now had. It was also during this time that I developed new passions for things like early childhood (hello two little boys) and interior design (hello new empty house). The fun and functional space I created for my own children had such a positive impact on them, it inspired me to want to bring that joy and purpose to other families’ homes.

I am so excited to join Greenwich Play, where our sole focus is delivering highly individualized, purposeful family spaces. Rest assured, I will be taking my job as VP of Marketing + Make Believe seriously, but when I’m not, you can find me riding my bike to the beach or taking a special weekend morning trip for donuts (and the occasional weekday trip may occur, too).

HEAD OF FUN, FUNCTION + MEDIA

Hi, I’m Pati…or did you think I was going to say Courtney? am a recent graduate from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University, where I majored in Business Management and minored in French and Marketing. I have a strong creative instinct and entrepreneurial spirit, and am deeply thrilled to be parlaying my academic and professional experience into an opportunity with Greenwich Play!

Having moved around pretty much all throughout my life (Mexico, Spain, and the U.S.), I’ve never really had a place I felt was entirely mine and uniquely catered to my own style and needs. Because of this, I’ve realized how important it is to create a safe space, especially during the early stages of childhood, where one can feel safe to both learn and play.

I am so excited to be turning a new leaf and cannot wait to further learn and grow alongside such an amazing team!

Play is so important that the United Nations declared it a basic human right. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted in 1989, states that “Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.”