the Playroom issue

It is safe to say that most of my friends here in Boulder are a bit older, often resulting in parents who started their families a bit later, had two incomes for a bit longer, and have beautiful homes now. I love our little house. I just wish it was a little larger. Anyway. I have started noticing that we are in the minority when it comes to the Playroom idea. I don't really believe in a playroom. Usually that equals the ice-cold basement or a boring beige room off of the front entrance. All the toys are there and it's a disaster...how can a child even play in a room that is littered with toys? We have our fair share of toys, I'm not trying to insinuate anything less, but the toys are out, in plain view. In the front room, besides our piano, futon-couch and rocking chair, is the train-turned-Legos table, as well as a small table with Ted's Playmobile toys (i.e. choking hazard small parts). In our family room we finally got rid of the plastic house (hooray!) but we have Mae's little kitchen, a bookcase filled with books and baskets of instruments and a mini trampoline. Plus the couch and recliner. It's their house too, right? I'm sure that when (if?) we finish the basment, it will become a place where the kids can 'go play.' At this point, Mae is too young to go down the stairs alone anyway, and she wants to be where they are all the time. I don't want to spend my time in the cold basement so why should they? Anyway, I feel grumpy about it. Perhaps I just have house envy.