mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 We are using the dining room. We eat in the kitchen. The area has 2 walls, meaning 2 sides of the space are open to the kitchen nook and the living room. Here is the current lay out (this is accurate to scale): The one marked school desk is really a school desk, seat and table top. She usually drags a kitchen chair over to hold her reference books. It's a little small, plus it's really slanted so everything slides off. I only have 1 wall I could put posters up, or a white board, but it is behind the desk which is 3 feet deep, so it's not practical, so i'm trying to pull away from the wall. The table holds 2 netbooks and a desktop. The desktop is being replaced with a laptop in the next few months :) So... I was looking and found some laptop desks for a great price at Ikea. Nothing fancy. Just simple desks, Surface being 28 x 20. DD11 only works with us if she is doing research online, otherwise she uses the word processor sans internet in her workspace in her room. DD7, stays down here all the time. This is what I was thinking: This keeps us by natural light, and keeps the wall available to use. Once we are done with the desktop, we only need 1 power bar there for the computers, so not a big deal. It would keep my file cabinet(which is deep under the table now) to house the printer. Backing that would be dd7 cart for her workboxes. I'm drawing blanks at how else to arrange it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Here is a 2nd option, which means no extra furniture, just re-using what we have, but getting another office chair or 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zookeeperof3 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I'd do option 2 for a few reasons. 1. You won't be buying new furniture, just chairs. 2. When you have guests over, you can use the big table for dinner/buffet etc. 3. I like to re-use what I have! 4. I think it looks better to use 1 large table, than to cluster together several smaller ones. HTH, Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 I agree! I think that is what I'll try out. It'll be hard with the desktop at the moment, with all the cables. But I can make it work. It would mean that much more saved toward the laptop..lol. Which means WAY less cables then. I'm going to play with it today. Gives me an excuse to clean ;) I never thought of having it double as another table. Once it's all laptop/netbook, it'll be really easy to toss a table cloth on it and have alot of extra seating! THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 LOL>. I measured it out, and it was be 2 ft from our dining table. So I'm turning it 90º which means it will be about 4ft from the table, and at one point 3 feet from the bookshelf, but 4 ft from the window. More measuring to do. It won't make all the wall accessible, but way more than now. Once dd11 is done her research I'm going to give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zookeeperof3 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Have fun! I like your space, it looks great for parties! We are looking for a more open plan for our next house. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Hi Kim, It isn't all that open... we knocked a couple walls down last year. The space I'm working with 9.5 x 10, so not tiny, but not roomy either.... I can't spill into the livingroom, as it's my daycare area, the little ones know that where the carpet ends is off limits...who needs gates. So I don't need to put everything high, etc. I'm just trying to make the space for functional...not sure that the table turned will work.... have it there now. But the room is a mess..lol. So hard to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I think that looks like a nice arrangement if the window won't distract! And I love these drawings! How did you do them, please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 The window won't be a huge distraction, it faces the driveway and neighbors fence, but it's still natural light. I opted to turn the table from where it is, but away from the wall. Not gaining much wall space, but I'll be able to put an easel for a white board now :) ANd able to get posters up. I did a search. I used this site: http://roomplanner.icovia.com/thebrick/resources/icovia.aspx Then I did a print screen and edited what I'd done in my PSE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Another idea is to mount a high shelf around 7' from the floor to hold extra supplies/books etc. And, you can mount the power cord to the table with some well placed zip ties... and a screw or two for it to rest (grab a drill). The cables can be run along the wall (extention cables/cords), possibly behind the floor moulding (if your dh is handy with a router), up the table leg, and be completely out of the way. Lastly, if the bookcase in the room is about table height -- move it to the open end of the table. That will open up space there... it won't be in the way, and would be an extra "top"... I like the 2nd option using the table vs. the desks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks for the tips Lisa! The wall has sconces, so I would not be able to put a shelf there. The shelf is 6.5 feet tall..lol. So at the end of the table wouldn't work, but it would be a great place for a white board where it is now...*sigh* It might be able to be relocated, but not sure it would work where it would have to go, there's a switch there. I have a hard enough time hanging pictures because other than outside walls... there are none on this level. It's coming together, cleaning up and sorting all the random papers that have built up... still not sure it'll work as it sits. Once it's tidy, I'll make up my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks for the tips Lisa! The wall has sconces, so I would not be able to put a shelf there. The shelf is 6.5 feet tall..lol. So at the end of the table wouldn't work, but it would be a great place for a white board where it is now...*sigh* It might be able to be relocated, but not sure it would work where it would have to go, there's a switch there. I have a hard enough time hanging pictures because other than outside walls... there are none on this level. It's coming together, cleaning up and sorting all the random papers that have built up... still not sure it'll work as it sits. Once it's tidy, I'll make up my mind. haha... at 6.5 ft. tall...it's another wall! (I have done something like that to create a divider and more "wall" space before). Okay, last suggestion... use 4' high bookcases to create a low "wall" on the perimeter of the room (without walls... one on the left, one on the right, another to create a corner butted next to it and one on the opposite. You'd have space for four of them. The room would keep the open feeling, plenty of walk-way, and you'd more than double your shelf space, and be able to put a whiteboard on the exterior wall where the book case currently is. Of course... if your dh is anything like mine, he could build in really nice ones :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Ok, here is the layout, with come of the next 'rooms' showing. It might work, it might now... Lisa, what would I do with the big shelf we have? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Okay, last suggestion... use 4' high bookcases to create a low "wall" on the perimeter of the room (without walls... one on the left, one on the right, another to create a corner butted next to it and one on the opposite. You'd have space for four of them. The room would keep the open feeling, plenty of walk-way, and you'd more than double your shelf space, and be able to put a whiteboard on the exterior wall where the book case currently is. Of course... if your dh is anything like mine, he could build in really nice ones :D I think dh would shoot me if I put in a 'wall', since I had him tear it down last December :lol: But I do like the idea....hmmm..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aludlam Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I don't know if this will help or not, but I hang small pics down the side of our bookcase. I also hang small/medium ones along the top of the windows. Think eclectic window treatments! hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks, that's a cool gadget! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks, that's a cool gadget! Your welcome! sure beats moving furniture around to find out it doesn't work..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy4ever Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Here is what I came up with. Excuse the untidiness, I'm still sorting everything. See the GIANT monitor... I'm hoping to get rid of it soon, then it'll open it up that much more. AND, we'd be able to do as suggested, and create an extra dining area when needed. In the first picture, you can see the only wall that I was wanting to use. I can put a few posters up, and there is space to put an easel, so I can get one with a white board :) They were dirt cheap at toys r' us for the floor models, so i'm going to check that out. What I really like, is dd7 can sit with her back to the book shelf and there is lots of room for me to sit and work with her too, when she needs that hand holding or extra help. Thanks everyone!!! Your ideas sparked with me :) And the other thread with everyone sharing their rooms really inspired me to do something with mine. I didn't like it before, not while it FILLS the space, it is completely used, and not cluttered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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