NotAVampireLvr Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 What are some must-haves for your space? We're revamping the office area in the front of our house and converting it to our HS space... its a pretty large room... a door that I'm standing in to snap the picture and another to the left... pocket doors too so no blocking space! Here it is empty right before we moved in. There's another window next to the one you can see...There's a corner desk unit that you can't see and another smaller desk on the right. I have some bookcases I plan to put on the left and a smallish horizontal table (seats 4) that I'm putting in the back. I wanted to make our room in an empty bedroom upstairs, but this space is right in the center of the house where I can better oversee everything. What are your essentials in your space? Besides bookspace... what supplies/tools do you have? Go in as much or little detail as possible. I also need suggestions for brightening this room up. I now have sage green drapes hanging. This room is the DARKEST in the house because the front porch is outside the windows, and although I plan to teach in here, I'll need to move kids to the kitchen and dining room tables to do their work where there is a lot more sunshine to soak up. DH will not agree to painting the paneling. I don't have a problem blocking the fireplace either as it will never be used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I use my whiteboard quite a bit. I have some corkboard hanging next to my whiteboard as well that gets a lot of use. I use several command hooks to hang various school related things, as well. Post an updated picture when you get the room finished! I love to see school spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 I use my whiteboard quite a bit. I have some corkboard hanging next to my whiteboard as well that gets a lot of use. I use several command hooks to hang various school related things, as well. Post an updated picture when you get the room finished! I love to see school spaces. Thanks - this room is now full - its our home office and home to DH's books. We're keeping the computers downstairs, but moving the books upstairs... the two desks are staying as they are for our two computers. I'm hoping to have it finished by the spring. A lot depends on how fast we can empty one of the bedrooms upstairs that became a storage area when we moved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwjx2khsmj Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 It would kill me not to be able to paint that room. A light colored paint would make such a difference there. What objections does your husband have to painting? We have bookshelves, table space, chairs, pens, pencils, scissors, glue, lots of different kinds of paper, dry erase boards, dry erase markers, markers, colored pencils, a globe, equipment for science experiments, lots of games and puzzles and a couch for cuddling. When my youngest was smaller I had an area set up with toys and games just for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I would center a sofa in front of the fire place. Even if you never have a fire, it's just a cozy spot to read. We probably do half of our schoolwork on the sofa. If the room is just for school (i.e. no one else ever sees it), I would have a coffee table in front of the sofa to hold books we're currently reading and/or a sofa table behind the sofa to hold library books and other books-in-progress. The room seems deep, so I'm hoping there would then be room for a table to sit at for table work closer to the door. If I'm buying bookcase units for the left wall, I would be looking for some that are shelves above and cupboards below (found one once at Costco, a Kathy Ireland unit, and it has worked well for us). Cupboards are nice to hide art supplies, science supplies, etc. I would definitely be working on getting adequate lighting in there too--table and floor lamps. I've never regretted having a shelf with math manipulatives in storage bins--pattern blocks, weighted counting bears, cuisenaire rods, unifix cubes, etc. Kiddos played with them all of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted January 16, 2012 Author Share Posted January 16, 2012 It would kill me not to be able to paint that room. A light colored paint would make such a difference there. What objections does your husband have to painting? When we moved into our house last year everthing was original. The wood work throughout the house is a pretty honey-maple color (not this hideous dark stuff in this room!) Anyhow, this was his man cave initially and I'm lucky I got him to agree to let us have it. ;) In a year if we're still in this space comfortably I'm going to push to paint it. I would center a sofa in front of the fire place. Even if you never have a fire, it's just a cozy spot to read. We probably do half of our schoolwork on the sofa. If the room is just for school (i.e. no one else ever sees it), I would have a coffee table in front of the sofa to hold books we're currently reading and/or a sofa table behind the sofa to hold library books and other books-in-progress. The room seems deep, so I'm hoping there would then be room for a table to sit at for table work closer to the door. If I'm buying bookcase units for the left wall, I would be looking for some that are shelves above and cupboards below (found one once at Costco, a Kathy Ireland unit, and it has worked well for us). Cupboards are nice to hide art supplies, science supplies, etc. I would definitely be working on getting adequate lighting in there too--table and floor lamps. I've never regretted having a shelf with math manipulatives in storage bins--pattern blocks, weighted counting bears, cuisenaire rods, unifix cubes, etc. Kiddos played with them all of the time. Great ideas! Thanks! :) We have two HUGE sofas in the living room so I doubt we'll be getting one for this room. The living room is right across the way and I put a crib sheet over the flat screen during the day... plus the pellet stove is in there so I anticipate lots of learning happening there. I love the ideas of cupboards on the wall... wouldn't have thought of that! I am putting a bright carpet in here for the kids with some pillows though. DS1 likes to do his work on the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Thanks - this room is now full - its our home office and home to DH's books. We're keeping the computers downstairs, but moving the books upstairs... the two desks are staying as they are for our two computers. I'm hoping to have it finished by the spring. A lot depends on how fast we can empty one of the bedrooms upstairs that became a storage area when we moved. For that room, GOOD quality lighting that doesn't glare would be essential. I have a row of plastic baskets that look like old beach bags, with the loop handles on top and they squeeze together when you grip (like those soft Rubbermaid laundry baskets, but smaller). I keep things by topic: math games, printing supplies, little musical things (a tamborine, a recorder, a pitch pipe, castanets), etc. You can grab them for a topic and then just shovel everything back in. For that much space, a Desk Apprentice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I like it the way it is! Must haves for me would be curtains to soften and filter light, a cozy rug, a chair and ottoman for reading, stylish lighting, a plant or two (or ongoing botany projects) to bring some freshness, and some art/sculptures for wall and top shelf. I'd use the heck out of that fireplace too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 I would put a rug and some pillows in the corner to the right of the fireplace. Great reading corner, with the natural light, book cases, and fireplace. I would use the fireplace too:D On the wall to the left I would put maps and things low down (where kids can really study them.) and a white board up for you to write on. Some plants and maybe a grow light? then lots of up lighters. I made little mobiles out of a dr. Seuss bulletin board set and hung those from the ceiling. (you can see I am saying the map low from experience. We are moving rooms this spring and my map will be low instead of high like it is now.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I like it the way it is! Must haves for me would be curtains to soften and filter light, a cozy rug, a chair and ottoman for reading, stylish lighting, a plant or two (or ongoing botany projects) to bring some freshness, and some art/sculptures for wall and top shelf. I'd use the heck out of that fireplace too! The fireplace isn't up to code. They've changed the laws a bit and its too close to combustables (specifically the mantle is too low) We already have 2 other fireplaces in the house - the pelleet insert is in the living room and when we redo the basement we are getting another insert for that fireplace. Yes this house has THREE fireplaces... you'd never know it from the outside - looks just like any other house on the street. But we have time lord technology once you walk through the door. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I love this room. I know most women don't, but I love the cabiny feeling. What ever you put across from the windows, make it light or bright. The light will bounce from that. So a big whiteboard across it would brighten the room. Obviously don't put heavy or dark curtains up...perhaps put white valances almost completely above the windows, just enough to cover the very top of the window! Use light colored tables and chairs! I agree with the lighting! Lots of it, daylight lights would be optimal. I probably wouldn't cover the fireplace, because you could light some awesome candles in there for a pretend feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 When we moved into our house last year everthing was original. The wood work throughout the house is a pretty honey-maple color (not this hideous dark stuff in this room!) Anyhow, this was his man cave initially and I'm lucky I got him to agree to let us have it. ;) In a year if we're still in this space comfortably I'm going to push to paint Can you "accidentally" set your 2.5 yo loose in there with a Sharpie? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I love this room. I know most women don't, but I love the cabiny feeling. What ever you put across from the windows, make it light or bright. The light will bounce from that. So a big whiteboard across it would brighten the room. Obviously don't put heavy or dark curtains up...perhaps put white valances almost completely above the windows, just enough to cover the very top of the window! Use light colored tables and chairs! I agree with the lighting! Lots of it, daylight lights would be optimal. I probably wouldn't cover the fireplace, because you could light some awesome candles in there for a pretend feeling. the candle idea is awesome, thanks! I'd feel comfortable doing that. I don't mind this room so much - I had dark paneling in my bedroom growing up though so I guess I'm "over it" Can you "accidentally" set your 2.5 yo loose in there with a Sharpie? :lol: good times!!!!!! DH would have a fit and know it was a set-up. I don't keep sharpies in reach after an incident last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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