BethG Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) We're designing our home which we'll begin building this fall. We have always done our schooltime at our family table and I have a huge 8 foot long chalkboard on a wall 8 feet away from the table (in the new home...I have kept this design with the table next to a huge blackboard wall as it has worked so well). I "instruct" at the blackboard and we do the crafts and such at our kitchen bar. I have added (into the floorplan) a large school-storage room for my filing cabinets, books, supplies, etc. This storage room will be 7 feet x 12 feet. We don't do much TV so our whole house is quiet-ish. Another bit of info.....I'm a neatnick; I don't allow crafty stuff to stay out (maybe if I had a school room I would?????). Another bit of info...I've just begun my homeschool journey....my oldest will start 2nd in fall. We have an area designed in the main open living room area for desks, so do I NEED a schoolroom? What else would I use it for? Edited April 19, 2012 by BethG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 We're designing our home which we'll begin building this fall. We have always done our schooltime at our family table and I have a huge 8 foot long chalkboard on a wall 8 feet away from the table. I "instruct" at the blackboard and we do the crafts and such at our kitchen bar. I have added (into the floorplan) a large school-storage room for my filing cabinets, books, supplies, etc. This storage room will be 7 feet x 12 feet. We don't do much TV so our whole house is quiet-ish. Another bit of info.....I'm a neatnick; I don't allow crafty stuff to stay out (maybe if I had a school room I would?????). Another bit of info...I've just begun my homeschool journey....my oldest will start 2nd in fall. We have an area in the main open living room area for desks, so do I NEED a schoolroom? What else would I use it for? Storage room, yes. School room, no. Desks, no. Just a nice big table. Because they won't be able to work on their own until they're older and you'll want to be comfortable sitting with them. If you can, add additional cupboards in your kitchen, pantry, or laundry room for your craft supplies--near the kitchen sink and washable floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I can't have a school room. IMO, if a kid needs to take a test or something or having utter silence/no interruptions, we have LOTS of rooms for that. But it doesn't happen very much. I keep alot of storage in my craft room, but we school in the main great room. I have two nice smallish wood desks with chairs and matching seat cushions for the kids school desks. I have a white board, but I plan to cover a very large piece of plywood with white board paint and then frame it to cover a larger area. I'm a "neatnick" too. I cannot have posters on the wall, etc. I have wall of bookshelves that have tall doors, and on the inside I can hang science charts/posters etc there if need be. My ideal set up would be if my craft room was directly off the kitchen, so I could have a sink nearby but it's not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I know many people love school rooms but I would hate to be confined to one. We start our morning homeschooling i. The living room. I relax with my feet up, go over lessons, sip tea or coffee. Dd12 does her math, English and spelling there. Dd8 works on the indestructable granite slab beneath the wood stove. Whe. Dd9 is done with her work, dd12 and I go into the su room for the fun stuff like science and/or history. If we have experiments or anything messy, we move to the island. Some days we do all our school at the island. We rarely do all school in one location. The only downside to this is that I don't have an area to hang things. Still, our map can go in the office, timelines in stairwell or hallwYs, etc. Our supply room is 8 x 10, though, and it is filles with bookshelves. We will also be making cubbies for in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) Well, here is what I want to do personally. We aren't sure when/if we'll build or buy a house, but my plan is to have and use the formal dining room space for our homeschool room. I'm not a formal dining room person - we have a dining room now but I'm more of a fan of eat in kitchens with a breakfast nook type thing, and eating all our meals there. Also, the formal dining room is on the main floor if the house is multi-level, close to the kitchen and other rooms so that I can be doing other stuff but still be nearby, yet a little bit secluded from the most distracting areas of the house (in most plans). Then, after all the kids are done*, we can either use the area as a study/library type room (very similar to what it would already be) or, as the kids get older and have their own families and such, turn it into a dining room with the capacity for more people. Right now we have a desk that DH built into the corner of our dining room, and an armoire in the other corner that holds our books. It works, but I would like more space and an entire room devoted to all our books, workspace, etc. :) I have in my head what I want it to look like and everything. :) *ETA: I didn't specify that when I said 'when the kids are done' I mean completely done homeschooling and going to college or whatever. Edited April 19, 2012 by PeacefulChaos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 While that large blackboard is useful now, I am betting that you will find you don't use it much in a couple of years. Mine outgrew the need for a large blackboard in mid grade school. From there we went to individual lap size wipe off boards. I have a room that has been used as a school room for many years. However we built the house calling it a "formal living room". When the boys were young (all in grade school) we had a table in the middle of the room, a computer on a wall, posters and time lines on other walls, etc. It really looked like a school room. It was nice to have everything confined. However, the older ones eventually would take their work into the family room, the kitchen table, etc. in order to get more comfortable or have more quiet. Eventually the school room became the school storage room. Bookcases, art supplies, etc. were housed there, but the boys would get their work from there and take it elsewhere (often on the porch on a nice day). Today the room has a computer a couple of comfortable chairs, bookcase, and the piano. It still houses the youngest 2 boys' school stuff (all fit into a fabric basket). The only work done in there is the on the computer when the boys have an online class. It's a very functional room today when the boys have their friends over. They are often gathered around the piano or around the computer (computer games). Gone are the posters, the black board, and all other "signs" of a schoolroom. Whatever you do, don't lock yourself into a "school room". Make it a room that can transform into another usable space because in a very short time those kids will outgrow a "school room". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) Is this your forever house? Do you have a first floor bedroom of any type? I might do something that could later be converted to a MBR if my intention was to stay in that house as a sr. citizen. eta: this could also be useful if for some reason you end up needing to sell. If that room could be repurposed as a home office or main floor bedroom/IL suite it may be more appealing? We have a 10x12 room off of the kitchen with two doors-one from the foyer, one from the kitchen. It was originally the formal DR; PO converted it to a formal living room because she wanted to use the larger formal room as her DR. So we still have a DR, a vaulted family room, our kitchen, and a sunroom in our main floor living area, and then the intended formal room off the kitchen holds bookcases, a long desk with two computers, etc. My kids usually do school work at the kitchen table even though we have a table in the room that houses our "stuff." I like having the space right off of the kitchen to keep our stuff. I can shut the door(s) and it is out of sight, but close by. I like having the computers in a common area so as they get older I can supervise. Edited April 19, 2012 by Momof3littles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 We don't use a homeschool room - just the dining room. But if I was designing a dream home, you'd bet I'd make a school room. We have the space now, but it's not a good configuration to encourage us. If I could have any home, I'd make a sunroom sort of room that could also be the homeschool room - off the main living area, close but door closable, with plenty of windows and room for storage. Then, if we didn't homeschool or moved, it would just be a sun room/den and the living room could become more formal space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethG Posted April 19, 2012 Author Share Posted April 19, 2012 While that large blackboard is useful now, I am betting that you will find you don't use it much in a couple of years. Mine outgrew the need for a large blackboard in mid grade school. From there we went to individual lap size wipe off boards. ................ ..................... Whatever you do, don't lock yourself into a "school room". Make it a room that can transform into another usable space because in a very short time those kids will outgrow a "school room". Thanks all of you for the advice. An aside: I am scared of wipe off (dry erase) boards as an chemistry phD friend of ours (has phD in polymer science and has authored chapters of textbooks) says that dry erase markers contain cyclic benzenes.....(I'm sure I'm not saying this just right)....which are strongly linked to cancer:001_huh: especially in children; he told me to not allow them in my home especially the dust thereof.......just thought I'd pass that along while on my mind. I know there's the dry erase crayons but I found them tough to erase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 We live in an apartment and id LOVE a school school, Shoot at this point id love a closet to put school stuff in!! :glare: We are working on our credit to buy a house and thats a priority for us. A School Room. It could be the basement, the extra bedroom, dining, we dont care. Just a school room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delaney Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 If you can do it I would. We have an extra room so I converted the dining room into a school room. I just can't have all the stuff in the main living area. I STRUGGLE with clutter and keeping things orderly in the classroom as it is! Now, admittedly, we spread to the living room and into the sunroom(now dining room):tongue_smilie: I am an "in front of me or I will forget person" which means if it is neatly tucked away on a shelf I will forget all about it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I don't know if you are going to have a septic and how the perc testing, etc. plays into it, whether plans have to be approved, etc. too but you might also look into whether having a first floor "bedroom" would give you a higher appraisal if you need to resell? For that reason maybe also put in a closet. It might just be something to look into-whether you can count the school room as a bedroom down the road and possibly increase resale or appraisal value? I don't know if that would also increase your taxes or mess up anything with permits right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I vote for putting in a dedicated schoolroom. You can always convert it later into a library/reading area/retreat or home office space -- maybe even a workout space. Lots of possibilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 (edited) We are building, either this fall or next spring. I want a dedicated school room. I've found for my kids that we get more done, if we have a dedicated space. Right now, we use our office area as our school room. It's a bit cramped, but it's been ok for now. We do better if we can see our school items and have them easily accessible. And while I want our stuff easily accessible, I don't want to see it all the time! I want to be able to shut the door on it, too. I think ours is going to go in the basement. I originally thought of having it on the main floor, but can't really think of where I want it to be there. So, basement it is. We'll have a walkout basement, so it will still have daylight. I'd like to have room to set up an art section, science/nature/microscope area, and have a couple more bookcases. Here is a link to some inspiration rooms. Homeschool room http://augustfields.blogspot.com/2010/09/school-room-school-is-now-in-session.htmHomeschool room Learning spaces Here's the link also to my pinterest board with homeschool rooms. I thought I had a separate one for rooms and one for homeschooling, but I didn't. I'm working on getting them separated. http://pinterest.com/mom2samlibby/homeschooling/ http://pinterest.com/mom2samlibby/homeschool-room/ Edited April 19, 2012 by mom2samlibby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 If I could have a room that was close to everythng but NOT the main living area (not the kitchen, not the family room, not the whatever), I'd do it in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie in NE Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 We've got house plans in the works right now, and we did NOT include a schoolroom. I always thought I would love to have a schoolroom (We have one in the house we're currently in) . I thought it would be so nice to NOT have to pick up right away after each activity. I thought I would like being able to leave craft type things out, especially if they needed more than one session for completion. But it never fails; we never use the schoolroom. We start out on the couch in the living room. (We also have a couch in the schoolroom, but it's not as sunny there as it is in the living room.) Then we move to the kitchen table, and do things together. My oldest does all her work in my office. But she could just as easily use her bedroom. I have tried several times to start things in the schoolroom, but we just never stay there. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and my dc want to be near me. It just works better that way. We can study for tests while I'm preparing a meal or cleaning up. We have all our school CD's right there so we can listen while we eat. If I want a cup of coffee, or if the kids need a snack, it's right there. It's just where we live, I guess. I do have a white board in the school room, and I do occasionally go down with one of my dc to "explain" things on the board. In the new house, we'll have room for the white board by the kitchen table. It's going to be great! Best wishes in your planning. It's an exciting time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 We just added on a schoolroom to our house. I love it. Love, love, love it. Wish I'd had it years ago. It is an addition off our living room, so someday when the kids are all done schooling, it will be extra living space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofsbandeg Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I think it would be great to have a room for all the bookcases, games, craft supplies and anything else school related to have an organized permanent home. A big table in the center would be nice. If it works for your family to do school in there great, if not that's okay too. I think it would be nice to have one room to contain it all. I will try to not be jealous at the thought.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeturn Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 I've had a school room in our old house. Now I have a "family room." It could be a school room. It houses all of our school stuff and some other things too, along with the Wii, TV, computer, etc. It is upstairs and we hardly ever use it for school. We used the one in the other house some, but still preferred the kitchen. If I were designing a house, this is what I would do. We do not use our formal dining room. I would have a HUGE kitchen with bar open to a large eat-in area with farmhouse table and plenty of room. Past that would be a "keeping" area with couch, fireplace, and built-in book shelves -- all one room -- big, bright, lots of space. Off to the side of the table area I would build a walk-in butler's pantry-type area to house all of our manipulatives, toys, games, resources, craft supplies, etc. That area would likely have a counter top where we could move half-finished projects to keep or dry when we need the table for eating dinner. During the day we would just eat at the bar. We already school in our kitchen all day and love it. I would just make the kitchen area fit our school needs instead of the other way around like we do now. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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