URGENT: Hive vs Havenly - design my school room please!

[ktgrok]

Keep in mind I may be able to get to Ikea today otherwise it will likely be another week. Can also order stuff from amazon or wayfair or what not. 

I want to keep the Hemnes bookshelves that are white with natural wood shelves. I have a 4x2 Kallax unit I can use, photo below. I have a very small white bookshelf, and I have two Ikea kitchen tables that I can use. Oh, and the daybed. 

We want to put a TV on the wall opposite the window, as there is wiring for surround sound there. Idea is the room will be used to store school work/books/supplies, do some school work with me, work on their own if they want, do some read alouds, watch some documentaries, as well as just watching TV and maybe some gaming. We will put the xbox there, and maybe the Switch. (not sure I want them playing dance games on the second floor - will sound like a herd of elephants, so Switch may go downstairs in family room. 

Basically, I want a desk for me, a spot for each kid's school books plus room to store supplies, microscope, globe, do some group work together, etc. 

This was the description I gave Havenly: 

I want a comfortable, creative, space for homeschooling, crafts, tv watching and a fun spot for the kids to hang out with friends. We want functional, bright, maybe a bit quirky but not chaotic or overwhelming. We do home learning, but it isn't a traditional school so we don't want it too 'school house". 

and

This will be our homeschool area, - ages 4-11 yrs. We read a TON of books, do some workbook stuff and science experiments and crafts. The kids have computer desks in their rooms, but need work areas in the school room for me to sit by them and help them with , space to work on their own and together, and to store supplies. We'd also like to have the xbox and a tv in there

Somehow, that translated into this which is sort of nice but doesn't meet the functions I need, other than book storage. That L shaped desk poking out past that short wall is giving me hives, and there is no desk area for the kids, or table other than a coffee table. And none of the seating actually faces the TV. And the TV is not on the wall with the surround sound  (that is where she put the sofa). When I brought up the lack of work space she switched out the sofa for a kids table - but one that is 22 inches high - way too short for my 9 and 11 year old!

So, can the hive do better? Obviously, this woman doesn't have kids or know about homeschooling! I'm realizing, instead of a decorator what I needed was a professional organizer. Sigh. At least I had a coupon so I didn't pay full price. And maybe she will get back to me with great ideas still...but the next due date is the 16th and I'm not waiting that long! I can maybe go to Ikea this afternoon, and would like to get that room sorted - we have GOT to get back to full on school mode before the holidays hit and we get derailed again. Right now kids are doing math and we are doing our read alouds, but that's it. I'm SO overwhelmed with unpacking, making a zillion decisions of where to put what, shopping daily online for new stuff - even just basic stuff like enough trash cans, bath mats, etc, plus we had to get new beds for kids, got DD11 an old rolltop desk for her room and DS9 a gaming desk for his room, needed new storage stuff for inside the cabinets and pantry as this kitchen is totally different, etc. But that's settling down, and school room is the next priority. 

I DO have money I can spend - thinking Ikea as it is fairly close and affordable and I won't feel bad if they wreck it. I'm thinking Alex desk for me, but maybe 3 of them, each with a set of drawers plus legs? Or a long countertop type thing? I need room where I can sit next to a kid when they are working on say, grammar or something that involves me instructing - they are at the "at elbow" stage for some stuff. And space to spread out a map or science activity or history project. At this point super messy stuff we will do in the kitchen, cause carpet, but eventually carpet will be taken out, and most of our experiments are not super messy. But for now, DD4 will have her painting stuff, clay, etc downstairs. 

Oh, and DD4 has a desk her height in her room for crafting - she's constantly cutting and pasting and "creating" things from paper/cardboard/string. I'd like her to keep that in her room! But she is also at the age to start doing some handwriting, etc...but we can do that in her room for now at that same desk or maybe a coffee table could do double duty as a spot for her to do that, or something. 

I do have a sewing machine that both DD11 and I sometimes use, that can live in my bedroom or be used on dining room table or something but if there was an area in there to use it, that would be fun. 

Oh, and we have a giant printer, and 3 hole punch, proclick and supplies, and I want to get a cricut I think, so room for oddly shaped stuff. Maybe on top of the cube shelves, laid on their side longwise?  Or again, we turn one wall into a long countertop, so room to spread out? If kids each had a set of Alex drawers they could keep the stuff they are currently working on in there, leaving room to spread out on top? Or, use the big tables I already have somehow? At least one of them, plus small desks? I will say if I put the two tables next to each other I should paint them or something at some point...one is older than the other and was in a window so it has faded more than the other, so their colors no longer really match up. but that's an easy project. 

The only things I insist we keep are the hemnes bookshelves, and the wall map. Keeping the daybed as seating makes sense from a budget point of view, but we've considered switching for a futon from ikea instead. (photo of Kallax cubes is to show what they look like - that stuff is all in my husband's office, but he's not going to keep using the cubes so I can have them if I want them for the school room). Floor plan is what the designer same up with..sigh. 

Oh, and this link goes to my pinterest board of stuff I found inspiring or whatever https://www.pinterest.nz/katiemeyerbooks/homeschool/havenly/

So...novel finished...get to work, lol. PLEASE! 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2021 by ktgrok

[happi duck]

My two cents so far:

I prefer not to have a window opposite the tv because I can't stop noticing the reflection.

That seems to be asking a lot from that room.  Is school room and mom's office the first priority?

Edited November 13, 2021 by happi duck

[PeterPan]

I would be sorely tempted to fill that entire long wall with storage. There's never too much storage in a homeschool room. You're going to need some flex seating, so a stand up desk, a visually less distracting desk, and a floor desk. How many kids? Do they all work there or will the oldest go elsewhere like to a dining table? 

Two couches is redundant. Get ONE that you really really like. Make sure you actually like the IKEA one if you go that way. I find them completely impractical for my body. 

She drew a large desk for you, but do you want/need a large desk? I find I need a table/surface for laying out planning stuff, bt that could also double as a table for science projects, puzzles, etc. The sewing is realistic to throw in there and long term a nice plan. Assuming you're planning to stay in this house, would you see that room long term as your sewing/crafting/sitting room? If so, then plan storage now that segues nicely into that. For sewing you'd like some shelves, a long counter, and a desk to plunk your machine on. If you do a wall of shelving (Hermes X4?), it could work for that. Then tuck your desk into that corner but go with a smaller desk. Mine is about 36", just wide enough for a keyboard and a piece of paper on each side. Oh the bliss of a clean or easily cleaned desk! 

In the center a drop leaf table or something flexible like that as an island. If you do this, you can reconfigure, pushing the table against the wall and using the bookshelves to create spaces for small desks (the IKEA bamboo desks are adorable, my ds uses one) for private work nooks. So that would be bookshelf, desk, bookshelf, desk. 

Having the gaming and large tv in there seems like a lot. Don't you have a living room? You anticipate the olders working elsewhere during this? Seems like if they're going to be together that they need to watch videos on a small chromebook screen with headphones. I agree the question is focus. Too many ideas. Think longterm about what you want the room to be because in 10 years your situation will be radically different. Ten years isn't that long, jut poof. Nuts, probably in 6 years your situation will be radically different. 

[PeterPan]

Do you have dimensions or this drawn on grid paper? You might draw it out on grid paper and make little slips for your proposed furniture. The room looks wide enough (window to wall) that you *might* be able to put a sofa in there as a room divider. Have the sofa face the wall with that tv. Back the sofa with a shallow table the lenght of the sofa. Then you have projects, sofa, tv. I agree the glare is an issue. If you flip it, sofa faces window and you put bean bags under the window. Now you have read aloud and reading area. Wall of bookshelves on that long wall parallel to the couch and window. Table again behind the couch for puzzles/science. Desks tucked here and there. But do flex seating so some standing, some seated.

Have you looked on pinterest for classrooms for the grade levels of your kids? Thats' where I go to look for ideas. There's a big movement to make classrooms more homey.

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/funky-science-lab/  Something to get you started. 

[historically accurate]

What about something like this in the middle of the room? You could use wall space for storage, put the TV in there with a sofa opposite (no room for dancing though).

 

https://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2012/08/our-ikea-school-desks.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ConfessionsOfAHomeschooler+(Confessions+of+a+Homeschooler)&utm_content=Google+Reader 

 

Edited November 13, 2021 by historically accurate

[PeterPan]

What is in all those boxes? Does all that stuff fit on those two Hermes or do you need more storage? The sewing machine and a small amount of sewing stuff could fit on a shelf if you snag a few more Hermes. That's where I'd probably start, personally. You could grow the space slowly, starting with the basic bones and then bringing in pieces that you can rearrange as your usage needs change.  Things that are narrower (go vertical) are easier to rearrange, more modular. You'll probably have multiple ways you could configure the space if you buy pieces that are movable like this and not too committal. I like to create work nooks by function, so I'm always looking for modular.

[PeterPan]

5 minutes ago, historically accurate said:

What about something like this in the middle of the room? You could use wall space for storage, put the TV in there with a sofa opposite (no room for dancing though).

 

https://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2012/08/our-ikea-school-desks.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ConfessionsOfAHomeschooler+(Confessions+of+a+Homeschooler)&utm_content=Google+Reader 

 

That will convert to a very nice sewing/crafting room later! 

If op likes that island, she should draw the room out on grid paper and make a slip to the dimensions of that linked island. It seems nice as a not too big, not too small. Not modular, but very practical. And if she makes it *higher* than table height, they can stand up, use it with mats and a rotary cutter for sewing, etc.

Edited November 13, 2021 by PeterPan

[happi duck]

Some things I'd consider if it were me:

Couch between the book cases

Four tables making one large table where havenly put a coffee table (ish) (IKEA has table tops and legs sold separately with adjustable legs available, easy to reconfigure move aside as needed)

A rolling cart for each kid tucked behind the half wall when not in use

Your desk could go by the entrance of the room either facing or perpendicular to the window (creates an entrance way)

No tv, use a decent sized laptop for school videos.

One wall storage/book cases

Other wall maps and kid artwork etc.

 

[sgo95]

Here's my suggestion (google sheet):  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CS0QJilUNcApwJey-xfV_ShuzTZNeYololacBAOTKpM/edit?usp=sharing

Edited November 13, 2021 by sgo95

[prairiewindmomma]

You are asking conflicting things of the space. You wanted a quiet space for school (with concerns that Dh is working near by) and then you are putting a tv and gaming into the room. Let it be a school room. You need the space for desks. 

[Moonhawk]

if you have dimensions of the long wall and the weird sticky out part thing, I think that would be helpful. I keep drawing but either my desks are for ants or for The Rock and I'm not sure which, lol.

[cjzimmer1]

I would put the TV where the couch is.  Put a corner desk next to it on the right for you with some kind of storage under the tv.  

You could put the tall bookcases on either side of the window with the daybed in front or if you prefer a larger couch there, you could move the daybed to the corner where the designer has the L shaped desk.  You could probably still get one bookshelf with a couch and perhaps get the other bookcase next to the tv (on the left).  That leaves the shorter full wall for some kind of table/workspace.

 

Without knowing dimensions, it's hard for me guess what fits where.  I'm a visual person so I'd totally be moving furniture around till I liked how it fit but I know that doesn't work for everyone.

[prairiewindmomma]

Do you want separate stations like this?
https://thecottagemarket.com/back-school-diy-homework-stations-will-make-kids-want-study/
 

or a long wall like this that Joanna Gaines did: 

 

 

[historically accurate]

The dimensions are in the floor plan from the decorator in the original post. 

 

 

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, happi duck said:

My two cents so far:

I prefer not to have a window opposite the tv because I can't stop noticing the reflection.

That seems to be asking a lot from that room.  Is school room and mom's office the first priority?

So, the idea is it is a school room first, as in theory I could put a desk in my bedroom to do my writing, etc...I just need a space in this room for me to look at lesson plans, store teacher guides, etc. 

But we'd also like it to be an area the kids can hang out when the cousins or friends are over, so that adults can congregate downstairs to talk and kids can go upstairs to play/watch a movie, game, etc. For example, at thanksgiving or any family event we will have myself and DH, my parents, and my sister, BIL, his girlfriend, and my DS22 who will enjoy adult conversation, and then my 3 younger ones and my sister's two younger ones who want to play, be loud, watch TV, etc. Being able to have them do that upstairs would be great. Gaming could stay downstairs, but some area to watch Tv upstairs would be nice. 

3 minutes ago, Moonhawk said:

if you have dimensions of the long wall and the weird sticky out part thing, I think that would be helpful. I keep drawing but either my desks are for ants or for The Rock and I'm not sure which, lol.

Sorry - I thought their floor plan had the dimensions, I'll put my version below. 

2 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Do you want separate stations like this?
https://thecottagemarket.com/back-school-diy-homework-stations-will-make-kids-want-study/
 

or a long wall like this that Joanna Gaines did: 

 

 

I don't know, lol. 

[ktgrok]

Dimensions of the Hemnes bookcase here

[prairiewindmomma]

Fwiw, and this is totally just my bossy opinion….based on your previous complaints about school space, I think you are short on storage space for materials with the current design, you are going to be fighting over keeping your adhd kids from gaming if you have gaming in that space, and you’d benefit from keeping play and school separate. You need calm, quiet, and clean to school more efficiently. You just haven’t had it before. Do a rough set up for a couple of weeks and try it and see what you think.

If you need to have a tv there, I’d hang it a bit high on that wall perpendicular to the windows, put kid desks below that space, put seating where the sketch up puts the sofa (use the existing daybed in its place?) and just live with that and see how it feels. I think until you function for a bit in the space you won’t know what you need exactly for the kids in front of you.

 

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

I DO have money I can spend - thinking Ikea as it is fairly close and affordable and I won't feel bad if they wreck it. I'm thinking Alex desk for me, but maybe 3 of them, each with a set of drawers plus legs? Or a long countertop type thing? I need room where I can sit next to a kid when they are working on say, grammar or something that involves me instructing - they are at the "at elbow" stage for some stuff. And space to spread out a map or science activity or history project.

We couldn't really do desks, though I like the ideas floated about putting several together to make a table that can be taken apart. My kids gravitate toward a table or toward the sofa +/- a tray table. 

I think I'd want a table that could expand (we have an IKEA one that the leaves tuck under) and some tray tables that fold up, like the Tablemate II. We have a large one and a smaller one. They are adjustable in several different ways, and the smaller one has a cup holder (for pencils and such if you don't allow drinks immediately adjacent to books or computers). 

Couches and tables allow for at elbow work, but desks sometimes do and sometimes don't. Sitting between or at right angles to more than one child that needs at elbow is easier at a table, IMO.

[Drama Llama]

The number one thing I'd want in a homeschool space is a table we can gather around to do a science experiment, or play a math game, or have kids working together on individual things.  I'd start with finding a really nice table that I loved, maybe farmhouse style, and then planning around that.  I wouldn't do kid sized tables.  I'd do an adult sized table, and get something like a stokke trip trap so the 4 year old can work at it with her feet supported.  

The last thing I'd want in a homeschool space is a TV or video games.  

But I think I might be having a different vision of what a homeschool space would be, so I'm probably not helpful at all. 

[kbutton]

3 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Do a rough set up for a couple of weeks and try it and see what you think.

Yes. My kids never use anything the way I think it's going to go. We've reconfigured more times than I can count, especially as they age and the needs change. 

I also agree that more storage is always a priority unless you keep only current things in there and store the rest elsewhere. 

[Drama Llama]

Could you get a wardrobe type thing for the TV, maybe with a door that latches?  

I think that for my youngest, visible video games in the school room would not work.  Closed doors that signal that it's not play time, even with something like a hook and eye latch that they could all open would make that more manageable.  

 

[amyx4]

32 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Do you want separate stations like this?
https://thecottagemarket.com/back-school-diy-homework-stations-will-make-kids-want-study/
 

or a long wall like this that Joanna Gaines did: 

 

 

My college kids live at home and commute to State U.  They rearranged a room to look like this picture. 

I couldn't work that close to together 🙂 but it seems to work for the three of them.

[prairiewindmomma]

Fwiw, we were separate desks and noise canceling headphones people until a couple of years ago. Two of my kids put desks in their rooms and the remaining two and I share a table now. It’s all in the personalities of who is in the room as to what works best. The age and ability gaps of my kids has meant that we have rarely ever had shared activities. 

[PeterPan]

58 minutes ago, sgo95 said:

Here's my suggestion (google sheet):  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CS0QJilUNcApwJey-xfV_ShuzTZNeYololacBAOTKpM/edit?usp=sharing

That's really sharp! I'm not the op, but that desk under the window would be so pleasant. And if it's a long surface, it will multi-task. 

[PeterPan]

33 minutes ago, Baseballandhockey said:

The last thing I'd want in a homeschool space is a TV or video games.  

Yeah, I was trying to think about that. We just changed out our basement living room tv, so I have a 55" tv to put somewhere, anywhere. It is true that my ds likes to game and watch youtube and that we will do things (on hard days) where it's back and forth, video/task. And it is true that having something highly preferred and reinforcing can help make the room a positive place where they want to be. But even then, I can't even fathom trying to do that, even in a situation where it's VERY COMMON for us to be doing task, reward like that. It's so much easier to get the conversations you want to have and the science kit engagement and math manipulative open ended exploration, etc. if there's not the distraction of the tv. And anything the tv is for with academics could be done on a small screen, a laptop or ipad size. She could even put the tv there but *not* have the gaming on it. That would be so hard to deal with in our house. The gaming is in our basement living room and when I need him completely engaged, we have to be in the office, away from that. If the kids CAN work in a dedicated room, I'd continue that good habit. Nothing worse than messing up what was good because you didn't realize why something had been working.

7 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

the remaining two and I share a table now.

What size of table/island for that? I love the layout sgo95 made, but I think the island could be a big smaller. I just don't work with two kids at once to know. Working with one, I'm always trying to sit adjacent. She could probably tuck a rectangular island into that corner  with the pony wall or stairs or whatever that is and sit at the narrow end with the two kids on the long end. That reinforces correct vision of looking left to right.

[PeterPan]

59 minutes ago, kbutton said:

the Tablemate II. We have a large one and a smaller one.

Snazzy! My ds loves cupholders. 😄  Where are you using those? In a living room or in a school room? And pulled up to what kind of chair?

58 minutes ago, Baseballandhockey said:

The number one thing I'd want in a homeschool space is a table we can gather around to do a science experiment, or play a math game, or have kids working together on individual things.  I'd start with finding a really nice table that I loved, maybe farmhouse style, and then planning around that. 

That's the thing missing in my ds' current office, sigh. I have him in a smallish bedroom, and the table I used and loved with dd just *will not* fit. Sigh. I've skirted the issue using a small round table, but there really is no substitute for the centrality of a table that says we're here to make things happen. After that, the rest is just work stations, modular stuff. 

Hmm, maybe that round table has a LEAF that I don't remember? It's a hand me down, an odd thing. I should see. Op can have so much fun with this because her space is generous. I have ds in a small bedroom to keep him contained mentally, so it takes some creativity and careful planning to create workspaces to fit his growing body. When he was little, I'd have 5-6 work areas in one room, a total marvel. Now he's BIG and it gets hard. I should look at IKEA too. I just hate to buy a table. When dd was young we schooled in an open room in the basement that is now my sewing room. I would use simple folding tables, the 30X62 kind. I have several of those and a couple more that are more traditional school tables (double laminate, adjustable legs). I would make islands in all kinds of shapes to create function, which was fun. But for ds in his small space, I need just the right size, hmm. That would be wild if that table has a leaf. I'll have to go look.

Edited November 13, 2021 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

57 minutes ago, Baseballandhockey said:

But I think I might be having a different vision of what a homeschool space would be,

Well at least you're thinking in terms of function. You did notice that every single person here looked at the decorator plan and asked where the STORAGE was, lol. Everybody who homeschools knows they need storage and flexible areas to work. You don't flood the room with two sofas, mercy. It's not a furniture store.

[Drama Llama]

1 hour ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Do you want separate stations like this?
https://thecottagemarket.com/back-school-diy-homework-stations-will-make-kids-want-study/
 

Can I just say that the title on that page makes me laugh?

I find it very hard to believe that there is some furniture out there so magic that suddenly my kids will want to study.  

Furniture that makes it easier for the stay on task and work efficiently during things that either they already want to do, or that they want to get finished so they can do what they want to do?  That seems like a high enough bar.  

 

[ktgrok]

Ok, so...let's get rid of the idea of gaming in there. The switch needs to be downstairs anyway. 

Instead, plan. me a room without that, but with lots of storage, including for board game storage. Currently board games are on the bookshelves in the family room, and we'd rather they were not there, just visually speaking. 

Oh! And DH says he has a projector, and can use that plus a pull down screen somewhere, if we want to kick the cousins upstairs to watch TV. So that's an option. 

[kbutton]

9 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Snazzy! My ds loves cupholders. 😄  Where are you using those? In a living room or in a school room? And pulled up to what kind of chair?

The living room, primarily. Sometimes we pull them up to a table if someone has a drink or snack because it will get spilled (even with lids). Then we can put the food on the tray instead.

We pull them up to the couches. We upgraded couches, and they have a support bar underneath that doesn't let us pull the legs totally underneath, but it works well enough. They are reclining couches, which is why they have the odd bar. Sometimes we turn the tables sideways or backwards, and they still work, lol! We have limited end tables in the living room. They tuck nicely under "regular" couches and chairs for a snug fit.

[matrips]

I like this.  It’s almost the same as your current room.  And the couch away from the walls would leave the wall behind the couch for more shelving/storage.  Though I might try an L shaped couch. And your desk by the smaller window.  A tv could go behind those doors of that storage unit they have. I know you don’t have that whole wall of windows for the kids desks, but you could still use the same setup.  And even out shelving above the desks without windows

 

 

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

27 minutes ago, Baseballandhockey said:

Can I just say that the title on that page makes me laugh?

I find it very hard to believe that there is some furniture out there so magic that suddenly my kids will want to study.  

Furniture that makes it easier for the stay on task and work efficiently during things that either they already want to do, or that they want to get finished so they can do what they want to do?  That seems like a high enough bar.  

 

I agree…..but visually that’s very minimalistic. There’s no place to misplace papers or pencils. There’s no hiding of toys or distractions to look at when Mom is occupied elsewhere. It’s a get in, get your stuff done, everything is visible environment which some people need.

============

@PeterPan, right now our school table is from IKEA—the Bjursta.

They don’t sell it anymore, but in a previous house we had two dining rooms and this was one of those tables, repurposed. It has two extensions, so it can go to 120” in length (but I don’t have it that way now). It’s narrow, but long. I have a big 43” monitor on the table I can project from a laptop onto. I do that for my kid with vision issues when he is doing homework. I also do that when watching Mystery Science videos with dd. I sometimes use it for me when I am working with spreadsheets. The current length allows people to comfortably sit side by side and sprawl with books, but since I usually just have three of us at the table, two of us take an end and another takes the middle. 
 

It’s a tight fit in a tiny room, but that also keeps people from wandering. If you are working, you are working. If you need a break, you take a quick one elsewhere. We try not to have idle time in the workspace or minds wander, people get off track, etc.

[Idalou]

But they OP said ideally its a place to store school stuff, work with her at times, watch docs,  and work on their own if they want to, which sounds like the kids are allowed to do solo work elsewhere in the house. 

I'd put the TV where you planned, make sure you had good blinds to block sun, have one kid comfy couch, and one table large enough to seat all of you for crafts, sewing, and board games, and a small table if needed for individual time.

I am not understanding the trouble with having a tv. Is it really common for children to give you a hard time about watching it during school work time? Mine aren't angels, but have never done that. I can understand special needs, but does a typical elementary aged kid see a TV near them and expect that to mean play time? 

She also wants them TV for school viewings and kid friendly visits. No way I'd ditch it.

[Tap]

It is hard to explain, but when my kids were still school age I did this.

I bought a Billy Bookcase without the doors. Then I took a flat desk from IKEA (the same as the Malm beds but I don't know if that is what it is called in a desk). I bought adjustable legs for the desk. I then put one end of the desk, into the Billy. (that is why I needed adjustable legs; two legs were inside the cabinet. I lined that wall with Billys. Leaving each child an area to sit at their desk from either side. The benefit, was that we had desks that could be put together like a table. We had to put books under the short legs (I didn't want to adjust them all the time). The desks were long enough I could sit on the other side or beside them if they needed help and were big enough for large projects.  The upright book case gave them storage and a place for fun things on their top shelf. 

The benefit was saving wall space, but still allowing them to have a desk and a shelf. By putting the desk into the cabinet, it make it look like it was designed that way, and not just a desk sitting beside the bookcase. My 27 year old son still uses those desks. He puts them together in an L shape and it is a great set up for his home office. He is a student, and accountant, a gamer and an artist.  The large area on the desks allow him space for it all. 

 

Edited November 13, 2021 by Tap

[Tap]

Another thought, is to get lightweight desks and just let them move around the room as they desire. My friend did this with 3 lightweight, 4 foot conference tables. Her kids moved all over the house with the tables. They sat on the couch (littles on a pillow) and did school all the time, with a dinning room chair, or they clustered them together for a larger table when needed.  The set up worked great for her. Since they were conference tables (Costco has them I think) they weren't pretty, but for times when she wanted the living room pretty, she just folded the legs and tucked them away. The kids used clip boards for a smooth surface because the top was textured. 

Edited November 13, 2021 by Tap

[Junie]

Ok, let's see if I can describe what I'm picturing...

I would put the TV on the wall where it's supposed to go (with the surround sound) with the cubes underneath it.

I would leave the tall bookcases where they are and put the daybed in between them.

I would put the sofa in the middle of the room facing the TV, and then put a large table directly behind the sofa with a couple of chairs also facing the TV.  This would work especially well if they are watching documentaries.  They can sit on the sofa or sit at the table and take notes/do science experiments, or whatever.

I would keep a desk for you in the corner by the stairs, but I would turn it so that the chair is near the wall and not the desk.  This way you will be facing into the room and you won't have the weird overhang of the desk and wall.

Edited November 13, 2021 by Junie

[PeterPan]

2 hours ago, ktgrok said:

board game storage. Currently board games are on the bookshelves in the family room, and we'd rather they were not there, just visually speaking. 

I divided my games into games my ds would choose on his own and games that are overtly educational, things I choose/compel/assign. I keep the games he will choose to play in a closet near the dining table where we play those games. I keep the games he will not choose on his own (educational, therapy type games) near our school room.

When I kept the games together, it was just a muddle, with him unable to find his pleasure games and me feeling guilty about playing leisure games thinking I always needed to be doing something therapeutic. 

[ktgrok]

Ok, found a website I could play with, and one idea I came up with was this - those are long desks that are big enough for me to pull up my chair next to a child while working with them, with Alex drawer units by each one, with a bigger/wider Alex drawer unit for the printer to go on. There are also add on shelves you can get for the desks, that go on top, if we want. AND the desks are adjustable in height, so can lower it for DD4 - I'd put hers by that small window. 

Then a coffee table with a shelf or storage, and the cube storage on the wall on the right, that I can put the stuff that is too tall for the bookcases on, like microscope, globe, etc right on top of. 

I may put board games in one of the upstairs linen closets for now, I think I have room, and we could play them at the coffee table, or use it for puzzles, coloring, etc. (plus we have both a dining and kitchen table downstairs). 

 

[ktgrok]

Oh, and I'd do an Alex desk for myself, since only one person has to sit there, so don't need extra leg room. So I'd have the narrow alex drawers as part of my desk, maybe the ones with the file cabinet built in, then the wide alex drawers for the printer to sit on and to store all the types of paper we have, then each kid gets a set of alex drawers (although DD4 might want the ones on wheels that are a bit smaller). Map above the Kallax (it's a 2x4 cube unit, not what is pictured).

[PeterPan]

Is that the tv above the cubes? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01D3TSFR4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  You can corner mount it for under $40, freeing up that entire wall for more storage. I LOVE the wall of desks. What if you got more Hemnes and filled that wall, flanking the couch with short storage? That way you could have cozy lighting, a globe, kleenex, a bin for read alouds, small whiteboard and markers, etc. right there beside the couch. That's stuff I keep beside my couch in rope baskets from Target. Maybe do low storage on one side of the couch, tall storage on the other (the corner nearer the room entrance. That will also free up a spot to hang a plant.

[PeterPan]

Pulling this down from your original post. If you *keep* the wall of bookshelves the way she originally drew it, keep the couch under the window, do the thing to the side of the couch which looks like it has a lamp or something on it, you're mainly changing that big 2nd sofa to a row of desks. 

I will tell you that her L-shaped desk is IDEAL for sewing. So if you're thinking long term and where this is going, it will be very useful. I don't think the way she drew it into the space is a problem as there's plenty of clearance.

What are the funky circle things above and between the bookshelves?

[happi duck]

I think it's the map not a TV.

[TechWife]

I feel your frustration. We've been in our house almost two years. I had an intro visit with an interior designer week before last and I'm getting ready to sign a design contract so that someone else can pull all of this together for me! I.am.done. I'm not good with scale, colors & I know what I like when I see it but I'm incapable of transferring what I see into the space I have. For example - I'm on my third living room rug (under the coffee table) and it still isn't right. Thankfully they aren't expensive and I'm going to sell or trade them on our neighborhood facebook page. So, yeah, I get it.

I'm another voice for using the room as much as you can before you invest in furniture for it. Even inexpensive furniture can add up. Can you get some folding tables to mimic the desk space? Do you have a couch you can bring in there to use for your reading times until you decide what you really need?

One of the hiccups that can come along is planning around electrical outlets. I use some extension cords tucked behind some larger pieces, so you may have more wall space than you think you have if you can use extension cords. Of course, use good ones and make sure to follow load guidelines on them.

Have you played around with the Ikea home planner? You could use their "office" and drop in exactly the furniture you have and then select other items from the ikea website to drop in.

On your model - the wall you have the desks on:

Would your kiddos be able to work if their desks were arranged face to face with a short edge against the wall? Doing this could free up some wall space for more bookcases or a cabinet. You could tuck a bookshelf on the exposed short end, facing outward. Under each desk, on the short end next to the wall, you could put stacking cubes facing toward the outside of the table along the long side. The kids could use those cubes for their current school materials. You could either put some pull out bins in there or leave them open, whichever works for them. On the top of the desks, pencil cups & such can be put on the short end against the wall so they don't get knocked over as easily. This would also (ideally) free up the top of the desks to use as a crafting space for your daughter or a sewing space when needed.

Rudimentary sketches of desk set up only (the pink margin line is the wall):

option 1:

Option 2:

 

 

Another desk idea:

Instead of desks, get a large kitchen or dining room table, float it in the middle of the floor and have your kids work on opposite sides, diagonally from each other so that they both have the entire width of the table and 1/2 the length. You could tuck bookcases/cubes under a table just like you could a desk. This would free up a ton of wall space for you which you can use for bookcases or cabinets.  It can also be used for crafts/sewing, etc. when it's not being used for school.

for this: "giant printer, and 3 hole punch, proclick and supplies, and I want to get a cricut I think, so room for oddly shaped stuff."

It's hard to tell from the photos - is there a closet in this room or in a hall nearby (like right next to it)? If there is - put shelves floor to ceiling and then use a combination of boxes, bins & baskets to store these items. Larger things can be put open on the shelf. Cricket's take up a lot of space because  - supplies. I have my cricket on one of these cabinets and I roll it into the closet when I'm not using it.

If there isn't a closet, can you get some cabinets with doors so that you can put these bulkier items into?

[PeterPan]

37 minutes ago, happi duck said:

I think it's the map not a TV.

I wouldn't give that such prime real estate. It can go anywhere. That side wall left of the couch would do.

[matrips]

2 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Oh, and I'd do an Alex desk for myself, since only one person has to sit there, so don't need extra leg room. So I'd have the narrow alex drawers as part of my desk, maybe the ones with the file cabinet built in, then the wide alex drawers for the printer to sit on and to store all the types of paper we have, then each kid gets a set of alex drawers (although DD4 might want the ones on wheels that are a bit smaller). Map above the Kallax (it's a 2x4 cube unit, not what is pictured).

You’re not taking advantage of all the wall space you have for storage.

I’d move the sofa to the middle of the room and float it, facing the tv.  Move the two black bookcases to either side of the brown cube thing.  Add more to fill that wall if needed.  Put two of the kids desks where the couch and bookcases currently are.  This will free up a huge wall to add bookcases/storage u it’s.  Leave one kids desk and printer on that wall. Use wireless printing.  

[ktgrok]

26 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

I wouldn't give that such prime real estate. It can go anywhere. That side wall left of the couch would do.

There is actually a window there on that smaller wall,  forgot to put it there. Unless you mean the other wall...I do want it easy to access as we refer to it frequently. 

[Minerva]

3 hours ago, Junie said:

Ok, let's see if I can describe what I'm picturing...

I would put the TV on the wall where it's supposed to go (with the surround sound) with the cubes underneath it.

I would leave the tall bookcases where they are and put the daybed in between them.

I would put the sofa in the middle of the room facing the TV, and then put a large table directly behind the sofa with a couple of chairs also facing the TV.  This would work especially well if they are watching documentaries.  They can sit on the sofa or sit at the table and take notes/do science experiments, or whatever.

I would keep a desk for you in the corner by the stairs, but I would turn it so that the chair is near the wall and not the desk.  This way you will be facing into the room and you won't have the weird overhang of the desk and wall.

I have a crystal clear picture of your design in my head, and it seems really functional.

[ktgrok]

Ok, this is another idea - although I lose the big coffee table to play games at, etc. It does add room for more wall based storage - I threw in another Kallax cube shelf type thing, but could be something else. You can't put the tall bookshelves on that wall though if you have the desks under the window, they block access. 

[Storygirl]

 

I've seen versions of this way to fit both storage and desks into a school space. Something like this might free up more wall and floor space for your sofa and TV area. You could give yourself the part of the wall that includes that half wall, so that you could have a desk that goes around the corner and gives you more area for yourself. Then you would just need a large table in the middle for group work.

 

[PeterPan]

Couch facing wall or couch facing window? I'd want it facing the window. 

Consider the visual weight of the room. Your last drawing has heavy bookcases across from a really light window. The room is imbalanced. Putting them on the map wall (the wall you face when you walk in) creates a focal point and makes the room balanced.