I'd paint the room an energetic color, maybe an orange.

(Look for Sherwin Williams sales).

SW Invigorate

And how about a table like this, which you can design yourself

Here is a link that might be useful: Table

Maybe an orange not quite so hot?

SW Marquis Orange

Would you have the desk away from the wall, or up against the wall? If it's away from the wall, you could have kids facing you which is good for teaching and observing and collaborative work, or alongside for intimacy and demonstration and hand-on-hand work. (Personal bias here, but I can't work up against a wall, I need to be able to shift my focal point.) And, then on the wall you could have the map lower, so they can get closer, more at their eye-level, and they can interact more closely with it (can you interact with an inanimate object? Well, you know what I mean). Our playroom (when I was a kid) had a raised-relief map at my height, and being a visual-tactile learner, I really learned my geography by being able to "get up close and personal" with it.

Swivel or chairs that rock a little bit are great for kids, so they can wiggle a bit. You can also get balls for sitting, it helps them concentrate the wiggles on sitting still! Sounds like a paradox, but true!

Underneath the desk, I wouldn't do much more than pencil drawers, and separately drawers about the height of a ream of paper. I like the Alex drawers from ikea, my son chose one for his desk at college. They come in various widths depending on what you want to store, wider for art paper for example.

For paint, something neutral-ish like BM Navajo so you can fill it with pictures,posters, etc.

Love Tibbrix's table!

I'd think about a mossy green...not too deep or too bright.
{{gwi:2136982}}

For a classroom the oranges are way too over stimulating. Greens, blue, softer purples and paler yellows are better for classroom environments. The curved table, though, was a favorite of mine when teaching!

Here is a link that might be useful: colors for creating optimal learning environments

According to this article, you don't want stimulating colors on the walls in a classroom:

Quote:
The key to creating an environment conducive to learning in a classroom is to not over-stimulate learners. Overstimulation is often cause by large amounts of bright colors, especially reds and oranges. Calmness, relaxation, happiness and comfort are feelings elicited by colors such as green and blue.

haha! we found the same article. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Colors in the Classroom

This post was edited by party_music50 on Fri, Jan 30, 15 at 10:15

Hi - in my classroom, I have long narrow tables that are great for all kinds of work & also to let kids spread out w/o crowding each other, but often wish the tables weren't so heavy & hard to move around for certain activities. Here's a style from Ikea that looks useful for a classroom setting - locking wheels make it easily moveable for activities, & it comes in various finishes as well as the option for corner bumpers, & you could use smaller storage unit(s) on wheels underneath....

Here is a link that might be useful: linnmon table

Another vote for the table Tib posted. I also used one when I taught. We called them "kidney tables!" I liked that the curve allowed me to easily reach across to each student and they were far enough away from each other that they could spread out a bit.

bpathome is right on when she mentioned the sitting balls. Kids attend much better when not forced to sit totally still. I personally would avoid chairs that swivel, though. It would drive me nuts to see them constantly moving from left to right (and they would, you know:)

Hmmm, lots to ponder. I actually like both of those tables. I had planned to have it against the wall but that is not definite. I'm trying to think about how we like to work. My kids are older, if that makes a difference. The 14 year old is 6'3' tall. Normally when we work together, we are at the kitchen table with me on the end and the kids on the same end of the table, facing each other. We are close enough to work but they seem to be comfortable. There isn't a lot of space for my laptop and binder and materials though. I wonder if I need my own separate desk.

For the paint, I think I'd like something a little more subdued, that goes with the pillows on the sofa. Good point about choosing a color conducive to learning. I had not considered that.

Any more ideas? Thanks for your help so far.

High school! That's a horse of a different color. Although the walls should still be somewhat neutral, but you can add stronger color. Perhaps the green on the wall with the map, to "ground it".

Your teen needs support! My sons (and DH) have Torkel chairs from ikea( $59 I think) , but they are under 6'. Have your teen try some on for size and adjustability, and if you get a chair with arms, they probably won't fit under the table once s/he raises it. Colors are limited at ikea, though. The balls can still be a good exerciser and change of pace, and great for strengthening legs and torso. Function definitely overrides form when it comes to their chair.

They need room to lean back and streeeeetch out, so consider a table where they can be at, for instance, the top right and bottom left of the table, if that makes sense. Or maybe a round or oval conference table is what you need with older kids? Ikea has design-.your-own tables/desks: pick the surface, and the supports: legs, drawers, cabinets. You can do table top organizers, like a silverware caddy, for rulers, pens, protractors, etc.

A wall-mounted whiteboard might be longer-lasting, and bigger, than an easel. And you can project on it. But an easel is good for flipping and you can save the paper, pinning it up to make a timeline, for example. But those kids of tools depend on how you school.

Is the computer a traditional one, a laptop, a tablet? See if you can project it, or get a tv screen in there you can use as a monitor, as well as for watching programs, documentaries, movies related to your schoolwork, on. With the comfy couch and ottomans, you have a good setup for that.

Oh yes, I left off the important detail that I have a teenager! I was trying to include all the pertinent information and not be too wordy, and I forgot that little tidbit.

I have a laptop, but we use it minimally for school. Sometimes I'll find an interesting news article to share. We watch movies on the downstairs tv.

I got tired of the bins and books in my kitchen (we were using the kitchen table) and decided to try to do school up in the playroom. The negative is that I'm not by the kitchen, and there is more running up and down the stairs. Maybe that is a good thing, LOL! We do have an old tv in here too on the wall that isn't in the photos so that could be used as well.

Oh, we do have some of those balls but I think the novelty wore off.

It's sounding like a longer type table might be the best bet.

Thanks to all who chimed in.

Is it just the teen or are there younger kids too? I'd be inclined to pick a color that works well with a variety of art and colors because I'd think you might want to put up different teaching aids over time and display art or projects.

I find blue and green to be, yes, calming but also sleepy colors.

Agree the orange is not good for older kids.

How about a good purple? calming but also lively enough to keep them awake.

BM Frozen in Time

I would go for the swivel chairs. There are usually used office supply places where you can purchase good quality office chairs that don't cost too much.

As I type this, I am sitting on a cheap swivel chair and it is so uncomfortable, I have to hop up every few minutes to get my circulation back. Definitely look at a quality chair for your tall one.

another pic of BM Frozen in Time. Love it.

Tibbrix, You are not afraid of color, are you?

I am homeschooling my younger two boys, ages 11 and 14 (plus I have a 16 year old son who uses the space) so I'd like it to be a sort of masculine looking but fun space. I thought more about the green posted above but what I like about this room is that it has a good amount of light, unlike the rest of my house. I'm afraid a darker color would suck the light out of the room. We have a small room downstairs that is a dark mossy green, and the room is just so dark. This room is much bigger so though so maybe it would be ok?

I'm thinking about Behr crisp celery. I'm not sure how to post the picture I found but I posted the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: crisp celery

This is more bold

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:2136977}}

I like both of those greens. Maybe because I was so bored in school, and I always disliked the institutional greens they had on the walls, that my instincts are that, for learning places, more vibrant colors are better.

I think either of those greens would be great. Enough yellow in each to keep it vibrant enough for learning nd keeping brains going but not so hot that they're distractive.

For your space and family I prefer the bolder green. I used behr's crisp celery in my girls' basement play space and it can lean towards mint or a pastel even in a darker basement. So for a more masculine room I think the bolder green might be best. Here is crisp cerely in my lower level play space, it could be all the pink that makes it so pastel though.....

This post was edited by roarah on Sat, Jan 31, 15 at 11:52

Oh wow, Roarah. It doesn't look anything like the other picture. Much lighter and softer than I would expect.

Forgive me for asking, but what is wrong w/ what's already there? Thinking about classrooms, bright light is the most desirable for many reasons & those white(ish?) walls reflect light better than any color will. My classroom @ work was recently painted white (per my request) & I love it! The room just seems so much lighter & brighter & cheerful.