Need help designing a homeschooling space
I don't have a dedicated space for homeschooling my six kids in our new house. We are remodeling the 360 sq ft living room, and it's going to have to be multi-functional: a place to "do school" during the day, but also a nice place to hang out with friends and watch TV in the evening.
I'm debating about getting rid of my baby grand piano to make space for a desk or other work space, but I'm a bit torn on that.
I'll post "before" pictures of the space below. It is now painted a beige color, and the new bamboo flooring will be installed in the next couple of days. We have IKEA Kallax shelves (in birch effect, which is a natural wood look) like this to put under the TV for school book storage (we have baskets similar to the ones pictured):
My coffee table matches the Kallax and will provide storage for kids' picture books and DVD's:
Here is my piano (which would be turned with the keyboard in the corner and the top open when the remodel is done), but this corner could also be used for some kind of work surface/computer desk if we get rid of the piano:
Here is room before we installed and painted drywall:
That closet next to the fireplace is amazing storage for school supplies, and its door will be replaced with a curtain that matches the curtains on the windows.
I was hoping to purchase IKEA's world map but just learned that it was discontinued this year. :-(
I would like sophisticated decor that also nods to the fact that we homeschool. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much!
Comments (8)
Kristin McPherson
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Need Help!! Modern/Industrial Design for Condo (Living/Dining space)
Comments (2)Congratulations! It looks like a fantastic property :) When buying a new home, especially a first home, it is best to move in first before making changes. It is amazing how much living in the space for a while (six to 12 months) gives you a different approach to what you want to change. Try it, at least for a few months. BTW, love the live edge table. Be aware that scale is important. It is easy to buy furniture of any type that is too large so make sure to keep your dimensions with you so you don't make a purchase that is too large for the space....See MoreHelp! Need Design Help on Kitchen Remodel to "warm" space
Comments (2)Warming the space with that charcoal island and cool looking flooring might call for some hot orange or yellow accessories on the shelves. I don't have a housekeeper, so anything that requires additional cleaning isn't my style, but wood would help warm things up. It must coordinate with your flooring though. Best to focus on canisters, small appliances for warmth. Red/orange Yellow Cool, but cool......See MoreUniversal Design Floorplan for Homeschooling family of 6
Comments (43)@Mark Bischak So we met with several builders (custom, semi-custom, and tract builders) and most of them told us this would take about $700,000 without land or improvement. No big surprise. This plan was meant to be a launching point to get started with, not a set-in-stone “must have” list That is a hybrid of my and my husband‘s wish-list. I’ve spoken through the Internet with a few architects and would LOVE to have a home designed BUT then I’m in the “full-custom” category and they are charging far more this year than what we were quoted per Sq Ft last year (for obvious reasons). We also met Yesterday with a semi-custom builder that quoted us $450,000 for something similar that has been pared back a lot. Of course, we still need the lot and improvements which will put us right at $500,000 or beyond. (They said $5,000 for the messy kitchen btw). But the part that I have trouble swallowing is that these builders are making their base homes have quartz countertops, hardwood or LVP, and MASSIVE owners suites when what I really need is stripped down function. I can add nicer finishes and fixtures over time but I can’t easily add zero-step entries, pockets doors, a mud room, widen hallways, or relocate a laundry room. Ive played with the Semi-custom floorplan for a little bit today and came up with the following. They’ve told me relocating the Master and kids room was no change in cost. the main additional cost is bumping out the garage to make room for the mud room. So I’m in a catch-22,. If I get a home designed by an architect (who will match it to the lot), only full custom builders will build it (and for $65 more per sq. ft.) OR DIY modify one of a “semi-custom“ Builder’s plans which makes me give up important function while being forced to pay for extra “wiz-bang” and “bling” I don’t need. Do I just need to keep looking perhaps for a builder who will allow me to use more ”humble” finishes or is this just something I have to accept at this price range? Just accept the pre-assembled plans that aren’t functional and try to get them to widen doorways etc? Or perhaps I should just buy an already-built house, widen what doors I can, and hope He get enough walking at therapy to recover his ability to walk. I can cut out a few more small things (use a stack W/D in a closet, no pantry) but pretty soon I’ll be losing the openness that makes it possible for him to walk and the function for the rest of the family. Maybe we could just put the garage on later but I doubt my husband would go for that. Here‘s the Semi-custom plans after I played with them. The only part of the footprint I added was bumping out the garage 5’ to make room for a mud room and bumping the bath and laundry out a few feet. Not beautiful but hopefully more realistic. The ”Messy Kitchen” and Laundry will just have rough plumbing until we can get cabinets later. No builtin yet, just space for them. My husbands home office and Library/Loft is where he meets with clients so that’s our bread and butter. And FYI, when you have 3 kids per bedroom using triple bunks, you can’t have toys in there (for a dozen reasons) and so the playroom becomes pretty close to bare minimum, even when we keep toys pared down aggressively. Homeschooling will just be done at the Dining table in the Morning room until we can maybe add on later. (The Morning room is the source of light for the Kitchen, not just the Great Room, FYI). I never could have imagined ten years ago that a Half-Million Dollars would be consided so little in an area that is historically so inexpensive to build. I’ll brace myself for the next onslaught of criticism.......See MoreI need help designing this space.
Comments (1)try posting your photos in a new comment. Be sure to wait until they are no longer grayed out to hit 'submit'....See MoreKristin McPherson
8 years agoOne thing we often use is the Classical Conversations "timeline card" set:
I am wondering if it would look nice to display them below a big map using the IKEA wire:
bpath
8 years ago
tishtoshnm Zone 6/NM
8 years ago
monicakm_gw
8 years ago
laughablemoments
8 years agoCongratulations on your new home! That's going to be an awesome space for your living room and school room. We have a similar situation where our living room is also where some of our children do school. Here is the layout I'm currently working on for our 15.5 x 25 space:
I tried to think of the spaces as zones, almost like kitchen zones. On the top left is the school work zone where 2 of my 7 can have some desk space and store their school work. At the bottom is the book zone. For once, I'd like all of our books in one place. The middle is the read-aloud, conversation,family Bible time, and movie watching zone. I'm toying with hanging the t.v. on the wall and incorporating it with the book shelves somehow. On the right I'm planning for a closet to store sewing and art supplies in addition to toys (Yes, I'm deluded to think it's all going to fit in a 6' closet. Ahem. Moving on...) And a small play area behind the couch. Lastly, there is a computer armoire and a chair at the top right of the page.
I'm with you in not wanting my house to look like an elementary classroom. I'll take homey, thank you very much. : ) I've been pinning ideas for a while now, it's a bit of a mish-mash, but here's my board in case there is anything that would help you out. I hope you'll post some pictures as you go and when you're done! Homeschool-Family Room Pin board
Bestyears
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
tishtoshnm Zone 6/NM