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Erin
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| Posted: June 04 2013 at 4:44pm | IP Logged
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After 6 years we once again have a learning room  However it does look very functional, a blackboard on one wall and a corkboard on the other, table and chairs in the middle and two walls lined with low cupboards.
So some decorating is in need to make it look less 'schooly' but I haven't a clue what to do, and to make it harder this is not the final product, there are walls to come down and room extended and more natural light let in etc but that won't be for another year yet or maybe two.
What would you do if your room was long term temporary?
(Will photos help?)
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: June 06 2013 at 7:14am | IP Logged
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Photos would help!
I think, in a temporary situation, I would add some framed posters or prints. Maybe something pretty yet educational. I'm always inspired by this blog post. Of course, the maps and shelves she has are more permanent, but some of the framed posters or even a framed map look nice and can be easily moved when need be.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 06 2013 at 7:54am | IP Logged
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I think that what I would do is start out planning, at least roughly, your vision for the finished school room 2 years from now.
Then, I would go through and isolate the elements of that finished room which are not "built-in" such as posters and prints, white board/black boards, free-standing tables, shelves, etc, and the storage you plan to use.
Are there elements of this which would fit comfortably in your current space?
Do you want a large wall map that you can mount to foam core so that it can be rehung later?
Perhaps you want built-ins with fitted baskets, can you buy the baskets to use in a different way now?
I would probably start imagining the completed space down to the color schemes, too. Paint is relatively inexpensive and I would view 2 years as enough time to invest a bit of $$ in a space to make it more livable, but it will be easier in two years if you start now with the colors you think you'll want then since it doesn't sound as if you are gutting the entire room.
Could you find a pretty paper or fabric to complement the future color scheme that you could use on the cork board? Can you start buying second-hand/inexpensive frames for prints that you can paint the same color to coordinate? You could even start out hanging the empty frames before you've decided what you'd want to put into them. Is your furniture sort of a hodge-podge? Painting some of them to match or coordinate (different shades of one color or complimentary colors) could make a space feel cohesive. Or maybe there is just one dominant piece of furniture that would really make the space come together if paints black or white or one of your favorite bolder colors. I would just try to envision the piece in the finished space so I could make sure it would work there, too.
I'd also look at the most basic, inexpensive means of displaying things simply as a filler, like the wire curtain hangers from Ikea or a length of twine with some clothespins.
One thing to consider, though I'm not sure how to articulate it well, is to find some simple accent element that you can use to bring everything together, depending on your taste.
For example, I'm on my second set of this grosgrain ribbon because I just like it a lot. In the past, I have used the black and white stripe a lot as an accent for hanging pictures, curtain ties, etc... You can use a strip of ribbon hung vertically with some clips to display art post cards or some vintage botany printables. A ribbon could also be attached to the frame of your chalkboard or as a border on your corkboard (my little office board is covered with canvas and has a grosgrain border). Grograin comes in a wide variety of colors and designs.
Or, perhaps there is a collection of coordinating washi tapes you could use in a similar way for labeling, accenting, tacking come pretty cards directly to the wall or side of some shelves, etc...
Want something more earthy? Buy a big spool of bailing twine at the Ag supply to use this way.
Or, you could find a designer's set of scrapbook papers that you really like and use it throughout your space in frames, to backfill frames for smaller pictures/quotes, to use as a background for laminated checklists and reminders, etc...
I don't have a dedicated school space, so I am living vicariously through you! 
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Erin
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| Posted: June 06 2013 at 3:51pm | IP Logged
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The two doors on the right of this shot lead into the study and the library respectively.
This is taken from the other end of the room looking back.
I've gathered loads of ideas at pinterest, but when it comes to actually implementing I freeze.
The plan is to paint all of our house the same colour (a warm sandy colour) but I'm wondering if I should paint the learning area - learning room, study and library differently or at least the learning room?
When all is gutted I actually won't have much wall space, though lots of windows
mmm an accent element, see I'd never think of that, I'm just not gifted like that.
So essentially you're saying you would decorate now, keeping in mind the end product in two years?
*I have more pics here.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 07 2013 at 8:07am | IP Logged
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Your space has so much potential, Erin!
Yes, I would start decorating now.
After looking at your space and your Pinterest board, I think that the first thing *I* would do is find a large scale map I like. I am admittedly partial to decorating with charts and maps having decorated our first living room with nautical charts 10 years ago before it was trendy  . However, it is useful and natural for a schoolroom and will get you a lot of visual bang for your decorating buck. I have mine mounted to high quality foam core taped together from leftover event displays from dh's work and hope to someday actually buy and use map pins, but there are many ways you could go about mounting or framing it such that you can move it later.
I think that it would be a great feature on your wall that has the display shelves. If you mounted the map highish, you could still use the display shelves lower on the wall side by side beneath it.
I would also pick the map first because finding one you love will also help you choose a color scheme and paint color. I have the earth-toned map from National Geographic in my dining room. I couldn't find the exact size and style, though, I bought a large paper one that is somewhere in between the sizes I saw just now. This particular style map would coordinate well with your sandy background and is a bit more formal. I think greens look really nice with it and if you wanted a different neutral color for the walls to coordinate with the rest of the house, green could be fun to work into the space.
But turquoise and blues work equally well with the warm sand shades as you can see when you look at traditional nautical charts that include land masses, and many school/educational maps are gorgeous shades of blue or turquoise, so if you love those maps, they could help you pick a coordinating shade of blue to use in the space.
Or either option could be used if you do decide to keep the sandy paint color consistent. Whatever you choose, I think starting with a strong element like that as a "center" could help you get started.
I know you said wall space is precious, but one thing to plan for down the road would be to keep your eyes open for an old rolling blackboard/bulletin board combination that could be free standing instead of relying on the wall-space. I guess that was a whole lot of blathering about maps if you don't think you'll have the wall-space for it later 
I also think that the twine and clothespin style display would be really neat above both or either of your chalkboard and cork board.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Mrs. B
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| Posted: June 10 2013 at 4:41pm | IP Logged
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Because you have little ones, I'd leave the cupboards be. I would not paint them, because paint is so hard to keep clean, so hard to reverse. I would not paint the chalk board either. I'd keep the vintage look going. Your wood colors are warm and bright and matching. I love that.
I'd put a pretty, warm color on the walls. Apple green (There are some really pretty greens on your pinterest board) blue, pumkin, purple. Something that really speaks to you. Then buy a sample and put it up in a couple of different areas. See how it looks in the space.
I'd change the curtains and use blinds unless the curtains could be the same color as your accenting color for the room. You could use your accent color/cloth on the chalk board, or just in some comfy pillows, or containers.
The futon/couch looks sturdy but it could be covered by your accent color or reupholstered. A rug would be nice. They do make any room seem much more inviting and comfy.
Green walls and red accents? Or perhaps a robins egg blue or a softer lavender/blue? Or a blue that has some turquoise in it?
The wall that has the window and the statues could be a different color, perhaps a lighter shade than the wall.
I could also see this room in blue and white, with painted cupboards. But I wouldn't do that till the little ones were a bit older.
What a lovely space you have! It's great.
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Erin
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| Posted: June 24 2013 at 5:15pm | IP Logged
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Great news is I've begun painting. We (ds16 and I) painted the ceiling yesterday and we'll do the walls today. I decided in the end to stay with the sandy colour we have throughout the rest of the house. It is a warm neutral colour.
I'm considering taking the doors off the ex-school cupboards in an effort to make them look more like Ikea cupboards. And I'll make fabric bins. the shelves are a chipboard/particle board. Do you think it would be best to paint, pretty contact paper or wall paper of fabric them?
I'm even wondering about moving one cupboard on top of the other. what do you think? I'd then move the corkboard above the lounge.
I have decided to cover the corkboard in fabric. More decisions to make but really excited we decided on the spur of the moment to begin painting.
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: June 25 2013 at 6:53am | IP Logged
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Erin wrote:
I'm considering taking the doors off the ex-school cupboards in an effort to make them look more like Ikea cupboards. And I'll make fabric bins.
I'm even wondering about moving one cupboard on top of the other. what do you think? I'd then move the corkboard above the lounge.
I have decided to cover the corkboard in fabric. More decisions to make but really excited we decided on the spur of the moment to begin painting. |
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Love these ideas. I might borrow them for our learning room.
I think as long as they are sturdy enough, moving one cupboard on top of the other is a cute idea. If they are a little wobbly that way, it seems like that husband of yours could build in some kind of support. I'm always amazed at what you all have done in regards to building your home.
I have a corkboard in the kitchen that I covered in fabric. It's not as large as yours but it really made a difference! You can do a criss cross pattern with ribbon that makes a way of inserting things if you don't have a tack handy.
Can't wait to see a picture of the finished product, Erin!
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: June 25 2013 at 7:38am | IP Logged
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Are you going to paint the outside of the cabinets or just do something to the shelves?
I like the idea of wall paper or pretty contact paper inside, but it would depend on your plans for the fabric bins. Will they be patterned as well or solid?
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Lindsay
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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SallyT
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| Posted: June 25 2013 at 8:08am | IP Logged
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I love all these ideas, though Mrs. B's point is a good one: how will open shelving/bins on that low level work with babies/toddlers/preschoolers -- unless what you plan to put in them is *for* the little children to pull out? The open shelving would be really pretty, but real doors can be secured against little ones if you need to protect things like art supplies.
I love those ledges over the sofa! My study/library/schoolroom is slowly getting a makeover, and ledges for facing-out books and holding maps and pictures are on my "must have" list. Wish I had room for a big table like yours . . . That looks like such a lovely big flexible space. Have fun with the re-do!
Sally
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Erin
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| Posted: June 25 2013 at 4:16pm | IP Logged
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We have finished painting (did the bathroom too whilst we had the paint out). Never again will I put up with temporary measures! We LOVE it, my teen boys were saying, "It's so clean and warm" and it is! You really don't realise how tired something is until you freshen it up. Thinking we might finish painting the rest of the 'old house' whilst we wait for the next two years until they are revamped.
I've decided for the moment to leave off any curtains. We live in the country so don't need curtains for privacy, and the room needs all the light and warmth it can get. (The old house is facing the wrong way, it doesn't get the morning sun).
After talking to dh last night he talked me out of putting the cupboards on top of each other, he pointed out that I would lose out on all that lovely bench space. I'm going to put them to better use and re-set up learning centreslike we used to have.
Still really keen on making some fabric bins, mostly because I can't get those doors to hang back on the craft cupboard anyway. But I might just keep the doors on the stationary cupboard. Planning to just paint the strips at the front and the dividers up the middle of the cupboard. At this stage if I make the bins large enough I think I can get away without painting/papering the shelves.
Fabric for bins may depend on what I find in my stash, but I'm thinking I should keep to only two colours.
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Erin
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| Posted: June 26 2013 at 1:39am | IP Logged
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Thought I'd give you a sneak preview thus far, just painting has made a huge difference. We've also put in a smaller table and hung some of the missing doors.
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leanne maree
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| Posted: June 26 2013 at 7:38am | IP Logged
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It's looking good Erin.
Coming together nicely
Well done so far.
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| Posted: June 26 2013 at 9:39am | IP Logged
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Wow. What a big difference the paint makes! It looks great. You're husband makes a good point about the bench seating. My kids are always sitting on low cabinets, tables etc. (I assume that is what he meant?)
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Erin
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Well never made it past this point. Holidays here and time to have another go.
would you paint the cupboards white, or a pastel colour?
thinking bright would look kindergarteny, and I have teens too.
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CrunchyMom
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What about just painting the cabinet under the chalkboard and leaving the flat front cabinets? I think that black works as a nice unifying color against the wood colors in Ann Voskamp's schoolroom on her blog. Or maybe a *very* dark green? I color matched this studio green for our window boxes on our yellowish brick outside, and it is a nice alternative to black and goes nicely with yellow.
I don't know how expensive it would be, but you could use the chalkboard contact paper on the fronts of the flat cabinets, leaving a frame of wood around. You could use chalkboard paint, too, but the contact paper would be less permanent. If you painted, you could maybe use a stencil in the corners to add a pretty detail (or you could punch the corners of the contact paper with a scrapbooking punch).
I like the cream and green with the yellow in this photo, and the green is similar to the color we are painting all our hodgepodge shelving in the schoolroom. It does not look kindergartenish, but I think a real pastel might look Easter Eggish/girly with the yellow. We have knotty pine walls and no yellow, but the right green might work. And painting the floors could be a fun alternative to painting the cabinets 
Our green is similar to the green here in Martha Stewart's Cantito craftroom. So if you did want to paint all the cabinets, I think it does make a neat unifying color, but I am not certain what this particular shade would do with the yellow. Green can be a great neutral, though. Maybe a duller green like the trim in this room wouldn't fight with the yellow so much?
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Erin
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Lindsay
Quite like that green
I ended painting one of the cupboards Spanish Cream and really like it. Oh and took the doors off. So going to do the rest of the room in it too. The cupboard under the blackboard went, so I've reduced the furniture and 'stuff' in the room too
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: April 22 2014 at 4:42pm | IP Logged
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Cream sounds pretty! I just avoided whites because I didn't want to clean them
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: Decorating Temporary Learning Room
