We have given this much thought over recent months and Russ and I have come to the decision that we are going to convert our formal living room into a homeschool room (we're 95% sure). Here is what it currently looks like:
It's nothing really special. Since moving in five years ago this has been the toughest room to get any use out of. I've had it set up every which way (at one point we had a TV in there as well), but besides at Christmas when our tree is set up, we are basically rarely in the room. I've got a few of Carter's toys out there, but they don't get played with much and the rest of the room is a hodgepodge of furniture that doesn't go anywhere else anymore. It also has vaulted ceilings which have always presented a decorating difficulty.
At any rate, since Carter was first toddling I have pondered turning it into a playroom. I figured we'd just end up with even more toys (which I did not want) so we've kept things in our family room until now. What has currently happened though is that I'm acquiring a variety of preschool materials and don't have many places to store them (Target has had phenomenal clearance and dollar items lately). I feel like I've got things here, there and everywhere. Even coloring books alone take up almost an entire shelf in our kitchen cabinets (not to mention play dough, crayons, markers, paint supplies, books, etc). Thus, I got to thinking, "Why not turn it into a classroom?"
After converting our dining room into our office I have become all about maximizing the use of every room in the house. Seriously, why have a formal living room that is used once a year? Makes no sense. The biggest concern we had about making this change is what if I don't end up homeschooling Carter? However, I figure if nothing else it can be where he works on arts and crafts and later homework and projects.
So over the next few months our plan is to slowly make the change. I'm not going to start "real" homeschool preschool until next September so we've got time to make the room over (and by that I mean having more structured learning time with a daily "schedule"...a term I also use loosely). I'm currently in the idea phase and so far these are some rooms I like (not necessarily the colors per se, but the set up):
I like the whimsical feel of the first room, the storage unit in the second and the books shelves in the third. Actually those are the three of the most important elements I want to incorporate. 1. A space that is inviting and inspiring 2. Plenty of storage 3. Books shelves that makes Carter's books easily accessible and the 4th item is having a table/work space for Carter (which will mean either using a table that we already having and possibly refinishing it or buying something new like the plastic blue table in the 3rd photo).
Because our room has such huge walls I'm not sure if we will be repainting, but I'm a sucker for color so that will be incorporated somehow. Like I said, I've got time but the wheels are turning! I foresee a few trips to Ikea in our future. This Mommy is excited!
Update: I started writing this post a few days ago and I have since moved Carter's table (that was Russ' as a child) into the room with some of his books and he's already taken to it. He was all smiles and said, "Look Mommy! I'm reading at my table!" I think he's really going to love having that space for himself.
