Why Creating a Homeschooling Space Doesn't Have To Look Like a Classroom

As I sit here and write this post I can’t believe we are in week 5 of quarantine/self-isolation. When this COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic first happened the first thought that came across my mind, as a mother of a kindergartener and a third-grader was “I have to homeschool?!!!” “I’m not ready for this, nor am I a teacher!!!”. The thought of making sure my children are learning what they’re supposed to be learning was nerve-wracking. Now in week 5, I have to say I am in a much better state of mind thanks to the support of their INCREDIBLE teachers, advice from mentors, and several daily deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing is EVERYTHING!

Sometimes change can be hard for us to get used to. Having to work from home while our kids are being schooled from home can be very challenging-especially if your children are smaller and need more assistance. Having a multifunctional space that serves more than one purpose can be advantageous. When it comes to homeschooling or “crisis schooling” (as my friend better defined our current situation) we don’t need to transform our homes into classrooms. Classrooms in school buildings are designed solely for learning. Our homes are designed for much than that. Our homes are where we live, work, entertain, cook, eat, bathe, relax, sleep-they serve many purposes. The goal is not to transform your home into a classroom, the goal is to create a safe and comfortable space that your child can live AND learn.

Create More Than One Space For Learning. Kids like to move around. Think about it, when your kids are in school they are not sitting at their desks, staring at the board listening to their teacher for the entire 7 hours. They have a full schedule including snack time, reading time, art electives, labs, gym, lunch, recess, etc. Most of their day is broken up into multiple activities that take place in different rooms/areas/sections of their school building. Instead of focusing on transforming one space in your home for schooling maybe start with a general area that serves as a dedicated space for their supplies, paperwork, projects, etc. then create multiple “areas” in your home where they can work.

Make It Functional & Stylish. Your homeschooling space should blend with the overall design of your home. Add functional elements that are also stylish.

Last year I designed a formal living room for a family that had to include a homework station for their 2 daughters. This room had to serve two purposes - to entertain guests as well as an area for their kids to do school work. I didn’t want the homework station to overpower the room by having it look like an obvious kid’s area. The homework station had to compliment the style of the living room. For me to accomplish that I chose to place 2 simple white consoles with drawers side by side on a long wall which allowed enough surface space for 2 people to work comfortably. I added a small ledge tucked below the desk for the printer and computer storage. The monitors were placed centered on each workspace with stylish accents used as pencil/book holders and paper storage. Since this was a formal space I choose not to add your typical swivel desk chair but instead 2 velvet-textured Parsons chairs that could also be used as additional seating when entertaining. Above the desks, the design included a white floating shelf measuring the length of the 2 consoles for additional storage and display. I included dark linen boxes as a contrast for storing paper, projects, etc that could be concealed. For wall decor, I included a cluster of frames to be hung above the wall shelf to display custom art and pieces personal to the family. For lighting, I added 2 pillar floor lamps on each side of the wall framing the consoles to complete the look.

homework station mood board

Get Your Kid’s Opinion. This is a time of transition for everyone-for you as the parent and for your kids as well. Allow them to voice their opinion about where they would like to work. Depending on their age this may vary in response. Some kids may be able to do their work independently and some may need more attention based on their age and grade. Once you get all their opinions, take the ones that are realistic and add your opinions to create a final decision.

I hope this inspires you to create multifunctional rooms that serve many purposes and can be enjoyed by the entire family. I want to hear from you below in the comments about what space your kids currently use for schooling. Share below!

If you’re not sure where to begin to create a multifunctional let’s talk. Schedule a FREE 15-min call HERE>> and let me help you through your design dilemmas so you can have a space that works for your family.

À la prochaine,