One Room Challenge Week 5: Creating A Year Round Home School Area

“This post is in partnership with Formica because I love em & know you’ll love em too!”

— Albie Knows

As much as this room has stalled and shifted, one thing that has never changed is (1) knowing that this would be where the mini's workstation is and (2) knowing where exactly in this space the workstation would be. Even prior to moving it from the now media room, the set up was always pretty clear in my mind... and now I can finally execute.

WEEK 1 | WE EK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7 | REVEAL

If you read my week 2 update, then you know the need for wall space is why this corner of the room was always the best place for her set up.

So let's talk about the wall plan...

I don't typically create elevation (wall) plans unless I need to visualize a gallery wall, but because so much of what makes her space functional hinges using the vertical and I didn't want to just throw things up there without a plan... not to mention the waste of time, command strips, and wall anchors lol.

Unlike a curated gallery wall - i.e. our dining room - this isn't about memorializing moments/people/places/etc. It's about memorializing HER creativity... nurturing & inspiring more creativity, vis-à-vis floating frames for her artwork, picture ledges for her books, drawer storage for her lego pieces.

With that I also have to make sure she had ample space to create. Which brings me back down to the floor plan.

We'd already had a table for her - a mid century inspired white, round table with wooden legs - and, at a recent Homegoods trip, I picked up two "matching" chairs to complete the set so she could have a seated area to draw, write, eat... whatever. The pieces are the perfect scale for the space and perfectly suited for her size. It didn't, however, solve for another element that was an important part of my vision - having an actual work station.

I dunno about your littles but I have learned that mine can't and won't stay seated for extended periods of time. She likes to create on her feet...and I'm okay with that.

I looked at a ton of possible options, however, as with most everything else in the space I wanted to use what I already have... not spend a lot on something new if I didn't have to.

When we moved to Washington, we'd bought two wire drawer units to use in our closet for folded clothes. In our last apartment, we used them in the mini's closet. With no use for em in the bedrooms anymore - moving on up lol - we decided to use em to store the mini's activities.

Most of the inspiration I pulled for this space had drawers with tabletops or some kind of surface. I kept thinking to myself, "How can I turn these drawer units into a functional workstation?"

Having worked on the kitchen with Formica for our new countertops, I knew that their products would be the perfect solution creating a simple yet custom table top for the mini. And because this is her space & all about her creating without limits, I didn't want to worry about keeping this surface clean... which I already do with her round table.

Formica Writable Surfaces checked all the boxes.

P.S. any Formica Laminate design with a gloss finish can be made into a Writable Surface - including their color surfaces - allowing for plenty of choices for customization.

I provided my fabricator with the specs for the drawer units as well as some inspiration images for a very simple design - a waterfall table comprised entirely of Formica Writable Surface. This would accomplish providing a durable surface that could stand the test of time, a surface that could handle all her creative ideas on all sides, and a design that could grow with her because when the drawers come out it's just a table.

The Happy Words design was the first that caught my eye for a fun & whimsical design perfectly suited for the space. The design is clean and not overly busy without feeling sterile or boring... perfect for all her big ideas, whether she's drawing a rainbow or building a lego masterpiece. And below it is all her hidden storage.

This desk station grounds this zone as hers, in the same way that my desk anchors my work area. Above it would be more vertical storage, by way of pegboards, so that the surface area could be as clear as possible & ready for use. Along the same wall, I've contemplated adding a bold & vibrant wallpaper but I think we're gonna go in another direction. Either way, the walls will have action of their own with her gallery of creations. I'm just glad she now had a proper place to do her thing, leaving the round table for more "deep" work and eating.