Creating a Study Area for Your Virtual Students

If you have had trouble getting your kids to do homework or better yet, do their schooling from home, here are some tips and hints to help you out. Maybe all you need to jumpstart their habits is a change of scenery. Create a  homework and study space that is:

• Quiet for focus

• Colorful for inspiration and

• Organized to reduce distractions

These basics will make study time a pleasure for most kids:

• Color: Paint or wallpaper a wall or the shelf openings in a bold and stimulating color.

• Furniture: A desk with storage and/or a coordinating cabinet and a comfortable chair are fundamental.

• Lighting: Make sure to provide plenty of ambient and task lighting.

• Organization: Provide lots of organization and storage options like shelves, pegboards, containers.

• Personalization: Be sure to add some items that are personal to your child's style such as his favorite color, or personal artwork. 

9 Tips to Design the Perfect Study Room or Corner

Now that you know the basics, you are ready to start putting it all together. As you know, every room has specific requirements depending on how you're going to use it. In the same way, the study room has particular needs and you need to consider them while designing your room. Here are some tips on designing your study room at home:

1. Choose the Right Room (area)

Every room needs a certain amount of space based on its functions. Therefore, your first step is to choose the right room for your study area. If you are lucky enough to have a few possible rooms or areas, you have the chance to pick a room that gets a lot of natural light and has enough room.

For kids in kindergarten through 3rd grade, working in a more public space is better than working alone in a bedroom. Younger kids generally need more support at homework time, so a spot close to the kitchen or home office means you can be around to answer questions and give encouragement. 

2. Space to Move Around

You wouldn't want to enter a room that doesn't have enough space to move around easily. This is why you make it a point to put a limited amount of stuff in your study room. Putting unnecessary furniture in a room will increase the job of cleaning it and gives a cluttered feeling. You feel the vibe of not being organized.

3. Make sure you have a Decent Desk and Comfortable Chairs

At first, you might think buying a big desk is a good idea. But it might not be favorable for working at it for long hours. And maybe you need to buy two desks depending on the number of students working from home. Look for options before you buy anything.

Besides the desk(s), don't forget the desk chair. A comfortable desk chair is essential. It's also a good idea to buy a comfortable chair to sit in while taking breaks to keep them in the study area. Once they leave the room, they might not return. Choose a color, design, and style of chair that blends well with the desk.

4. Shelves and More Shelves

You need spaces in appropriate sizes to place books, projects, and perhaps a printer/scanner, supplies, and other necessities. A combination of storage types helps store items in an organized way.

Although eliminating clutter is calming for a student, many elementary-school-age kids enjoy displaying their collectibles to personalize their space. Find a windowsill, cubby, or shelf for your child's toys so the focus is on keeping the area organized and uncluttered.

5. Lights

Lighting is important in any room. If you have a sunny window in the study room it will be more lively and have a more positive feeling. But a dark and shady environment will give the room an intense look. Make sure to have the right lights so that you have enough. Task lighting, whether it's a desk lamp or pendant lights is a requirement no matter what the child's age.

Your best option is to allow natural light to flow in to take advantage of the optimistic feeling it provides. You can increase the light effects by installing mirrors and light colors on the walls. However, don't put the desk directly in front of a window overlooking something that could be a distraction.

6. Consider the Temperature

You need to provide a comfortable temperature to work in. Overly hot or cold temperatures can be a huge distraction. It might be necessary to install additional heating or cooling options. Desks close to a window can become chilly areas if you live in a cold winter climate and the reverse is true if you live in a more tropical area.

7. Choose a Corner

Constant talking and loud noises can be a main cause of distractions. Make sure you pick a quiet spot. If you can, put your study area towards the extreme corner of your house so no pets or visitors distract from the work. 

If your kid can hear every word that's being said in other rooms, he is more likely to be thinking about what's going on outside his room rather than focusing on his studies. You might want to consider headphones. A lot of kids like to listen to music while working. This includes those with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) who may do better with a quiet tune in the background.

8. Personalize

Don't overlook the preferences of the students who will be using the study. You may choose a favorite color for the wall in front of the desk or add a piece of art or any other element that inspires hard work.

9. Ease of Clean Up

It's important to be able to keep the area neat and clean. This means that all-important files, projects, and books are in their places. This way it's not necessary to search the area when something is needed and it also reduces distractions.

Study Areas in Small Spaces

Sure, you can do more with a large space, but you can still create a study area in the same place where the bedroom is by combining furniture solutions. Take advantage of those unused spaces in the bedroom or any corner of your home. Now that you're armed with the 9 tips, let's apply it to a smaller space.

Shelving and Storage

• Narrow columns of bookshelves on either side of the desk can keep books and supplies handy, tidy, and organized.

• A pegboard wall can give you an adjustable shelving option. It can be used for a kid's library or to store art and project supplies.

• Play around with cabinet and shelf arrangements to create a custom look. Modular units can be bought individually and arranged any way you like.

Kids Desk Ideas

• A "floating" or built-in desk promotes cleanliness and reduces clutter. If the floor space is clear of furniture legs there is less likelihood of clutter being stored under the desk.

• If space is tight beside the desk, then be sure to put the storage above it. Or, you might even want to put a bunk bed above the desk and open up the rest of the room for handy storage.

• Beds with storage drawers help free up space for the study area. There are also beds with built-in desk designs.

• Provide display cabinets to show off their best work. Pride is a great motivator.

Lighting

• As important as the desk and chair are the lighting. The natural light from a window keeps kids energized, so create the work area around the glass. And speaking of nature, add a couple of indoor plants.

• The right lighting for their study area is important to the health of their eyes. Try to build the study around natural lighting for daytime and give the choice of overhead lighting and focused task lighting on the desk.

Define the Areas

• It's important to draw a line between sleeping and work areas when creating a study area in a child's bedroom. You can use a room divider if there's enough space or you can use color zoning the mark the separate areas. Paint the wall in the work area one color and the walls in the sleeping area another. An area rug under the bed helps define the distinct area.

• If you have two children sharing the room and workspace, put shelves between the desk areas to separate the two. Also, keep as much stuff off the desktop as possible. There may be "border wars" if you don't. 

Create a "Cloffice"

As you've seen, you don't need a lot of space or a lot of money to make a study space. How about turning a closet into a study, or office? A cloffice, get it? With some medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and brackets, you can create a study in a closet. Use some pegboard on the door for more storage and organization. 

Badcock's of South Florida is Ready When You Are

Maybe you thought it would be a daunting task to create a study area for your kids. Now you see how easily it can be done. And Badcock Furniture of South Florida is here to help you along the way.  We have professionals that can answer your questions so you aren't in this alone. 

Take a look at our furniture on our website at www.badcocksfl.com. You can shop, apply for financing, make payments, and check out the sales, all online. If you're like most people, you want to come in and see and measure and visualize for yourself. And ask questions, plenty of questions. Contact us now. We have locations all over South Florida so one is probably near you.