I’m not an expert in Feng shui, interior design, or even crafting. In fact, we have an entire series of videos of me being terrible at anything DIY. But by the end of the last school year it became obvious our kids needed a better place to learn at home. They’ve primarily done homework at the kitchen table so we didn’t even have desks in their rooms when distance learning started in March.
Even when we assembled these desks, we were missing a lot of elements that could keep them organized. We had some cash sitting on the ol’ credit card from refunded camp registrations so we spent part of it on some fun upgrades for their room.
PC’s Room
We got this desk at Target last spring. It assembled quickly, but it has very little storage. So we added this bright blue locker to store books and the eventual mess that comes with a 10-year-old boy. It took less than an hour to assemble, it’s relatively sturdy but we still anchored it to the wall. I’m 100% sure my son will try to squeeze into it playing hide and seek creating disastrous consequences if not secured.
I got this pegboard and some 1X2s from ACE Hardware. I primed, then painted the board a bright yellow to make staring at a wall a little less boring. I secured a series of 1 X 2s to the studs (cue 1000 jokes from my husband about the “stud finder”), then hung the peg board using 1 inch screws.
I added these pegboard shelves and used these fasteners to keep it secure. I added a wall clock mostly because my son lost the digital watch I gave him in March when distance learning started, and he spent most of the day asking me for the time. He was late or missed so many classes because of his failure to know the time.
My favorite purchase was this wobble stool. I have a very fidgety, active kid. It keeps his body moving and, fingers crossed, helps him focus on the screen. The rest of the touches, PC picked out himself. I think it’s a stretch to say he will look forward to school work at his new desk, but at least he will be a little more organized this school year.
Lola’s Space
My daughter’s desk is brand new. The cheap-y desk we bought and assembled in March fell apart by May. We invested in this baby from Pottery Barn hoping it will get her through high school. We got it on sale and ended up changing the hardware to match other details in her room.
We picked a bold paint treatment to offset these gold grids and shelves. She is a brilliant artist, I can see her using these grids to hang her work. I’m hoping the space will keep her inspired, even when the school year starts to drag. We added the cart so she can have her supplies and books visible and handy. Lola picked out the floating shelf and print from Target and the little succulents from a local nursery. She really enjoyed helping bring the space together.
Both of our kids are a little nervous about what this school year will look like. So am I, if we’re being honest. I’m just so proud of all of these kids for shifting plans and changing the way they learn. I’m not the kind of mom who spends a ton of time on DIY projects, but the entire time I was painting, assembling, and hanging items for these spaces — I kept thinking about the time my kids will spend in these chairs. Their persistence inspires me, daily.
Happy school year, kiddos.
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