Courtney Warren is a Texas-based interior designer whose work has been featured in Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Apartment Therapy, and Today.com. She is a frequent consultant on Fox 4 TV’s Good Day program in Dallas, was ranked in the top 3 percent of interior designers in the US by Houzz.com, and starred in the Dallas episode of TLC’sFour Houses. She delights in helping overwhelmed clients create beautiful spaces—and will never turn down a warm chocolate chip cookie or Diet Dr Pepper.

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Sharing Work and Schooling Spaces at Home

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April 25, 2020

Work + homeschool. Happy convergence, or perfect storm?

We’ve faced lots of challenges in the last couple of months. For one thing, many of us find ourselves not only working from home but also teaching our children.

Sometimes how you arrange your spaces can help you cope better. Today I’ll show you some of my solutions for clients’ home work (and homework). You may not be remodeling immediately, but I’ll give you some takeaway ideas for sharing work and schooling spaces at home.

First, here’s my breakfast nook with mini office alcove. Could you turn your own space-sharing into a positive by using a similar arrangement? The kids could do schoolwork on the table while you supervise and complete your work tasks nearby.

Or you could reverse that (with a couple more degrees of separation!) with you at the table…

…while your student works at the built-in desk across the room. You can still (ahem) monitor the monitor.

For little people, even a table and chairs in a bedroom would provide a dedicated spot for lessons or kid play…

…while you work elsewhere in the house. No home office? A dedicated bedroom corner will do.

Why a dedicated work space?

a. You train yourself to shift into WORK mode when you go to that spot.

b. You train your household to recognize that you are WORKING when you are in that spot and to hopefully disturb you less (unless there’s blood).

c. Your WORK supplies are gathered in one spot so that you can make the most of the time you spend there.

For the kids, a dedicated study corner keeps focus on lessons when it’s lesson time, but converts to craft space when school is done.

In a playroom, a desk setup is great for now, and for homework when school is back in session.

One final thought. Is there an underused spot in your home you could convert to needed work or study space? Consider, for example, a nook or closet conversion.

Or a re-purposed under stair hideaway. (For the kids, not for you!)

As cute and fun as it is, no locking the kids in while you work.

Here’s a great article for thinking through your work and schooling needs at home.

What work/school home arrangements have you come up with? I’d love to see your photos! Send them to my Facebook page!

You may be working from home, but during this confinement, have you found ways your home is definitely NOT WORKING for you ? Please consult with me (safely) and let’s find ways to fix those problems and help you love your home!

I offer a complimentary, no-strings-attached phone call consultation. We can also consult by video conference. If you’d like to meet in your home, please know we will use all current safety protocols.

Email me to book a call time!

In the meantime, catch other great design tips on my YouTube channel, Real Life Design with Courtney Warren!

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