Happy Wednesday, everyone! Or is it Tuesday? (If you're a teacher, I know you can totally relate to this day-of-the-week dilemma in the middle of summer.) Whatever the day, I'm glad you could join me!
As I took my morning walk around the neighborhood today, I realize that it's beginning to look a lot like back to school time. In my neck of the woods that means the schoolyards are getting gussied up, teachers' cars can be spotted in the parking lots, and the crosswalks are getting a fresh coat of paint.
And now the soles of my walking shoes are also sporting some fresh white paint.
Since I've been around the block a time or two and have the footprints to prove it, I thought I would offer some friendly advice to those of you setting up your classrooms for the first time.
If you read my last post, you know I'm all about saving money. I also like my classroom to be bright, cheerful, and welcoming. Believe it or not, I can accomplish both of those goals without spending a lot of money and so can you.
Make a decorating plan.
I'm sure you've probably heard Benjamin Franklin's quote, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." While you can just accumulate random items and decorate, it will probably lack a cohesive look and you'll likely spend more than you need to. You will feel much more organized if you spend time analyzing what you really need and want for your classroom.
Step One: Develop a color scheme
Just like your home, your classroom will have a more cohesive, put-together look if you stick to two or three dominant colors when you decorate. That's not to say that you can't have items in your room that aren't those colors, but the majority of the room should be for maximum effect. Too many colors can look chaotic and can be distracting for those with focus issues.
If you'd like to do a multi-color scheme such as pastels or rainbow colors, think about using a neutral such as black to anchor all of those hues.
Here are some other considerations when creating your color scheme...
*Is there already a predominant color in the room?
If you look at the picture above, this classroom had lots of blue in it that I couldn't change. Because blue and gold were our school colors, the trim, bookcases, chairs, etc. were all some shade of blue (not by my choice). That particular year, I decided to go with a "black & bright" theme that wouldn't compete with all the different blue accents.
Another year in that same classroom, I decided to go with muted tones of the school colors. I was loving the Farmhouse look at that time, so I incorporated lots of fabric that complemented the painted trim.
My accents also went with the Farmhouse theme and blue/yellow color scheme...
In yet another classroom, I was stuck with an ugly green counter-top and a huge bright blue cabinet. (Yikes!) I decided to pull things together with a blue and green decorating theme. I used these fans hanging from the ceiling and also as bulletin board accents to help create a balanced look.
In your classroom, do you have elements such as desks, wall color, chairs, etc. that have a dominant color that you can't change? If so, I've found it easier over the years to try to complement that color rather than fight it.
*Do you have a school-wide theme that you need to implement?
If you do, your color scheme might come from that. For example, if your school is doing a bee theme, black and yellow would be an easy fix throughout your room.
If you have school colors that you like, you might want to incorporate those into your classroom. For example, my new school colors are black and gold. I'm also kind of liking the whole pineapple decorating thing that's going on all over Pinterest this summer. I decided to use both of those ideas to guide my decorating for this year.
These mini posters will make a great bulletin board for my room! I get to weave in the black and gold, plus I get to add a touch of pineapple without committing to a whole room of it. Definitely a win-win!
*Look for an inspiration piece.
Do you have a favorite piece of decor that you just love? Use that as a springboard for coming up with the best colors for your room. For instance, one year I just fell in love with this flag...
It quickly became the focal point of my decorating that year.
1. The walls of that classroom were ivory already.
2. I used a matching red fabric with ivory polka dots to cover the mini bulletin boards over my windows. (Fabric was found on clearance)
3. I painted some older furniture black and incorporated it into my room. (I already had the paint from previous projects and the wooden furniture was given to me)
4. I found a black and ivory checked wallpaper border in the clearance section of a discount store.
4. The school's colors at that time were red, white, and black.
Now that sounds like I was quite lucky, and I was, but actually it all came together because I had a PLAN. And because I had a plan, I could focus my attention on gathering items that coordinated with my plan and tune out those that didn't.
Okay, enough blabbing from me--are you ready to give it a try? Your first assignment is to come up with the color scheme for your room. Study your classroom for a bit, think of colors you love, possibly look for an inspiration piece, and find out if you have a team or school theme for the year.
Armed with that information, come up with two or three colors that complement each other and stay tuned for Step Two: Gathering Materials.
Until next time!
