A Gift for School Teachers

Ask me at any given time what my favorite project has been, and my answer will most likely be, "the one I'm currently working on." I have a feeling, though, that this one will stay at the top for a good long while.

The PTA at my daughter's school asked me to makeover the teacher's lounge. This was a dream project from the start! I was going to get to do what I love most for people I appreciate so much. The room was pretty much a blank slate, and they gave me the freedom to do just about whatever I wanted in there. (That never happens!) The only real restriction placed on this project was the budget. I am ALWAYS up for that challenge, but the bargain hunting for this room was an all-time personal best!

The PTA not only gave me complete freedom on this project, they came in to paint the concrete block walls and the kitchen cabinets. This was no easy job! Several moms & dads worked hard all day long and still had these big smiles. Of course, it could have been the paint fumes making them hysterical.... Nah, they are just that awesome!   

What a difference a weekend and some paint can make!

So, here's where we started...

 And here's the end result...

 

We divided the room into different areas that could serve different needs. A big need here was for seating. The sofa and chairs can be a place to relax or hold a small meeting. The two side tables and ottoman tray can also be used for eating lunch or having coffee.

Eating space was another big consideration. The bar height table and chairs were already in the room when we started. We relocated the set to the back wall and gave it warmth and a sense of place with pretty salt and pepper shakers, a few plants, and place mats. 

To remind the teachers everyday how much we appreciate them, we hung silver trays painted with chalk board paint on the walls with thank you notes written on them. For the how-to's of this project, check out my Crafty page.

As much as we want our teachers to have a place to relax and recharge, sometimes a quiet work place is also necessary. We sanded and painted this old dresser to make a nice writing desk for just those occasions. We painted the insides of the drawers primary colors for a little unexpected fun.

...And the memo board. Sometimes it is necessary to post information flyers, but who says the memo board can't look gorgeous in the mean time? This one got upholstered in a pretty, nubby fabric and trimmed with silver nail heads. It adds warm color and soft texture to the concrete block wall behind the sofa, gives the wall a focal point, and can (if it HAS to) hold many, many flyers.

Teachers at Woodland Elementary, your PTA loves you, and so do I. Enjoy!