Backyard Art Barn

I recently finished a client project for a family with four kids in a backyard barn. One side of the barn was already set up as a sofa/TV/lounge area and the other half of the barn was intended to be an art and play space. My client installed a climbing structure and crash pad against one wall of the play area so my job was to set up an art workshop in the rest of the play space.

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Learning Spaces at Home: Homeschool & Distance Learning Workspaces

It seems that the start of this school year has required some major adjustments for all of us. For those of us with kids in traditional school, we have had to re-think how we approach learning at home. And whether you have been a homeschooler for years or you have unintentionally become a homeschooler through distance learning, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed how our kids stay active and in touch with nature and our communities. This is one thing we are continuously trying to improve in our family and I’m realizing that it goes hand in hand with home education.

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From Playroom to Art Space to Homeschool Workspace

I’ve been meaning to share this project for months! This was a local design project that I took on as I was recovering from my illness last year and never got around to sharing it here.

Now that it’s Back to School season around here, I wanted to share this project to give you ideas for setting up a home workspace for distance learning.

This project was initially intended to revamp a playroom for young kids into a playroom and art space for kids ages 3, 5, and 8. My client mainly wanted to add an art space, remove some of the toys, and update the reading area with new cushions.

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family mural

Family Mural Project

Our family has toyed with the idea of painting a mural on our fence for years. We love the idea of adding playful art to the neighborhood but never took the time to actually make it happen.

Until, of course, a global pandemic hit and we were suddenly shut in at home wondering what to do with our kids during our makeshift homeschool hours. Before their schools started distance learning we made a calendar and the four of us decided to each teach a homeschool class. Karuna taught Ora singing, Ora taught me and Karuna gymnastics, Aaron held a writing workshop for the girls, and I decided to lead a family mural class.

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Design Camp Before & Afters Part 2: Kids’ Art Space Transformations

Over the past two and a half years I’ve held five sessions of my online course, Art Pantry Design Camp, and have witnessed amazing transformations. Some participants start off with an empty space, but most start with a disheveled area- strewn with toys, loose papers, or mixed up bins of art supplies. Occasionally a participant will have a whole room to work with, but most often these art spaces are tucked into a corner of a living space, office, or playroom. By the time the course is over, each space becomes an organized and inviting creative workshop, perfect for that particular family.

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