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School is now back in session and I was actually involved in a big back to school secret over the summer! Several months ago another St. Louis mom blogger, Melissa at Sippy Cup Mom, asked if I would be able to help her complete a teacher’s lounge makeover for our children’s school. Of course I was excited and happy to be involved in giving this deserving group of people a new space. Melissa was heavily involved in the parent teacher association and knew that I too like to do what I can to help others. Being able to give the staff members a beautiful area for lunch break was indeed a wonderful experience!
Back To School Teacher’s Lounge Makeover
Recently our school district went through some really major changes with growth. Elementary school boundaries were changed and a new school was built. For years many of the teachers at the various schools had went without a space of their own. With the student population being at its max, classroom space was in high demand. Many teachers would simply eat lunch in their respective classrooms each day since often the teacher lounge was being used for students. They didn’t have a space to gather together at all and that needed to change.
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The lounge at our kid’s school had been previously needed as a classroom and when the new school opened (alleviating overcrowding) it finally could become an area for teacher’s to use again. That’s where we bloggers came in to transform the space. It was no easy task, but definitely worth the effort and extra time that went in to create a welcoming space for the valued school staff to find at the end of summer break.
As a classroom the space was indeed functional, but for a staff lounge the space was not at all inviting. For this teacher’s lounge makeover we pretty much had a blank space to work with and did we ever make a big difference. I think the end results definitely speak for themselves in the fact that the lounge area became such an inviting space.
The Work Zone
The work zone. This was an extreme makeover and we definitely had our work cut out for us!
Walls, windows, furniture, oh my!
The walls were majorly in need of a fresh coat of paint (with a color that was toned down) and the space was screaming for a completely new look from top to bottom. I’m talking new furniture, new curtains and just the little touches to create a perfect addition in the school day. Even the right pops of colors can make a big impact. As a whole the room had great bones and was a good one to use as a teacher’s lounge. The room had plenty of floor space for tables and chairs. (Even room for a sofa!) Lots of wall space for some great decor and aesthetics. Two windows to let in ample amount of light. Just an overall great space to work with!
What Went Into The Teacher’s Lounge Makeover Space
Transforming the space began with a more neutral paint color from Sherwin Williams and a new refrigerator from Appliance Discounters. The owners of the appliance store actually attended this very elementary school at one time so they were more than happy to help with this project. Seriously such a small world!
I love this wall color and how it really makes that black fridge just pop!
So much went into this space and to make it perfect for not just the teachers, but the entire staff of our children’s school.
Who uses a teacher’s lounge?
Historically teacher’s lounges have been a place for teachers to lesson plan, conference together, spend break time and eat lunch. However, the space is widely used for all of the school’s staff which includes building assistants, office staff, librarians, administration, therapists, etc.
The Complete Teacher’s Lounge Makeover
In addition to the new paint and refrigerator, the room was filled with a wish list of furniture and decor. Basically a whole new look and one that didn’t even exist the last time the space had been a teacher’s lounge!
Bulletin boards with bright colors, large tables, new chairs and a coffee bar. (And don’t forget about the staff shout-out boards!) Other parents and myself worked our crafting magic by creating wall decorations with a personal touch that even had some of school colors. The sofa that had previously been in the basement of a school parent was given an entirely fresh new look with a new sofa slipcover.
If you follow me on Instagram then you probably noticed that my mom helped me to put together all of those gray chairs. It took us hours, but we accomplished our goal!
She definitely loves her grandchildren to help out at their school!
The gray chairs were the perfect design to fit with all of the new with tables (both round and rectangular in shape).
Speaking of tables…
Did you see the tall pub style tables in the collage above? Can I just tell you that those unique tables are from Rustic Grain and are even more gorgeous in person?! Seriously I love those tables and really wish that I had one of their farmhouse style tables in my dining room.
We wanted something unique to the space that the teachers would be able to use for years to come. Rustic Grain definitely delivered on that. They took our idea and actually created a vision in these beautiful tables. Every piece at Rustic Grain has a story to tell and no two pieces are exactly alike.
Rustic Grain definitely takes reclaimed wood furniture to a whole new level. I love that the each table tells a story. How neat that this wood was reclaimed from a barn 86 miles from here in Carlinville, Illinois! The coordinates are even embedded in a brass tag on the top of each table. It’s a conversation piece for sure. Seriously love everything about this style.
Relax. Refresh. Recharge.
Teachers need a break sometimes and spending time in the lounge is a great way to recharge. That’s the reason we created a relaxation station with products from Homedics. Massagers, speakers for soft music listening, and essential oils from Homedics are perfect for relaxing.
I have this Ellia essential oil diffuser at my house and it’s a favorite!
Snack Station
Teachers also need nourishment for more than just lunch time. The space is also for break time so we were sure to set the teachers up with some snacks and drinks for the first day of school.
Snacks, decor and furniture were from a few of our friends in the community: Charmette Academy of Dance, Sunset Ford, Precision Office Furniture Installation, and Neighbors Credit Union.
We had so many helpers on this project and couldn’t have done it without them! The transformation was amazing and turned out so much better than I ever could have imagined.
I’m in love with the entire space and how it turned out.
We are so grateful for our kid’s teachers and the amount of work they do each and every day. They deserved this space more than anyone I know so I’m glad that we were able to give them a space to hopefully enjoy for years to come.
***
Thank you to those who donated towards this teacher’s lounge makeover!
A very special thanks to all the local businesses and community members who helped to make this makeover project a beautiful success. I think you are all amazing and have made a huge difference in the lives of our teachers!
- Sherwin Williams
- Appliance Discounters
- Rustic Grain
- Sunset Ford
- Neighbors Credit Union
- Charmette Academy of Dance
- Homedics
- Precision Office Furniture Installation
- Parents and teachers organization
Doing a teacher’s lounge makeover is the perfect way to say thank you to the hard working teachers. Depending on this space you might just need to do a few changes. Even a little bit goes a long way and can quickly transform an area to be more inviting and lovely for the teachers to enjoy. And keep in mind that this type of project can also be done for teacher appreciation week. So be sure to keep that in mind for other times of the year, not just at the beginning of the school year.
If you liked this teacher’s lounge makeover then be sure to check out the other dandy DIY ideas HERE. You can also see Melissa’s teacher’s lounge makeover post HERE.
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Tara
blog owner at Seeing Dandy Blog
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This post could contain affiliate links or be sponsored which means I earn from advertising. Also as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. More details here.