Ready to take know EXACTLY what you were created to do? Click here!

life{in}grace

live with more presence, passion, & purpose

Room Makeover: from Garage to Schoolroom

by 225 Comments

When I decided to homeschool, I knew right away where the homeschool room would be;  the GARAGE!  I had already,  four years earlier, painted the floor and the walls and converted it into a playroom, so the transition to ‘schoolroom’ was inevitable.   I bought bookshelves and the most darling sofa EVER from IKEA and bought an old antique desk from my neighbor Leigh Ann for $5.  My mother and I did all the painting, even the somewhat tedious job of painting the garage floor.  And I conveniently positioned the bookshelves over the GINORMOUS holes in the sheetrock that my Excursion made when I apparently tried to park in the dining room.  Turns out, Stevie didn’t mind so much losing a garage;  it probably seemed better to him than losing the whole front of the house to my perilous parking habits.  That car is big, people.  Like you need a special class in parking big. 
We supposedly had some help from these two, but everytime I looked into the garage, they were decked out in bedazzled cowgirl hats and jammin’ on the Hannah Montana guitars. 
 I guess your success with The Verity may very well have started here, boys.
This room has been a place of wonderful memories , has changed a lot over the last year and at this point needs to be ruthlessly de-cluttered.  But one of my favorite additions was the large letters that I decoupaged onto the walls.
And my very favorite addition:  the vintage Swingline stapler.  It’s very teacherly.  Who needs a cardigan with the A-B-C’s on it when you have this stapler?
The most commonly asked question about my choice to homeschool in the garage:  How do you keep the temperature regulated?   First off, in the fall and spring, I keep the garage door up and it’s kinda like indoor-outdoor school.  I LOVE having the outdoors inside and fresh air ‘does a body good’.  In the winter, we use a space heater and in the heat of the summer, we’re usually not having school.   Or we do school somewhere else.  Like by the pool.   I LOVE this schoolroom.  It greatly extends our living space and keeps our books and schoolwork from taking over the house. 
Join me in a new series I started this week on Creating an Environment of Learning,
as I talk about inspiring and showing love to our families by the environment we create at home.   
I’m linking with Kimba in her DIY party and with Kelly 
for another episode of “Show Us Where You Live”.  Check out other fun ideas here
and here.
The Verity is now in Bushnell (near Chicago) at the Cornerstone Festival and are reported to be safe and happy.  They played at the new band showcase today and possibly may even have showered!!  I can’t wait to see my Taylor on Monday.  Keep praying for their safety!  

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brian and Ashley says

    I'm a teacher and I have to say- you're garage is amazing! I would love to have a wall dedicated to the alphabet! It's great!

    Reply

  4. Reese says

    I love it. I want to spruce up my garage. I can't imagine that it will look like your though.
    P.S. I grew up in those East Tn mountains. Fell in love and moved to Music City

    Reply

  5. Melissa Stover says

    i love it! i wish i had a special space just for homeschooling, but alas, my dining room will have to continue double duty for now.

    Reply

  6. loripadillaphotography says

    You did such an outstanding job. You and your mom should be proud of yourself for all that hard work !! Your kids are very lucky to have such a dedicated mother who cares about their education.

    Reply

  7. K_L_C says

    I love your school space. It's absolutely darling! I'm a teacher and I got some ideas for my classroom! Thanks.

    Reply

  8. Sheri says

    Looks great! I have big plans for our school room/dining room. But they'll have to remain plans for a bit (But I AM painting the cabinets! At least the ones in the school room)

    Reply

  9. Frugal Fine Living says

    Fantastic job! Your children are very blessed to have such a great space for homeschooling! We use our breakfast room.

    Have a happy and safe 4th!

    Jane

    Reply

  10. Brenda is SO Blessed says

    love yor space… i live in ET as well and love being in the "country" and mountains in East Tennessee

    Reply

  12. Trica (Tree' - ka) says

    What a nice place for homeschool!! Back when I homeschooled my kids, the dining room did double duty and it was a battle to keep the "school" from taking over the house!

    Reply

  13. Susan says

    FAB-U-LOUS!! Amazing space. I love your design/decor style. Thanks for your post "creating an environment for learning". I agree with you wholeheartedly and it was a good refresher/reminder for me. LOVE YOUR BLOG!!
    xo
    Susan

    Reply

  14. Sarah says

    Hey Edie…I have just stumbled across your awesome blog this morning. To introduce myself, I am a homeschooling Mother of two, Joshua (8) who is full of adventure and has a gift of Mercy, and my darling Grace (4) who is funny and caring. We live on the beautiful East Coast of Victoria, Australia where my husband and I have a Luxury self contained Bed & Breakfast apartments and fully love it. I woke up this morning just a little bit cranky and your blog has lifted me and inspired me. You look amazing too by the way! I look forward reading more of your posts.
    Cheers,
    Sarah xxx

    Reply

  16. Beachbrights says

    OMG! What style you have! I love your kitchen, so bold 😉 I will be back to check your blog regularly.

    Can you give me a list of some of your favorite shopping spots for Decor/Inspiration? I live in Oak Ridge and have been on the look out for some good East TN shopping. XOXO

    Reply

  18. Nikowa@KHA says

    I'm in the process of doing the same thing… what about the computer? I've been plugging up my laptop but I want to use the kids' desktop. Do I dare? Will it ruin it?

    Reply

  19. Michelle says

    That is fantastic!! Absolutely wonderful and all that space is great!! I would love to have that space!!
    Have a blessed school year!

    Reply

  22. Ann Voskamp @Holy Experience says

    I have always admired your school room, Edie… INSPIRING!

    We're working on a new learning space — a room (outbuilding) — all of its own…

    Yours sparks some ideas…

    Indebted… as always…
    Ann

    Reply

  23. Judy says

    I love what you did to that garage! I homeschooled my kids for 21 years (they were slow learners?) 😉 and so it’s fun for me to see what the younger generation is doing. I’m also just enjoying your writing. Thanks. Judy

    Reply

  24. jenny says

    I love that room and…..that couch! i have eyed that couch in my IKEA catalog for quite some time! 😉 IKEA and I are buddies.

    I am just beginning the journey of homeschooling. My kiddos are still little and my oldest will soon be turning 5 so we are very much just beginning!
    My friend passed along your blog to me today and i can tell that I will enjoy reading it! 🙂

    Reply

  25. Karin Katherine says

    What great photos! Are you going to put them on stretch canvas and hang some on your walls? I think you should! Just gorgeous.

    Congrats again on the house, surviving the move and having that to die for view!

    Reply

  30. Garage Door Springs says

    This post is very informative and very useful.This post provide a lot of information about the ways that how we can convert the garage in to a well furnished schoolroom. These information are quite interesting & really very desirable according to the situation and demand of customer. Thanks for usable news. 

    Reply

  32. Nan Tedesco says

    Hi Edie…I keep coming here for inspiration and the “knowing” of all it takes to do this. I look, read and receive great great
    Encouragement to keep on keepin on with my two. I desparately need a room and am SOOOO praying for that. This is
    Perfection!
    I let me boys hear your two recite their memorization!! WOW! I am challenging therm with those clips.
    QUESTION: Do you have an “official” list that you go by that tells you what is next to commit to memory? Or do you just
    Kinda pick those things yourself? (We are beginning to move in the Classical direction shortly)…. I am reading, reading,
    AND…reading. All is well.

    God bless your every endeavor as you impart yo your angels..
    Nan(B’ham)

    Reply

  33. Lindsay says

    Hi Edie! I just recently found your blog (through the Nester) and I am so happy I did. I love how you’re sharing your faith and family’s journey. I love this homeschool room and I can’t wait to hear more about your journey in this…I’m currently a public school teacher with no children (I’m a planner 🙂 ) and we’ve recently seen the idea of homeschool just laid out in front of us and I’ve become so intrigued. So excited to learn more from y’all!

    Reply

  34. Elizabeth says

    Hello! I just found you on Pinterest… We are getting ready to convert our garage into a homeschool classroom, and I was so happy to see how well yours turned out! You did a great job! It gives me much hope. 🙂

    Reply

  36. jailbreak 7.1.1 says

    The most up-to-date smartphone from Apple has numerous intriguing hardware features.
    Unlike changing the default theme of your i – Phone, replacing the default wallpaper
    is easier to do and does not require you to jailbreak your device.
    It identifies and removes apps that have risky adware ingrained.

    Reply

  37. ad creator says

    s blog at or learn more about her writing and marketing services at.
    For Liebeskind, it’s not really about the sleek patterns and designs that count, or even the name printed on each bag.
    Good example: ‘I want to become a millionaire within 10 years by
    starting my own personal development company and doing
    seminars all over the world and by creating a line of passive income products.

    Reply

  38. meces says

    we are converting our garage into a schoolroom so my hubz can have his office back, my only fear is the bugs, we live in the south and have VERY LARGE BUGS that I do not want to deal with, but im going to try. 🙂

    Reply

  39. online coupons says

    Excellent post. I used to be checking constantly this blog and
    I’m inspired! Very useful info specially the ultimate section 🙂 I
    care for such information a lot. I was seeking this certain info for a long time.
    Thank you and best of luck.

    Reply

  40. Lisa says

    Renovation is a process that can be used to improve the condition of a building or structure. It can involve a variety of tasks, such as updating the layout or replacing old parts of the building with new ones.powrmatic heater

    Reply

  41. Lisa says

    Renovation offers the opportunity to reimagine the aesthetics of a space. From a fresh coat of paint to updated flooring or modernized fixtures, each change adds a layer of beauty and elegance. With a thoughtful approach to design and color schemes, renovation can turn a dull and dated space into a visually stunning masterpiece.gardening

    Reply

  42. Lisa says

    Should the average homeowner know anything about home building and construction? Ideally, the answer to this question should be no because it is expected that the contractor be the one to take care of everything for the homeowner. The problem is that there are a lot of things that calls for some awareness on the part of the homeowner as far as knowledge about home construction is concerned.selling a house uk

    Reply

  43. lisa says

    Hello,

    Home safety is a crucial aspect of home improvement. This can involve installing security systems, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide alarms, as well as ensuring proper fire safety measures are in place. Homeowners may also consider reinforcing doors and windows, installing surveillance cameras, and implementing smart home technologies for enhanced security and peace of mind.การ์ดแต่งงาน

    Reply

  44. BETFLIXSUPERVIP says

    The content is top character, you can easily find numerous exclusive. There is something special about them. Thanks for sharing this valuable information with all of us and if you are searching for the best. Please do keep up the great work.
    เว็บออนไลน์ 789

    Reply

Trackbacks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *