How to Create a Great Study Space at Home

Set the kids up for a successful school year with a workspace to call their own.

A study space doesn’t just have to be a desk crammed into the corner of your child’s bedroom. In fact, sometimes setting them up to work in a space where family is around can be beneficial—Mom’s there to help with math problems, or Dad can help keep the little guy on track when he gets distracted.WATCH: How to Create a Great Study Space (Breakfast Television) STUDY SPACES IN THE KITCHENWe all tend to gravitate towards the kitchen—think of your first stop when you come home, or where you end up at when you go to a party. If that’s where your child likes spending time, embrace that and set up a study-friendly space right at the kitchen counter.

Install outlets right in the island for easy access. That way plugging in a laptop is super easy. (More photos from this family-friendly farmhouse-style kitchen here.)

Reserve some kitchen drawers for school and art supplies. That way, they’re easily at hand. (See more tips from this Corea Sotropa-designed Calgary kitchen here.)

STUDY SPACES OUTSIDE OF THE KITCHEN

Don’t have room for the kids to be working on their social studies project while you’re cooking dinner? Look around your house for under-utilized nooks and crannies. There may just be a perfect-sized space just waiting for a desk.

Make the most of wasted space. This Ami McKay-designed workspace fits into a nook under the stairwell that wasn’t being used for anything else. She installed a desktop and plenty of cabinets to stow away supplies and files.

STUDY SPACES IN THE BEDROOM

If you’ve got small square footage, finding a place to stick a desk can be a problem. But look to the vertical space in your kids’ rooms for a solution.

Use a loft-style design to create more floor space. In fashion designer Loraine Kitsos’ house, she split one bedroom into two for her son and daughter, and then created built-in sleeping lofts so that there would be room for a desk for each.

CUSTOMIZE THE SPACE

And once you’ve found a space to set up your workplace, make it a fun place to spend time.

Choose a signature colour. A splash of red here—the Eames desk chair—is a surprising departure from the soft blue palette elsewhere in the house, providing a visual cue that this is no longer “Dad’s space.” (More photos from this father-son townhouse here.)

Incorporate artwork. This wallpaper collage is used above a bed here, but there’s no reason you can’t use it to create a beautiful study space, too. Or get the kids to help pick out a few pieces of artwork they love, so that spending time working here is an enjoyable experience. How have you carved out a space for the kids to do their homework? Let us know in the comments!