SPACE SAVERS

LIFESTYLE EXPERT COLLEEN MULLANEY’S HIGH DESIGN ON A LOW BUDGET

GRADE-A STUDY SPACES

Well, it’s back-to-school time—and that means
homework. Start the school year off right with
the perfect homework space, equipped with
everything your kids need to study like superstars.

From the Desk Of

Let’s start from the very beginning: The most important thing you need in your homework space is a good desk. Make sure it has enough room for a small printer, too. And, of course, they’ll need a chair to be able to sit on while at their desk. Be sure to get a chair that fits them, supports good posture and is, most importantly, comfortable.

Gear You Go

Position the desk near an outlet so that your kids will be able to plug in their various devices—phone, iPod, computer, printer, wireless router, etc. Group all wires together to keep the space looking uncluttered. Clutter blocks creativity!

Write On

Keep small buckets of pencils and markers at the ready. Canvas-covered storage bins and baskets keep things neat and are handy for papers, folders and projects.

Light Bright

I cannot stress enough the importance of proper lighting. Use LED bulbs in both recessed lights and lamps to add some green to your glow.

Well Read

Create a cozy reading nook with a few big pillows and a soft rug for a seating area where kids will want to kick back with a good book, even if it’s part of a homework assignment.

Hang ’em High

Take advantage of empty wall space with shelves for books, cork-covered boards for notes, pictures, artwork and graded schoolwork. Pick up a whiteboard or chalkboard, too—it’ll give them space to work out problems, outline stories or just express their creative side.

Inspire your children to learn by creating a study space that speaks to their sense of cool. If you build it, they will do their homework.

Colleen Mullaney has enjoyed a long and dynamic career devoted to style and entertaining. Whether it be through her many published works or with her friends and family, Colleen has made it her passion to bring style to the world through floral design, home decorating and crafting. Colleen is a former editor in chief of Family Circle Homecrafts, FTD In Bloom and Jo-Ann magazines. Most recently, she partnered with Chris Madden on the launch of her magazine At Home with Chris Madden.

Her books include Shells, Faux Fabulous Florals (Sixth&Spring) and her popular Punch (in its third printing with Chronicle Books; more than 30,000 copies have been sold in such outlets as Williams-Sonoma and Anthropologie). Colleen will celebrate her take on bridal with One-of-a-Kind Weddings (Creative Publishing) as well as the global entertaining landscape with It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere (Sixth&Spring). Colleen has created interiors for residential and commercial spaces, and she’s designed cottage gardens and floral arrangements for clients up and down the East Coast. You can also see her work in full color on HGTV’s Insider’s Garden and soon on the web with a yet-to-be-announced project. Colleen lives in Westchester, N.Y., with her husband and three children, where she is constantly hosting playdates and dinner parties, toiling in the garden, and working on future projects.

For more from Colleen, go to www.colleenmullaney.com.