Have you ever had a love/hate relationship with something in your classroom? Well, I'm in that situation now.
Can you spot what I'm talking about? (Please tell me you notice the giant red cabinet.)
While most of me looks at this and... shrieks, I also see so much potential. What to do?
Let's look closer, shall we?
And closer again...
Now can you see my "problem?" This cabinet has seen better days! It has literally been taped shut! There is some water damage on the sides and the drawers don't exactly close (hence the tape, I guess). But, again, I LOVE love love that it is in the room at all. Storage is awesome!
Okay, let's get down to it. What to do?!
My first thought was to take off the doors and leave the large storage space open up top. The only catch with this idea is that it means I will have to keep everything in tip-top tidy shape. I've also considered removing the doors and installing a suspension rod with a curtain instead. This would hide the storage space and add a touch of softness. My concern with this idea is that I'll have to find a fabric that pulls in the room's colors AND accommodates the red... Oh! I completely forgot to mention the biggest "problem" of all... I HATE RED in my classroom. Like, seriously, can't stand it. I know, I know. Red is a color that impossible to avoid in the school market, but I do as much as possible.
Are you ready for my big epiphany? Contact paper! Kristen at Ladybug's Teacher Files has not one, but two tutorials about how to use contact paper to cover desks and other smooth areas around the classroom. I'm hoping this can solve my little dilemma. I'm thinking I'll only use the contact paper on the drawers and maybe on the side...
What do you think I should do? I would LOVE ideas and feedback!
I think you should take the top doors off and put a fun curtain up. I would definitely use contact paper to cover the "lovely" red up and the marks on the side. But you could possibly leave the yellow. I say get a little crazy with the cabinet. Make it fun and something you notice for the right reasons instead of the wrong ones! It looks like it holds a lot of stuff though which means it will be a great storage addition to your new classroom :)
ReplyDeleteI was totally thinking contact paper as I was reading that post. Amazon ( and I'm sure other places) has dry erase contact-paperesque stuff. I have a roll in my classroom. That might be cool to use on the side of it to write reminders or something on.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
You Might Be a First Grader...
Thanks Brenda! I will look into the dry-erase kind!
DeleteI say go for it! You might want to alternate dry erase and chalkboard contact paper...black and white! Nice storage and it will be even nicer when it's pretty to look at too! Good luck....can't wait to see pics!
ReplyDeleteVicky
Keep Calm & Imagine