Need Creative Eyes for drab room remodel!?

Clean the room thoroughly and paint it WHITE. Hang the bulletin board in a good place that it can be 'noticed' on entry or leaving, but not 'stand out' ... on the rest of the walls, have a 'moving art show' ... paint 'faux' picture frames in settings, so there are four to ten of them 'grouped' together on each wall, and place cork or some other easy thing in them, then change the artwork every month or two weeks ... and use 'themes' that are fun. Have the 'pictures' on one wall be cartoons, and the teachers can have 'contests' at the rate of one a month ... a 'cartoon' contest one month, a 'fine art' one the next month, etc. If possible, get rid of those grouped tables and have nicer chairs with smaller tables... this is a 'lounge' to relax in, not a 'class room' for meetings, and it should look 'comfortable' and not 'institutional.'

Paint the room with welcoming warm colors in an eggshell finish rather than glossy. There is a great book I love to use and you can get at your local library as a referral.

"The Perfect Palette" Bonnie Rosser Krims

If you have a Benjamin Moore store in your area. Pick out the color chips you like any color store will be able to match the colors so you can perhaps use a less costly paint. Choose a soothing easy on the eyes color. Just not white. White is cold an uninviting. Try using 2 complimentary colors. I like to use one color on the bottom and one on top decorating with a thin chair rail. I paint that with a neutral white. If you have a talented painter perhaps a mural would be nice. Some stores might donate paints if you ask them. Many have paints which where not mixed right and they have no use for. See if the schools art department has some talented students and student art you can draw on. Use them to decorate the room further. Anything to stretch the budget. New color coordinated curtains and maybe some fresh potted plants will finish the job.

1. Remove the border.

2. Paint the walls a light shade of blue or green.

Green: It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients.

Blue: Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms.

From my monitor, I can't tell if the floors are green or actually blue, but go with the same color of the floor, just a diffrent tone.

I can help you pick a shade of one of these if you wish, just shoot me an email and let me know what line of paint you wish to use.

Check with HomeDepot or Lowes, etc and see if they will make a donation towards the school. They might actually give you a donation in the form of a gift certificate. I am vice president of our school's band booster club and they have done this for us. Doens't hurt to ask!

3.The bulletin board: Paint the outer frame white or yellow. Add a strip of molding right down the middle, vertically. Paint half of it with chalkboard paint. You can get it in a spray can or you can brush it on.

4. I know that you are on a budget, however if you can get a donation on the paint, I would definatey replace the clock with a MUCH larger one, centered on the wall that the current clock is on. Search ebay and such for a deal.

5. The chairs are really dominating what the rest of the room feels like. Would it be possible that around the school there are some old wooden or metal chairs that could be painted?

Hope this helps!

Oops, I forgot one!

6. Add an inspirational quote to one wall. Visit www.wallwords.com for some popular quotes.

Cover the bulletin board with cloth and paint the frame.Paint the walls. Use the printer to copy a large picture of each teacher and put it up. Or gather old pictures of the school and enlarge them for the walls. Separate the tables and put some sort of centerpiece on them. See if you can beg, borrow, or whatever some chairs with arms and a sofa. Lamps would be nice too. Paint the cabinets.