The Smarter Kitchen: Kitchen Counter Study Station Ideas – Infographics

These days, it seems like everyone needs a piece of the kitchen for one task or another. For more than a year now, many of the nation’s children have been attending school from home and many may continue to do so for the foreseeable future, at least until the end of the school year.

But even when schooling returns to normal, it’s likely you’ll find that the kitchen is an ideal place for a study station and that your kitchen counters can certainly get the job done when it comes to setting up a place for homework or other school tasks.

However, if you’ve looked around your kitchen and have determined that the way it’s configured doesn’t really lend itself to setting up such a kitchen counter study station, read on for some ideas on how you can make subtle and not-so-expensive changes so that you can turn your kitchen into a great schoolwork space that can be used by both your children AND the adults in your house.

Build a custom study station that blends with your existing kitchen

If you’re afraid that any desk-type area added to your kitchen will stick out like the proverbial sore thumb, make sure you use colors and styles that blend with your space. For example, if you have white farmhouse cabinets, choose a white desk with legs that match the style of your cabinets and perhaps even mount a cabinet above it. A corner you’re not using is a great spot for such an addition to your kitchen.

You can do the same by integrating a desk area into a run of built-in cabinets. Just step down 4-6 inches from traditional counter height to table height, and bump in the desk area 3 or 4 inches to allow space for a chair. Top the desk with the same material as your countertops for a true cohesive appearance. You’ll love it so much that you’ll use it long after home schooling has disappeared.

Look for unused small spaces

Often, you’ll find kitchens with not only unused corners but other untapped areas as well. For example, you may have a block of cabinets that doesn’t reach all the way to the wall but has a few feet of empty space beside it. So, you can use that space for a small desk with some drawers underneath and perhaps some shelves or a corkboard above. Most kids don’t need large study stations but require just enough room for a laptop for older kids and a few books for the younger ones. Chances are these small awkward spaces will look much more cohesive with the kitchen once you’ve done something with them.

Think vertical rather than horizontal

Remember, you don’t need a wide space to make a study station for your kids. Sometimes, a narrow space with plenty of area above it works just as well. As long as you have a desk-type surface at table height for writing, computing, etc. you can put a station in a narrow transitional space with shelves above it to hold school supplies, books, and more.

You can create something similar with a closet or pantry space. If you can spare the space and don’t need it for food or kitchen supplies, build a desk inside. Design it so that you can still close the door when the day is over. This way, you won’t have to worry about clutter in your otherwise neat kitchen. If you can’t close the door, make sure you use materials that match your cabinets and countertops.

Consider extending your countertops

You can also literally extend your kitchen countertops to make a workstation if you have the available space, or you can put a small desk at the end of a counter that looks like a logical extension of your countertop. This is an especially good idea for those who have small children who often need help with their schoolwork. Because they’re not hidden away in a corner or a nook, you can keep an eye on them while they’re working and you’re busy doing something else in the kitchen.

If you’re calling a kitchen remodeling expert for help in crafting an attractive study station for your children or for yourself, remember to talk about other important issues including the need for good lighting and for extra outlets, shelves, and more.

The professionals at Mr. Cabinet Care can recommend a variety of options for designs that’ll make your kitchen multi-functional. Call us for a free consultation! https://www.mrcabinetcare.com/