2.4 Furniture Ideas

Many schools and classroom have transformed their spaces using various types of chairs, whiteboard desks, and even movable bookshelves. Below, you will find links to a few different sites some of the schools highlighted have used to innovate their spaces and build exciting and inspiring blended classrooms. While exploring the sites, make sure to take notes on your interactive handout for future reference. 

NOTE: This can definitely be an expensive shift, so you can also take ideas from the sites and see how you can repurpose your current furniture to give it a new role in the classroom. Goodwill, Craiglist, and other secondhand stores are also great places to start. You can also see if you or your school can apply for a grant to help in your blended adoption. 

• One Workplace Links to an external site.: This site offers creative tables, chairs, and even desks in various shapes to allow for flexible grouping and classroom set-ups as seen above and below. Both images were taken from Joseph Weller, a district middle and elementary school in Milpitas, California. The above lab took an innovative approach to furnitureand work space, and even gives students the ability to have choices in where and how they learn best (as seen by the risers, fun red group desks, and even independent stations and beanbag chairs).

• 3 Oaks Group Links to an external site.: Offers innovative furniture ideas, like the green mushroom chairs and flip-form risers (grey and yellow) seen in the image below at CICS West Belden
• Classroom direct: Links to an external site. This site can help you brighten up your space witih fun rugs and movable dry-erase boards/room dividers, as well as tons of other creative furniture items seen below
• Other pieces shown below are the A Plus Collaboration Station Activity table Links to an external site. from Hertz Furniture in blue at the bottom-right corner

The image below is from the Intrinsic School Links to an external site., a high school in Chicago, IL, whose innovative space is inspiring not only to their students but to visitors as well. 

Schools also noted specific places to find other basic items that have been used to spruce up their spaces. 

• Ikea Links to an external site.: teacher desks
  • shelving units
  • futons
  • cube ottomans
  • swivel chairs 
• Target Links to an external site.:
  • fabric bins
  • floor pillow
  • beanbag chairs
  • fabric ottomans
  • small rugs
• School Outfitters Links to an external site.: 
  • Horseshoe Tables
  • Rocker Chairs