Kids Art Table

Confession time, I am a fellow decorating blog troll. I eat up anything and everything design inspired. Most of the time I just admire the pretty but sometimes I see something I like and want. That was the case with any and all children’s art table’s. I loved them. My kids do crafts all the time and now that my littlest little is 2 1/2 we can leave out markers, colored pencils and crayons out. And they all three can be trusted. But my problem was other then the dining room table or the coffee table there was no place for them just to be crafty. And also it was a temporary home. Each time they were done it all had to be picked up, which unfortunately led to me sometimes saying no to coloring. A big mess that I inevitably had to pick up. But the amazing art table thing came into mind.

My inspiration source

I started looking for little tables but decided I wanted something they could grow into. So onto bigger tables we went. But wait… where will this wondrous big art table go? I had no clue, then I noticed the book case in the study was broken, and leaning from the weight of the books. Great put it on that wall. Done. But where do the books go? Two things came together at the same time to make my art table dreams come true, one I found the large spool and decided to turn that into a round book case and two, my brain started working and I became inspired. It happens, from time to time!

The old book case was a particle board put together with peg board on the side with holding into place the shelves. My husband made it wayyyyy before I came along. Of course I painted it white, prettied it up a little and it worked. So I batted my eyes, gave my best big dimpled smile and begged my husband to take it apart and use the boards to build a table. Just a square base, with a flat surface on top. My charm worked! After making the spool book case (which I am currently working on another post of explaining). We knew the space we wanted it in and decided on the height. I wanted it to be short enough for them to use now but tall enough for it to last for a while.

Notice the leaning shelf, and my cute little bookworm Nora

Then we went to work taking it apart, using the back piece as the square base. He attached a flat board on the bottom which he nailed the square base to so it would not tip over. Then he cut up the shelf pieces and we put three across to make the table top. He also connected these by a long board running from one side to the other under the three pieces. 3 coats of white paint, and two of chalkboard paint for the top and the table was done!

I found some stools I loved at World Market, but they were about $100 for one stool. One! So I passed. Then I was perusing world market.com, I don’t remember why and saw the same stools were 70% off. I called right away and they had three left. I have three kids. It was design destiny. We also used a long blue barn bench that was by our entryway. We moved my blue desk that was in the study and now use it as a table where the bench went. I found a great wall sconce at Ikea. While at a flea market I found a old inside of a drawer. I think that is what it is. We bought it, added some chicken wire to the front of it and hung it up. It became the marker, colored pencil, scissor and craft holder. At the same flea market I found an old crate. Brought it home, painted the outside a light gray (a sample left over) and the inside dark blue (also sample). The art table is done. My kids adore it, we love it. It is large enough for all five of us to sit and work on things. So bigger is better when it comes to art tables! My daughter was recently asked in a school assignment what her favorite thing to do it and she said “to draw at the art table”. It made the work all worth it!

stamps and chalk are kept in these, picked up from goodwill The old drawer turned art supply holder   I forgot to mention the center holder is from TJ Maxx     art work courtesy of said Littles   World Market 70% off stools       The paper, coloring book, sticker, scratch paper, catch all crate And yes, if you must know it is always that neat and orderly… always… ummm.. yeah, ok then. Not really but it sure is pretty all done up! Shared at- I am not a trophy wife, friday favorites