Dear Genevieve,
What are some ideas for displaying kids' artwork? I like to class it up, but my wife likes the refrigerator. Is there some idea that would satisfy both of us?
A. I've been asked this question so many times. Here are some guidelines and solutions I've come up with over the years:
Let's start with the don'ts:
• The refrigerator is never a good idea. It clutters up your kitchen, and the art always falls off when you open the door.
• Don't display every piece. While every painting done by our children is as beautiful as a Picasso, pick the top five most important pieces and display those. Any kind of collection loses power when there are too many of one thing.
Now for the dos:
• Designate a "gallery" spot on the living-room wall. This will not only give the pieces that your child creates a greater sense of importance, but it will also become a source of pride for them. Have fun with the display—use wide, gold, illustrious frames like the ones you might find at the Met or the Louvre and hang the art at both adults' and kids' eye levels. Rotate new pieces in once a month. Have an "art opening" for each rotation—your little one could even give out "tickets" (this could also be a quarterly event, depending on your time).
• String a clothesline across one wall of your child's bedroom. This will address the concerns of your wife, who I think is looking for a little bit of a time-saving solution (I don't blame her), and will give your artist a place to hang as many pieces as he chooses in his own room with clothespins.
Now, what do you do with all of the art when you're not displaying it? Though I don't believe that you should keep every piece of paper your child has ever scribbled on, I also recognize it can be difficult to figure out which pieces to part with on the spot. Store the gems in an 11-by-14-inch portfolio with plastic sleeves as a timeline of your children's creative spirit and purge them when you're ready. It will be fun for you all to look at over the years, and with time, I think you'll all be clear as to what you can part with and what you can't.
Dear Genevieve,
How can I blend a home office with homework central? My children are 13 and 15 years old. The room we're working with is approximately 12 feet by 10 feet and accommodates a computer desk, a second desk for projects, four filing cabinets, a bookshelf, and a drafting table for myself (I'm an artist).
A. Something or someone has got to give. You have a 13- and a 15-year-old, along with file cabinets, a computer desk, and a drafting table in a 12-by-10-foot room?! First of all, I commend you that your teens can sit in a room for more than five minutes with each other and—on top of that—with their parent? Bravo, you are an amazing parent!
Okay, first off, clear the room and start over. You will never see the promised land through all of the clutter.
As a former art student, I know the attachment to the drafting table is strong and sentimental, but in a room this small, with this many functions, you're going to have to move it to another space. And trash the computer table: It's so 1990, and if you have a laptop, it doesn't need its own table. Instead, think about running a countertop-like desk around the three walls of the room (butcher block, stainless, and stone slab look nicer than the typical office-furniture laminate). This will serve as your art and project space on one side of the room and a homework area on the other side of the room.
Next, divide these two spaces with an open bookcase or studio table with storage underneath, perpendicular to the desktops. The file cabinets should be used as additional support and storage areas underneath the desktops.
The real trick, though, is using the wall space—the vertical is what will save you in this room. Install a wall-mounted shelf a foot or two below the ceiling for storing things you don't need to get at every day; keep your art supplies on lower, adjustable shelves.
Finally, I would suggest investing in some ergonomic seating and task lighting for each individual to keep everyone happy.
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