Montessori Atrium Makeover

Simple and Impactful

Have you been following my Instagram stories this past  month @theplaceshemade? If so, you’ve had a little peek into what goes into beautifying a Montessori space.  Today’s post gives Montessori guides (aka teachers), catechists, and parents ideas for beautifying their own given environment. I also share some before and afters of our most recent project.

First of all, I am not a trained Montessori guide! I have done a lot of research over the past few years on the Montessori environment, but I leave the material set-up piece to the professionals. This post focuses on what I am experienced with: taking what you’ve been given in a space and intentionally beautifying it for certain use.

Have you been entrusted with a space to care for? If what you are faced with seems pretty depressing, don’t be discouraged!  I am sharing 5 tips below that will make the ugliest room much more pleasant and inviting.

Looking at Whatcha Got

There are limits to take into consideration with any space. For example, a common one is the appearance and structures of an old building, and another is a small budget.  In this particular makeover, there could also be no painting of walls or changing of the carpeted floors. Thankfully, the carpet is an unobtrusive blue and works fine with the color scheme we’ve been adopting throughout the building.  The very grey walls pose a big challenge for the vision for these spaces. The aim is a sense of brightness and fostering an experience of deep joy. I love to incorporate white as well as natural fabrics and elements to help with this.

A Little About Montessori Classrooms

If you’re a Montessori guide, you could probably skip reading this paragraph! For others new to Montessori: in this method of education, the classroom materials used really speak for themselves.  Visitors not familiar with Montessori may wonder why the typical bright-colored posters, preschool decorations and plastic materials are not present.  Some at first glance may even think that it looks too “boring.” It is actually quite purposeful though, to make decoration choices so as not to distract from the incredibly beautiful materials!  

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The Value of Beauty

“The objects surrounding the child should look solid and attractive to him, and the ‘house of the child’ should be lovely and pleasant in all it’s particulars; for beauty in the school invites activity and work, as adults know that domestic beauty nourishes domestic unity.”

-Maria Montessori, The Child and the Family

When so much focus goes to preparing the classroom materials, it is easy to neglect the overall beauty and feeling of the room.  For some, admittedly, big picture design just isn’t their interest or forte. It can also be challenging to be resourceful in using lots of second-hand furniture and materials without the whole room looking too “hodge podge.”  Again, an aging building paired with unfortunate unattractive colors and existing structures add to the challenge. This is where incorporating a few simple design guidelines can make a huge impact in a Montessori space. These can also be applied to your own home and work spaces!

5 Tips for Beautifying a Space

1. Discard or replace ugly or loud items. Sometimes it is easy to fall into using or decorating with ugly things simply because they’re available.  Plastic or glaring-patterned things can very quickly create an eyesore. They disrupt the peaceful ambience in an otherwise calmly-colored natural environment. Less (and lovely) is more.
2. Treat the windows.  Curtains or other fabric framing the windows really highlights the beauty of light and brings in the outdoors.
3. Draw the eyes up.  Utilize the height of the room to create a feeling of fresh spaciousness.  This can be done with installing curtains higher! Try draping large fabric scarves or hanging interesting beautiful natural items from the ceiling.
4. Draw the eyes down and around. Strategically-placed area rugs add so much warmth and welcome to a space.  I especially like large circular rugs as they add balance and a spirit of togetherness to boxy rectangular rooms.  Adding a number of identical smaller rugs throughout a large room can counteract the tendency toward “hodge-podginess.” Rugs magically make the whole area feel nice and cohesive.
5. Add greenery! As much as possible! Montessori celebrates the beauty of nature, and as humans we benefit so much from indoor plants.  After assessing how much sunlight comes in through your windows and where it hits throughout the day, decide which plants (high, medium or low level of light) are appropriate and bring them in.  If you don’t have sunlight, there are some very realistic faux plants that can evoke similar benefits to the real ones. Fresh cut flowers, or even branches or large leaves set in vases are other great options.

Transformations

I’ll finish with a few pictures of what a difference just these 5 things can make in a space.  I’m also a firm believer that the love poured into a room through beautification work forever impacts the persons who enter! 

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Send me questions or your own favorite room make-over tips in the comments.  Happy Placemaking, friends! Love, Serra Ann

*traditional preschool classroom photo via https://kiddikollegechildcare.com/preschool-vs-pre-kindergarten/ and *Jacaranda Tree Montessori Toddler Community classroom photo via Simone Davies