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What Kind Of Interior Design Is Popular For Schools? Find Out Here

The way that you approach designing an interior will depend on its use. The things you give thought to when decorating a house will be different from the things you give thought to when designing an office space. Your approach entirely depends on how it is going to be used. You may have heard of phrases like ‘form follows function or ‘functionality first’. It’s these phrases that are relevant in school design as well, and here are some of the more popular choices.

1. A Place For Everything

Schools are meant to house a large number of students in a small space. The size of the classroom is built to accommodate up to 30 children, sometimes more. Then there are the teachers, the administration, and the non-teaching staff. This makes a school a pretty busy place. Every one of these people has things they need at school, as well as items they bring from home, and they all need to be placed somewhere. That’s why there’s such a variety when it comes to the many types of school storage – you can’t have a place of learning looking cluttered. From open storage units, safety cabinets, and stacking shelves to mobile lockers and wall-mounted racks, you can find storage in every shape, size, and color for this purpose. It’s also why the arrangement of the furniture in schools is so carefully planned out. Just think about how many coats, bags, and other items you can find in a  school classroom on any given day, and you’ll see the need for organized layout planning. Look at any school’s floor plan, and you’ll notice right away that there is a system to it – desks placed in proximity to the blackboard/whiteboard, chairs arranged in groups around tables, cabinets near where they’re needed most. It’s what keeps the place looking orderly while also providing convenience.

2. Community Spirit

Another thing that makes schools unique is the atmosphere of camaraderie. How many times have you heard someone saying they’re proud to be alumni of their school? And just like uniforms and school scarves promote a sense of belonging, integrating the colors and emblem of the school in the interior design helps to promote the community spirit. More than that, designers often create places where students can hold school meetings, socialize, or just take a break. It’s where the cafeteria, ‘reading nooks’ and ‘hang-out spots’ come into play. By creating a communal space, the school knows that everyone will have a hand in making it a friendly and welcoming environment.

3. Safety

There are some basic safety standards that have to be met in schools. They need to have fire exits for students and teachers, proper lighting with emergency lights, and electrical outlets near work areas.

Security fixtures like surveillance cameras, access control systems, and intrusion alarms can help authorities keep watch of the school premises. Sturdy and tamper-resistant doors with proper locking mechanisms discourage unauthorized entry. Windows should be shatter-resistant or equipped with safety film to minimize injuries and enhance security. 

Furthermore, schools must ensure the proper storage and handling of hazardous materials. Science laboratories should be equipped with appropriate safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, eyewash stations, and safety showers.

These are necessary features of any school design. Of course, in recent times, there are safety measures in place that help ensure everyone stays as healthy as possible while attending school. There’s also the matter of providing more security measures – lockers are placed at a greater distance from classrooms, and fire doors are fitted with better locks. Whether it’s a matter of providing equipment for them to use or creating areas where they can do their work, you’ll find that schools give thought to safety first.

4. Accessibility

The interior design plans for schools take into account how easy it is to move around. It should be accessible to everyone, especially those with limited mobility and vision impairment. You can see this in the layout of classrooms and offices – everything needs to be easily reachable by wheelchairs. Classrooms need to be designed with the arrangement of desks and chairs that will allow for this kind of accessibility, while offices need doors that are wide enough for wheelchairs to pass through. Apart from that, a good interior design will ensure a floor plan that makes the most sense: all classrooms and offices need to be located in the wings of the school. This way, everyone will have easy access to it without having to take long, winding paths from one end of the building to another. The location of the restrooms is also important – it’s the one place where everyone will need to go at some point, so it should be reachable without wasting time.

5. Environment

The exterior has a lot to do with how you design an interior. Are there a lot of trees around the school building? Which rooms get the most sunlight? Is the school located near a park? Once you’ve answered those questions, you can plan your design based on it. The kind of blinds, indoor lighting, and even privacy features you choose can be dependent on these factors. You need to plan not only the layout of each classroom but also how it will function around the space outside. This is also where the ‘green’ movement comes in. Thanks to it, schools now use solar panels and thermal insulation as part of their efforts to save energy and be responsible for the environment around them. So if your school has a ‘green’ policy, you need not only to know how it affects the building but also how it will affect its interior design. When talking about interior design, a lot of people really mean decor. However, when designing an interior, you also need to look into what materials you can use for insulation, what kind of flooring goes in a school, and how soundproof a room needs to be. In this way, you can ensure that the design will not only please the eye but also keep everyone safe and warm.

Schools typically have high foot traffic and usage, which can lead to wear and tear. An easy-to-clean layout will make maintenance much easier. That’s important since it extends the lifespan of infrastructure and reduces repair and replacement costs. 

Vinyl, tile, or polished concrete flooring resist the accumulation of dirt, dust, and stains because they’re easy to clean surfaces. 

On the other hand, good lighting not only enhances the aesthetics of the space but also aids in identifying areas that require maintenance. Clear pathways, unobstructed exits, and organized storage areas are key to easy cleaning.

Hiring a school cleaning service helps keep the place clean and organized, promoting good health for students, teachers, parents, and visitors. Students are more likely to adopt and practice good hygiene habits when they observe and experience a clean school environment.  

6. Engagement

A school is a place of learning, and the design needs to reflect that. There may be a lot of rooms where people can study and do their homework, but there should also be places where they can interact without feeling confined. That’s why you need to add lounge areas and comfortable furniture to the school design plans. A place that shows off the overall theme of the school will help students feel more engaged when it comes to their projects. More than that though, the pictures, tools, library, and even computer can all help to better engage the students. Depending on what kind of classes they’re learning, you can also be sure that their rooms will have the equipment to suit them. There may be spaces where students are required to conduct experiments, while some might need tools for carpentry or metalworking. And a good design will make all of that easy to use and fun. By knowing what to put in a school’s interior, you’ll surely make the most of its space and deliver a very unique look.

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While the interior design of schools will wildly differ, depending on the designer, the budget, and what the school wants, these 6 points are the key elements to the most popular interior design styles for school. A good design won’t just make students feel comfortable, but it will also allow them to concentrate when they need to, and create a lasting bond with the school and the people they meet there.

Written by Eric

37-year-old who enjoys ferret racing, binge-watching boxed sets and praying. He is exciting and entertaining, but can also be very boring and a bit grumpy.