Designing a Homeschooling Haven

It started with the initial closures in March of last year. Parents waited and wondered until the fall when most schools cautiously reopened and offered students the option to return on a full-time basis, participate in hybrid schooling models, or adapt to an online-only curriculum. No matter which schedule worked for your family, it was clear that the pandemic had turned our educational system on its head. 

In Coral Gables, many parents continued to keep their children at home, and this decision ignited a need for functional workspaces akin to at-home classrooms. Local designers responded in a big way by working with families to create vibrantly outfitted settings that might just make kids excited about studying at home. 

We spoke with Coral Gables-based designer Elizabeth Ghia, who was called on during the quarantine to transform a garage into a homeschooling space for two young children. “With the kids being stuck at home, they needed a space that was all theirs where they could learn and play without disturbing their father, who was working from home,” says Ghia. 

She endeavored to keep the garage functional, so it still opens normally and houses the washer and dryer and an independent air conditioning unit. “It’s really an ode to Home Depot and a bit of creativity,” says Ghia, who installed trellis panels along the wall and painted the floor with a splashy coat of pink. The pint-sized table and chairs were sourced from Pottery Barn Kids and the tribal rug is from the online retailer Rugs USA. elizabethghia.com