The most important part of a school is its functionality, but what if all this emphasis on practicality is let down by uninspiring, bland design? The days of clinical, pale school interiors are dying out, with more schools embracing the latest design trends.
But what are the latest trends for schools? And how can you include them in your school interiors? Find out as we count down our top picks from the latest school interior design trends of 2017!
The Paperless Library
Students are becoming more accustomed to looking at screens than at a book or magazine. The issue with this is that libraries don’t always engage students like they used to, and this is bound to make students unproductive.
The paperless library is a trend that doesn’t just evolve the library, it also maintains a student’s passion for reading. Students have been born and bred around screens, so it makes sense for it to be their primary source of learning.
By introducing kindles or tablets, students will be able to access an entire world of reading at their very fingertips. This isn’t just cost effective (you won’t have to buy a library’s worth of books), but it’s also a great way to minimise the cost of space as books take up lot of space.
Establishing Your School Culture
Every school has its own unique culture, and this should be reflected in its interiors. This is particularly relevant nowadays, with so many schools specialising in specific academic areas such as technology, arts or sports.
There are a number of ways you can reflect your culture in your interiors, including:
- Incorporating your school logo and motto onto walls
- Updating your school interiors and equipment to reflect your specialty subject (e.g. cutting edge labs for science specialists)
- Adapting the classroom layout to suit your preferred style of teaching
- School furniture and colour scheme
Another great way of establishing your culture is through your entrance and reception area. These are the first things that new students and guests will see, so it’s important that they reflect your culture perfectly.
Practical Training Facilities
Finding a job can be tough for young people, especially with so many employees looking for proven work experience.
In order to give students the best opportunity of finding work after education, many forward-thinking schools and colleges have introduced practical training facilities. For example, East Kent College have introduced part of an aeroplane for Travel & Tourism, and a contemporary salon for Hair & Beauty.
Not only does this make learning fun, but students get the hands-on experience they need to equip them for the workplace.
The Tech School
In our recent office design trends 2017 blog, we mentioned how offices are are putting more emphasis on technology to optimise their business. With the ‘tech office’, employees enjoy more freedom over how they want to work (e.g. phone, laptop, iPad etc.), and computers are incorporated into the furniture to create more space.
The education sector is also following suit with the tech trend, and this is transforming the way children are learning. The aforementioned paperless library, tech desks and electronic whiteboards are all becoming commonplace in schools, and are undoubtedly helping to make learning more engaging.
These changes are a natural step forward for the education sector. Not only are kids growing up with technology, but learning with the latest equipment will equip them for the modern workplace.
Bringing Back the Staffroom
In the past the staffroom has been a neglected part of the school interiors, even to the point where they’ve been taken away. Removing staff rooms is of course bad news for teachers, but it could also have a knock-on affect on pupils.
If a teacher has low morale and is lacking in energy, then that could result in students becoming disinterested. This, in turn, could have a negative impact on school grades.
By introducing a funky new staffroom, this will help teachers to re-energise in-between lessons. For a really relaxing environment, consider soft, comfortable furniture and a green colour scheme. Green is one of the most calming colours due to being illustrative of nature, and is therefore ideal for re-charging your batteries.
Rap Tip – If you’re considering a school refurbishment, check out Pantone’s colour guide for 2017. Pantone’s colour of the year for 2017 is “Greenery”, which they describe as a “zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring.”
Rap Interiors is an award winning school interior design company with more than 25 years of experience. For school refurbishments, fit outs and more. contact us today on 0333 600 1234 or email us at refurb@rapinteriors.co.uk
