Refresher Course: Recreating a Teachers’ Lounge


Sangre Ridge Elementary Teachers Lounge BEFORE!

Story and photos provided by Nook & Cranny Mercantile

Recently, Nook and Cranny Mercantile had the opportunity to participate in updating the teachers’ lounge at Sangre Ridge Elementary.  We all know how hard teachers work and how deserving they are for an escape during a hectic day.  The idea was initiated by Sangre RidgeElementary Assistant Principal Michelle Biggs, who requested the PTA complete this project as a gift to the teachers. The PTA took on this DIY project and are responsible for this beautiful transformation.  

BEFORE
BEFORE

The team lead by Ashley Weichbrodt,  Elizabeth Beck and Claire Edwards, were up for the challenge.  The ladies decided to take this boring and uninspiring space and breathe new life into it using paint provided by Nook and Cranny Mercantile.  The Heirloom Traditions chalk-type paint makes it easy to paint over an existing surface without the need to sand it first.  The team decided a soft grey would be the perfect color for the cabinets accented by navy for the table and chairs.  Once 2 coats of paint was applied, they were sealed with a water base sealant.  All of our products are water based and have very little to no odor, making it easy to accomplish a task without the worry of chemicals or their effects.  

After the cabinets were finished, the ladies moved on to the table and chairs.  And although they had been painted about 5 years ago, the table and chairs needed to be refreshed.  Luckily, the ladies were able to paint right over the existing latex paint with the chalk-type paint from Heirloom Traditions.  That is another bonus of this type of paint, no need to sand the previous finish, you simply can paint right over it.  Once painted, they lightly sanded off some of the paint for a distressed, cozy feel.  Because this is a water-based paint, distressing is easily achieved by using a damp cloth or lightly sanding with sandpaper.  Once again, for durability the table and chairs were sealed with a water-based sealant.  

Furniture Showcase, another local Stillwater merchant, generously donated a new sofa for this project.  Comfortable, relaxing, current furniture is an important part of this project in offering the teachers and staff an opportunity to unwind and relax during the day. THANK YOU Furniture Showcase!

Nook & Cranny was privileged to participate in painting the entry showcase shelves at Sangre Ridge last year. We are happy to again participate in the efforts to enhance the aesthetics of the school and be a part of giving a fresh look to the teacher’s lounge. Assistant Principal Biggs and the PTA deserve the credit for the foresight and hard work to provide this improvement for our teachers. Nook & Cranny is proud to be a part of a community with parents and local merchants who provide support to our schools and the teachers who provide instruction for our children. We wish Sangre Ridge Elementary and all Stillwater Public Schools a great school year. THANK YOU to all of our teachers and the staff for all you do!