There’s just something so magical about looking at learning as an adventure, and that’s the exact notion I wanted to highlight in this travel-themed classroom. I worked with the classroom decor that this room already had, so I was able to put together a high school adventure-themed classroom in just one day! When I saw the before pictures, I knew that I could add just a few eclectic touches to make the classroom more cohesive and homey. I played off of the “choose adventure” tapestry that was already displayed in the room by bringing out more of the mustard yellow and contrasting black. The school colors are black and gold, so that worked out beautifully.
Classroom Before and After:
Classroom Plan and Cost:
As I teach in my free Classroom Design Class, you should always start your classroom design with ONE element and then build from there. I based this mood board off of the “Choose Adventure” tapestry that was already in the room. You can see how all of the other elements play off of this one item. If you want to learn how to make your own classroom mood board and design plan, be sure to read this post!
It’s also good to give yourself a budget and a time frame. For this makeover, I set a budget to $100, one day, and one of my resources. Here is how the $100 classroom makeover turned out.
(These are affiliate links that help make my Classroom Design Challenge possible. I get a small percentage when you use my links at no costs to you. Thank you!)
Cost Breakdown and Links:
Gigantic Landscape Art- For my big-scale art (always best for big classroom walls), I actually used a shower curtain that costs 18.99! To make this look like art instead of a shower curtain, I hot glued two $4 light pieces of wood right on top of the fabric and then hung it with wire.
I have used this shower curtain trick twice now, and both times it has made such a statement. I highly recommend searching Amazon to see the wide array of shower curtain options they have! Even if you don’t use the wood frame, just hanging these up with command strips will create a large and uncluttered focal point in your classroom!
Here are a few of my favorites:
Giant Pile of Books (a little more pricy, but all the heart eyes for this one!)
Ok, I had to stop myself because the possibilities are literally endless! Onward to the rest of the adventure-themed classroom!
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Macrame Hanging Photo Display– These cute and highly-rated photo display hangers were so good that I bought three of them. Displaying things in a set of 3 is a common design tip, and when you are trying to make large classroom walls look better, it’s a great way to fill up space without causing too much visual clutter which studies have shown can distract learners. Though these are designed for displaying photos, I thought they would be a great way to promote reading. I printed tiny book covers and clipped them on like photos (the hangers come with clips). I think it would be amazing to have students fill up these three displays as they read books throughout the year. They can add a book cover every time they finish! (3x 11.99= 35.97)
Large Classroom Rug- Another large-scale yet cheap classroom hack I have is to use outdoor RV rugs instead of more costly rugs. Not only are the washable, pretty, large, and handy to designate a space, but they are also inexpensive. This 6×9 rug only cost $29.42! Here’s a link to multiple sizes and colors for around $25!
Macrame Plant Holders- I have never been much of a plant lady, but after realizing the power of plants in the nature-themed classroom I did, I will never NOT be able to use plants in a classroom again. They just add so, so much and there’s plenty of research that backs up the mental health benefits of indoor plants. (25.99 for 5, but I only used 3, so that’s $15)
Other Accessories- If you have done the math, I’m at $99.38. In full transparency, I did go over my $100 budget, but it was all on accessories that aren’t technically needed to create what you’ve seen so far. However, these accessories do go a very long way in making the room feel calm and cozy, so here is what I purchased past my $100 budget.
1. A $5 lamp from Goodwill (lamps are SO easy to thrift!)
2. Mustard yellow flower pillows because I wanted to bring that yellow lead color to this high school reading nook (18.33)
3. I found these two black plant holders on clearance at Big Lots, and I just couldn’t pass them up. They were $10 each. She already had the plants, and the bottom can be used for storage!
Also, some eagle eyes may notice that there are no pictures of the wood background or the mustard yellow tapestry within the room. I did in fact order these things, but I sent them back because once I added my key elements, I felt like less was more. This room is clean and clutter-free with a fresh paint color, so I didn’t want to create unnecessary visual clutter. However, I’m going to link these items below in case you have an ugly wall you need to cover!
Mustard Yellow Tapestry (This photo from Amazon shows you the exact way I did my shower curtain except the shower curtain is much larger).
Better Than Paper Bulletin Board or Wall Paper – I am DIGGING this paper especially for a boho classroom vibe, but it just didn’t work out this time. Come back next year to see if I find a place to use it. 🙂
Also, I know people will ask about where they can get the “Choose Adventure” tapestry. Unfortunately, I can’t find this on Amazon. I think it was originally sold at Walmart. However, there are thousands of similar replacements on Amazon if you search “map tapestry” or “adventure tapestry.”
Lastly, I used my DIY Classroom Decor Bundle to create this adventure-themed classroom.
The posters you see on both sides of the shower curtain art are posters that I had printed as colored engineering prints from Staples. They were around $5 each to print. I simply load the JPEG file into the online engineering print portal, and click “pay at store.” Some printers will not print posters in this manner for you. If they don’t, they will call you and say “sorry we can’t do this” and then give you a more expensive option. If you don’t like feeling like a rebel, don’t try this trick. 😉
*Also note beautiful poetry posters that were already displayed on the sidewall above. They are from the extremely talented Stacey Loyd.
I also sprinkled in regular 8.5 x 11 posters. I just printed these straight from my printer at home.
However, the real eye-catcher is the “Be the Light in the World” display right above the teacher’s desk. The teacher actually already had this display set up before I arrived which I found so flattering. You can easily make your own by using this DIY classroom decor pack!
This sign not only fits this teacher, but also embodies everything she is trying to do in her secondary English classroom. She is full of passion, and I can’t wait to see her efforts flourish in this room!
If you want help creating a cohesive classroom environment like this one, be sure to join my free Classroom Design Challenge!
