It's study time!

Here are a few ideas to create your own den. If you have a guest room in your home, it could double up as a study when not in use. Large balcony spaces and large corridors could also be converted into study rooms if you could place a sliding door or a foldable wooden screen as a small partition to cordon off the place. A colourful curtain with a cheerful print would also suffice as a dividing wall if you think that the noise levels at your home are at tolerable levels.

You could build a few extra shelves to hold your collection of books. If you take sometime off painting the bookshelves at least on a bi-annual basis it will protect your books from attracting silver fish and other insects that may harm your books over a period of time. Whenever you find a little time on your hands, make a catalogue of your books and number them accordingly. Every one in your family will find it convenient to use the books and it will also help you to keep track of your stock and help you from not losing any of your precious books in the long run.

A large study table and a straight-backed chair can prove to be useful when you are making notes or referring to several books at the same time. It is best not to accommodate the computer on the study table as it can prove to be a disturbance sometimes. Besides if two or three people happen to be using the study at the same time, keeping the computer at a different spot in the study room will be helpful.

Throw in an arm chair or two to help you relax as you read for pleasure. The lighting of your study area should be even and should be soft on your eyes. A window in  your study room would be advantageous; if not, you can arrange for a ceiling fan to whirl over your head to keep you comfortable during those hot afternoons when you might doze off.

There are certain ground rules to follow while making use of a study room. It is best to keep the study area as a private area in one’s home, to maintain the sanctity, peace and quietness of the place.

Distracting elements like telephones or the television among other things can be avoided on the premises. If space permits, you could hang up your favourite picture, a thought provoking painting, some nostalgic family photographs which will help you ruminate over various topics when you are not doing anything specifically. A clock and calendar in the den can help you keep track of time.

Nowadays, we can find readymade cabins similar to those found in corporate offices and cyber cafes in leading furniture shops. They are usually made of wood or fibre glass and come with sliding doors with an open top. You could buy one of these for your home and create your own niche.  The price of these cabins can be anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 30,000 depending on the size, material and storage space of the cabin. If you can get a good carpenter to work on a similar idea, you could customise the cabin according to your needs and can also get it done for a slightly lower price.

Creating a private space
If you live in a very small home with just a room and a kitchen, you may have assumed that it is impossible to have a study, but then a study room is about creating a private space for oneself.

Lack of physical space should not prove to be a hindrance if you have made up your mind to have a study.

Any corner of your bedroom or living room can be converted into a study area where you can place your study table with an over hanging bookshelf fixed on the wall.

All the members who live in such houses can come to a consensus about using the telephone, television and computer in such a way that they do not come in each other’s way.