This document describes how a teacher decorated her elementary school learning commons to theme it as a medieval castle and fairytale land. She created cozy reading corners using items from thrift stores, yard sales and the school storage, including bed canopies, cushions, candle holders, sconces, and a treasure box. Decorations around the room included fabric draped on bookshelves, a skeleton dressed as a princess, a coat rack transformed into Jack and the Beanstalk, and plastic castle walls used as borders. The goal was to transform the space inexpensively using reused and repurposed items to immerse the students in an imaginative medieval setting.

1. Decorating the
Learning Commons :
Medieval Magic and
Fairytales
Georges Vanier Elementary,
Surrey, B.C.
Anna Crosland, TL
October ’14
georgesvanierlibrary.edublogs.org

2. Thrift store: Bed
canopies $4.00 each.
Yard sale: Cushions
$1.00 each
Here’s a few quick ideas for a
classroom or library fairytale /
medieval theme.
I replaced my
desk area with 2
cozy reading
corners.

3. Wall candle holders with pages
from discarded books for candles.
Curtain sashes hang by the
windows.
(Thrift store: Metal candle holders
$2.99 each. Sash $2.00)

4. These are upside down wall
sconces that make perfect
bookends.
(Thrift store: $1.00 each. )

5. Metal Candlesticks with discarded
book pages for candles. Dollar store
ravens - these birds live in the
learning commons no matter the
theme.
(Thrift store: Candle holder $2.99. )
‘A Treasure of a Book’ This box is
beside the circulation area.
(Yard Sale: 50 cents. )

6. Dungeon princess.
(Incomplete science skeleton found
in school storage)
Left over craft fabric draped over
book shelves.
The skull and skeleton live in the L.C.
and dress up for all of our themes.

7. Pete in the Beanstalk. This is a coat
rack. It is multi-purpose because it
is free standing. Last year it
supported a dowel to make a pirate
ship mast.
All of the plush animals that live in
the L.C. join in the theme.

8. Castle walls. Plastic. Purchased a
few years ago and used several
times since then. It is 40’ long so I
was able to use the extra in strips
around the walls. I cut out windows
(looks into the glassed in computer
lab) and put those pieces on the
library windows.
Party supply store:
Wall $16.00, Fabric:
inexpensive from
discount store.
Purchased years ago
and used many times.
Shield pennant string $3.00. Cut up
and used the individual flags

9. Plastic tray, goblets and coins
reused from previous theme
Pencil tankards. Reused from
previous theme.
Thrift store: 50 cents
Metal candle stand.
Thrift store: $1.00
Plastic Hallowe’en
Cauldron.
Dollar store

10. Table runner cut in half.
Yard sale $1.00.
Party supply store plastic shield
and posters. Yard Sale silk banner-a
lucky find for $1.00

11. The tree also lives in the L.C. and is
decorated each year.
I added thrift store craft butterflies
and flowers, lights and my fairies.

12. Pennants made from book covers.
Folded over and stapled on the string.
These covers have been on
display before and were
damaged on the edges so were
perfect to make into flags.
Metal candle stand.
Thrift store: $1.00

13. Panorama pics. Castle reading tent borrowed from another class. Later
the tables will also be covered to make reading forts.
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