“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.” – Proverbs 14:1
Welcome back to Wisdom Builds Her House! Today I want to take you on a journey — not just of wood and nails, but of wisdom, family, and the joy of building together.
It’s been a little while since my last post, and for good reason: our family is growing! We are joyfully expecting our eighth child. In these early months, I stepped back a bit to care for myself and our home, but in that time God was still stirring ideas for how we could better serve our family’s needs — especially for homeschooling.
The Need for Change
Even before the pregnancy, we had reached a breaking point with our space. Our dining room was no longer big enough for hosting and our schoolroom was bursting at the seams. When guests arrived, they were greeted by a packed room full of books, art supplies, and projects — and while homeschooling life is full of beauty, I longed for an environment that felt both creative and peaceful.
We had tried quick fixes before: floating IKEA shelves; (which eventually collapsed under the weight of children’s curiosity!), baskets, bins — but nothing seemed to last. I kept returning to one thought:
We need something built to last — functional, beautiful, and flexible for the future.
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Designing with Purpose
Since we were beginning to outgrow our dining room, we decided to transform the dining room into our new schoolroom and build custom floor-to-ceiling shelves with lower cabinets. These shelves would become the focal point in the room and frame the walls really well. This would give us:
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Ample storage for books and supplies
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Space for each child to work comfortably
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A timeless look that could work as a dining room or guest room if needed in the future.
That flexibility was important to me. Our homes and our needs change — and building with wisdom means planning for those seasons.
Photo of our dining room several years before the remodel
The Joy of Building Together
This project became more than wood and paint — it was a family effort. My husband, and our children each played a role. Little hands helped clean or carry boards, older ones measured and marked, and everyone pitched in for the painting.
There’s something deeply valuable about letting children be part of the process. Yes, it takes longer. Yes, it can be messy. But it’s also discipleship — teaching them diligence, patience, and the satisfaction of creating something together.
Every brush stroke and every screw turned into wood, became a small act of love for our home and for each other.
The Reveal & the Future
When the last coat of paint dried and the doors were hung, I could hardly believe it. Solid, beautiful shelves now stand where our dining table once sat — shelves that will hold books, art supplies, and maybe someday family photo albums.
And if the day comes when this room needs to serve a different purpose? We can simply remove the desks and add a sideboard or bed, and the space is ready.
Because wisdom doesn’t just build for today — it builds for tomorrow.
Coming Next: In Part 2, I’ll share the complete DIY tutorial for our built-in shelves — from the tools and wood cuts to the final trim. Whether you’re building a schoolroom, office, or library wall, you’ll have everything you need to get started. Check out the video where we provide a step by step guide and walk you through the steps we took to transform our dining room.
