The Best Locations for a Starter Piano in Your Home

Are you looking to purchase a starter piano for one of your children? Where you locate this new piano in your home makes all the difference in how much your child will enjoy practicing.

There is no getting around the fact that even a starter piano is a large piece of furniture which tends to not match anything else in the house. There's also the issue of the daily practicing, and how much we want to subject the rest of the family to the ruckus that a beginning piano student makes. These are all excellent reasons why as parents we'd prefer locating a starter piano in an out-of-the way location that can be shut off from the rest of the house. Unfortunately, those out-of-the-way locations are the worse possible place to locate a beginning piano student and his piano.

So where best to locate a starter piano?

From my experience, our children preferred having the piano as close to the center of the house as possible. While they were definitely in the thick of things, this location also meant the piano was much more accessible and Mom was nearby to help in case of a problem. The center of our house also was the warmest part of our home, had the best overhead lighting, was out of the direct sun, and far away from the fireplace.

These are all important points to consider when locating a starter piano in your home. To recap:
* The location must be centralized so that the child doesn't feel like he has been banished to another part of the house.
* Must have good overhead lighting, and be located close to an outlet for a piano light if needed.
* The room should be able to maintain a consistent temperature to prevent warping the wood; uninsulated rooms are a definite no-no. The center of the house tends to have the most stable temperature.
* A location close to a fireplace is also not recommended since the heat can dry out the wood. In front of or very close to a heat register is also not a wise location.
* The piano should not be placed in a sunny window which can fade the wood

For most homes, the interior wall of either the dining room or the family room/great room are the best locations for a starter piano. The kitchen eating area also is a great location providing there is enough room.

While all new piano students start playing with great enthusiasm, after a couple of years, the interest wanes while the child decides if playing the piano is really worth the effort. Getting them over this hump is easier if their practice piano is in the center of attention rather than relegated to the nether regions of your home.