Craft room: need ideas!

[danotoyou2]

I'm taking over my DHs old home office (he's moving to another, bigger, better one) and turning it into a crafts room! It has a U-shaped desk that will be perfect for sewing machine, large cutting table (it's about 3'x4') and a section for a small ironing board (one of the table-top variety). There is also a book shelf I'll be using temporarily and putting baskets on to store items. The rest of the room is about 8x10... and I'm not sure what else to do with it.

I quilt, make hand sewn teddy bears, crochet and paint toys and things for the kids.

Any life-saving tips for a crafts room that has lots of space?

Also, DH is great with woodworking, so a lot of shelves, cabinets, etc. can be made by him. I'm just really looking for ideas on how to make this room organized and fun to be in (it doesn't have any windows, so it needs to make up for that in cheerfulness!).

Thanks!

[mamamillie]

congratulations on getting your own playroom!
The best things I have done with my room (which is small), is put a worktable in the middle of the room with lighting directly overhead. My worktable has a shelf underneath, so there is room for baskets to hold things underneath on the shelf and the floor. Having the worktable in the middle of the room has made it more fun and efficient to work in there. I also put the gliding rocker and a side table in there which keeps me in there more- I usually plan at the desk (which has shelves built over it), but I enjoy sitting in the comfortable chair by the window for dreaming and scheming and relaxing (and hand sewing). I use a lot of jars for storage (beads, mostly)- I like to see my supplies, it keeps me inspired. And there is no closet in my room, so I store fabrics on a bookshelf tucked in the corner of the room. The most important element in the room is the lighting. There is a big double window on the west wall, so daytime yields plenty of natural light, but I have brought in full spectrum task lighting over the worktable and also a daylight lamp and other lamps. I have carpet in my room which sucks! Most of our house has wood floors and a hard floor would be SO MUCH better for the floor of a craft sewing room! Oh, and filing cabinets are useful for keeping supplies and patterns organized. And for quilting- I have a big square of flannel pinned over most of the free wall. quilt blocks and pieces stick right on for designing/ laying out. and gotta have a stereo! Good luck!

[Gunter]

pictures help me so here are two links to craft rooms of people i like. i read their blogs almost on a daily basis.

craft room #1 from soulemama

craft room #2 from posie gets cozy

i just noticed that they both are light blue in wall color. not my fave color or anything but their set-ups are nice. i just have a table for beading in my bedroom with a row of hooks and a bookshelf next to the table. not the greatest set up.

[CallMeKelly]

Originally Posted by danotoyou2

I'm taking over my DHs old home office (he's moving to another, bigger, better one) and turning it into a crafts room! It has a U-shaped desk that will be perfect for sewing machine, large cutting table (it's about 3'x4') and a section for a small ironing board (one of the table-top variety). There is also a book shelf I'll be using temporarily and putting baskets on to store items. The rest of the room is about 8x10... and I'm not sure what else to do with it.

I quilt, make hand sewn teddy bears, crochet and paint toys and things for the kids.

Any life-saving tips for a crafts room that has lots of space?

Also, DH is great with woodworking, so a lot of shelves, cabinets, etc. can be made by him. I'm just really looking for ideas on how to make this room organized and fun to be in (it doesn't have any windows, so it needs to make up for that in cheerfulness!).

Thanks!

You can glue/nail baby food or other jar lids to the bottom of one shelf and then store small things like pins and sewing notions in them...

I think soulemama had a post about using cardboard like these retailed boards for fabric storage.... but I couldn't find it. Anyway, just cut pieces of cardboard and wrap the fabric around to store fabric in sight but tidy.
http://www.thefabricorganizer.com/

Some fold-down work surfaces like this would be nice, to use only when needed and leave open space when not in use.
http://cgi.ebay.com/IKEA-NORBO-Wall-...QQcmdZViewItem

For yarn for crochet...
http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/FEATwhatsinstore.html
I love the teapot picture... I would thrift for two/three dollar teapots until I had a whole shelf full and fill them with yarn if I had a dedicated space... I think it would be aesthetically pleasing and fun!


Also copper gutters make really awesome shelves for things like yarn and cloth.
http://www.guttersupply.com/p-emboss...r-caesar.gstml

And since you have a carpenter around...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Buil...or-book-shelf/
I really love these! I think they'd be perfect for a craft room as they would accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes.

A peg board is perfect everywhere, IMO. Craft room, kitchen, kids room, bathroom... there is not one room a peg board would not be handy. Just paint it before installing with either the room colors or a snappy design and it will look nicer.

a magnetic bar or even wall if you use magnetic paint. perfect for all kinds of storage.

since you are crafty... maybe take a page from this guys book and make a model first
http://www.instructables.com/id/Design-a-workshop/
to see exactly how you want to set it up!



it was nice dreaming about what I'd have in the perfect craft room! Thanks for that!

[spmamma]

Originally Posted by Gunter

pictures help me so here are two links to craft rooms of people i like. i read their blogs almost on a daily basis.

craft room #1 from soulemama

craft room #2 from posie gets cozy

i just noticed that they both are light blue in wall color. not my fave color or anything but their set-ups are nice. i just have a table for beading in my bedroom with a row of hooks and a bookshelf next to the table. not the greatest set up.

Oh wow. I'm in love with those craft rooms... maybe someday I'll have one of my own so I can decorate it like that!!!