My New Studio Space
So I finally finished my new studio space, and it has CHANGED MY LIFE. This was a gift I really wanted to give myself in 2022, because it’s been an extremely difficult year. I talk more about this project here.
To recap, I haven’t had a great workspace since we moved into our home six years ago. Before, I was working on three different levels - printing in the basement, illustrating in one (very dark) upstairs bedroom, and packaging in another. We even thought about moving to fix the problem. After looking at houses and finding nothing we loved more than our current home, we finally just decided to throw a lot of time and energy into making it work.
The space we chose to renovate was an attic addition on the second floor of our home. The storage was best in there, so I was already using the room for packaging. The only problem was that the heating and lighting was awful. Also, I wasn’t inspired by the space as is. The walls were dark and sparse. It didn’t feel like a room I wanted to be in all day.
To fix the problem, we first had a heating and cooling system installed in the back right corner of the room. The unit is outside of the house, so it’s super quiet. That way, I can keep the room temperature controlled for my printers. It wasn’t cheap, but this is the only way I’d be able to use the space. And it’s a lot cheaper than moving. Then, we had can lights and outlets installed by an electrician. After that, Ryan and I painted the room to brighten it up. Lastly, I put up curtains and did some major shopping for decor and organization solutions. It’s not a large room, so I had to be strategic about storage. And voila - a couple of months later, I have a space I’m excited to work in every day.
My new studio has done wonders for my creativity, because I’m vibing so well with my surroundings. I tried to choose decor that fits my illustration style, so that was a fun exercise. I know my style now even better than I did before.
Also, my productivity is off the charts. I spend less time doing everything I need to run my business - painting, printing, shipping. You name it. My efficiency is off the charts. I save the most time fulfilling orders. A process that used to take all day now takes 1-2 hours.
Before…
My before picture is a little lame, because I was already partly through making changes. I wanted to get some desks in the room first before tackling the project to see if it would even work as a studio space. Luckily it did, and everything fit like a glove!
Midway Through…
Ryan and I tackled painting together one weekend. It was a big project, but not too time consuming since the walls and ceiling are the same color. The color I chose was Pink Damask by Benjamin Moore. We have it in some other rooms of our house. It’s the perfect warm, creamy, white color with blush undertones.
The Big Reveal…
Links to Products:
Black Leather & Brass Chair (Similar from World Market)
Glass & Brass Desk (Similar from Crate and Barrel)
Tiger Jonathan Adler Rug (Ruggable)
X-acto Commercial Paper Cutter (Amazon)
Black and Brass Trunk (Pottery Barn Teen)
Campaign Pinboard (Pottery Barn Kids)
Acrylic Carts (Container Store)
Antique Flushmount Chandelier (vintageprotostar on Etsy)
Brother Wireless Label Printer (Amazon)
HP Color Laserjet Printer & Scanner (Costco)
*Desk lamp and ceramic storage bowls are vintage finds.
Hopefully you’ll be seeing a lot more of my space. This was a positive change I thought would snowball into other good things happening in my life and art. I’ve been wanting to film video for years, and my new space finally allows me to do that.
If you’re thinking of creating a nice space for yourself to make art, I highly recommend it. As artists, having an inspiring space to create is one of the best things we can do for our work. We are so visual, the space around us really impacts our work. I can’t think of a better way to spend money. My space makes me excited to get up and work every day, and you can’t put a price on that.
Thanks for stopping by! I’m an illustrator & writer. I’ve been running my own creative business since 2015. My mission is to help artists find their unique creative voice, build positive habits, and do what they love for a living.