Can someone come over and dig me out? Even Sophie looks frightened! It's a sad, sad thing when a good room goes bad... I have made some progress since this photo was taken, but am in desperate need of a craft room overhaul. I L-O-V-E to work in a clean and tidy room, it just doesn't stay that way very long. I am a saver, a clutterbug, I like to keep things for the 'what ifs' in life. This predisposition doesn't mix well in a room with little storage space [or maybe too many crafting supplies]. I have one closet which is helpful, but shelving is at a premium, and because the walls are plaster, putting shelving up that can hold any weight is nearly impossible. It seems like everyone around me is remodeling, and I am jealous ;] I want something sleeker and more streamlined - and something very budget friendly. I am liking the idea of a long table in the middle of the room [kinda classroom style]. My dreams are not of Fabio riding a horse on the beach, but of sewing a quilt together without knocking everything off my table. And of course said table would be customized so that my sewing machine could sit down in, level with the table top. What do your crafty rooms look like? Have you seen one on the web you love? Any suggestions 150% appreciated!
I wish I had included a craft room when we built our house. Maybe I would actually get some stuff done... I usually pull out the card table or one of those white ones - and they tend to bounce if I get to carried away with my sewing... Our next project is to turn the one part of the laundry room into a guest bedroom and I'm hoping I can sneak a small work area in there too.
ReplyDeleteHave you looked at Ikea? I've heard good things about their stuff, especially for storage solutions, and I think it is on the cheaper side, but the closest store is in Pittsburgh I think.
And your custom sewing table sounds wonderful! :)
I feel your pain. My craft room looks about like your picture at the moment. (Actually my whole house looks like that w/ the remodeling and all. lol.) I just can't seem to keep it tidy. I guess the saying is true, "creative minds are seldom tidy." Who would've known that went for rooms too?
ReplyDeleteNicole is right - Ikea is a sweet place and pretty affordable. We went there in December. I am getting a wood countertop from there for the bar in my kitchen.
IKEA is awesome! But I got my shelving at Lowe's. It is the kind that has the long metal vertical rods where the self brackets hook into. The vertical rods are screwed into my drywall walls. It is very sturdy. We have lots of books and boxes on them. I have four these shelves in my closet with lots of stuff on them too. No sagging or worrying about falling. The only thing I would change is that instead of the open wire versions of the selves I would get the solid shelves.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have two plastic tables that I purchased at Sam's. They are 2 foot by 4 foot. They actually have three different height settings to them. I use one as my ironing board (placed thin plywood and batting between the iron and the plastic top) and the other one is my cutting table. They are very lightweight so I can reconfigure the room to accommodate different projects. And because the ironing board table can be set to 36" high and also normal table height, I can use it when I am doing a lot of patchwork and need to iron a lot between sewing the pieces together.
My other two tables in the room are from IKEA. They also have adjustable legs. But don't move up and down as easily. They have some table tops that you can match up to different legs. Great selection and very sturdy.
My fabric I have in little cubby selves I got at Target. You know the ones that the fabric cubes set in. I use the bottom of one of the cubes to fold my fabric to the exact width of the cube.
Here is my flickr set of my craft room:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/potteryandeverythingelse/sets/72157607640038767/
Some things have flipped around since the pictures, but it gives you and idea.
I would highly recommend getting tables that you can move around easily. I find making my room reconfigurable invaluable. The shelving on the wall can also be moved up and down to accommodate different things.
That would be shelf brackets, not self brackets :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't resist that title...Oh how I can relate! Can't even take a photo for you as I don't think I can get in the door, which is why my crafting is now taking over the dining room! Hope you get many ideas and photo's for inspiration as I am going to be checking back and hoping for inspiration too! ;)
ReplyDeleteI am decluttering somewhat though by hosting a giveaway...just in case you need more stuff...hahaha.
www.choochmagooz.blogspot.com
ps...here's hoping you can get un-buried and back to dreams of Fabio!
I must say that I love you for posting that picture. It makes me feel not so bad about my own craft room. Besides all the random clutter, I have a similar fabric pile sitting precisely to the left of my sewing chair. Your little pile made me laugh out loud!
ReplyDeleteWish I had a craft room. Yours looks like it just needs more storage--closed storage. At the risk of sounding trendy, Ikea's your best bet for shelving, boxes, bins, baskets, you name it, they've got it...and on the cheap. Keep digging out, it will be worth it when you're tidy again. Label everything once you stow it so you don't fall prey to "out of sight, out of mind" and not use your stuff to make neat stuff. Looks like you have great natural light, that's a plus. I prefer wood floor to carpet so much easier to keep clean. Add some color to your walls and a BIG cork or magnet board to hang inspiration clippings/photos/etc on. You go, girl!
ReplyDeleteHeidi.. i thought of you when I saw the below post. I won't even photograph my "craft room"/ second bedroom- it's a wreck right now but its teaching my husband an important lesson- I need a studio in our next living arrangement :)
ReplyDeletehttp://oursuburbancottage.blogspot.com/2010/01/party-organization-for-luffs.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OurSuburbanCottage+%28Our+Suburban+Cottage%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
I just saw this room yesterday. I am not a scrapbooker (used to be, still have lots of supplies--makes my 3-year-old granddaughter happy...) Anyway. This room just made me drool all over my keyboard. http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/2007/07/the-new-studio.html
ReplyDeleteI finished organizing my sewing room. Now I need to organize my time...
P.S. I'm in the block swap 2 with you but under a different name--one in every color. :)
ReplyDelete