My New Studio!

Thanks to inspiration from the blog-absent Lindsay, I decided to switch around a couple of rooms in our house to accommodate a pretty little studio just for me!  Prior to this, I have been "making do" in an office we had built out for different purposes...it had lovely custom cherry cabinetry, but was dark and the work areas did not lend themselves towards an art studio.  My accumulated junque was spilling out everywhere and it was so uncomfortable that I was finding myself uninspired to create much of anything!

While at our house a few months ago, Lindsay suggested I make that room the guest bedroom, since we only have guests a half dozen times a year and the "office" is only used occasionally by the kids for their computer.  She then suggested that we switch the rooms and turn the old guest room into my studio (which made perfect sense as that is the room I had originally designed (pre-kids) as my office when we built the house, and would be perfect for my studio).

I was going to wait until after the holidays to make the move, but by a lucky stroke of coincidence, my pal Cori was re-vamping her pantry and had a whole stack of industrial strength wire shelving units she was getting rid of.  Yahoo!!!!!!  She kindly dropped off the racks and after I repainted several of them (they were gold-tone, I wanted stainless), I singlehandedly moved all the furniture (yes, by myself!) and assembled my new shelves in my new studio.  I bought and assembled a new corner unit (see photo above and to the left) for my big-ass HP 8750 and for one of my soft-boxes (on top), then put my sewing machine and some random fabric and notions on the smaller cart on the left.

Not wanting to have to repaint (yet), I decided that aquamarine would look beautiful with the cafe au lait walls and shutters already in the room.  I have also been dying to hang this beautiful painting my great-grandmother did (above, right...isn't the frame to die for?!), and I thought leopard would be the perfect complement to the vintage floral and turquoise. 

I found a bunch of great fabric-covered bins at Bed Bath & Beyond (used my coupons!!), and some turquoise tie-top curtain panels on clearance for $4 each (hung behind the shelves).  I bought an off-white canvas slipcover (also on clearance!) for my denim sofa-bed and recovered the pillows with leopard and floral print upholstery fabrics.   The desk and tall folding chairs are from Ikea (thanks again, to Cori for all her help) and the bar-height drafting chair I got on sale today at OfficeMax.

I bought all kinds of cute tins and bins at Ikea, and after hanging a couple of over-sized Ikea magnet boards and displaying some art made by and given to me by friends, I feel right at home!  The screamin' fast new computer and big-ass monitor should arrive next week, and my rent-a-hubby electrician friend will be installing some new lighting as well!  I am ALSO simulataneously creating a semi-permanent photography studio in the office building we own about 3 miles from home.  It has a large back room that is currently unusued, with a bank of 25' floor-to-ceiling North facing windows, and I plan to semi-permanently install my backdrops and lighting for indoor portrait sessions!  Can you tell I am preparing for 2007 to be a BANNER year?!?!

It feels SO GOOD to once again have a pretty space to call my own, where I can keep all my junque organized and all the pretty things that inspire me permanently displayed!  It feels great to have a place with extra chairs where the girls can come snuggle and visit (or color) with me, and hopefully where friends can come make art with me.  A place where I can plug in my iPod and crank MY tunes and get my artistic groove on in peace!!!  :-)  (Carolyn....next time you come to visit, maybe we can PLAY!!)

I am so grateful!

Comments

[Cari]

Holiday Hester says, "Sweet new studio, now get crafting!"
Look out she's got a wooden ruler and she knows how to use it!!!!

[MarilynH]

woo hoo!!!
I love the turq and the animal prints! The new photog studio sounds so fun!!! wow on those huge windows, man!

[Jill]

Oh MY Gosh! Now I know what you have been doing!!!! I love it!!!!! Can I come over and play????
Those two little princesses in their tiaras are just too BEAUTIFUL!!!
You are inspiring me to get my butt in gear and finish my studio!
LOVE IT!!!!!!!

[Carolyn Peeler]

Hey Kim, this room looks great. I'll bet it feels so freeing and just all around inspiring to have a wonderful new space dedicated to your art. Love that aqua color it goes with the walls perfectly!
Didn't know you were working on a photography studio too!! You're one busy chica! Congrats my friend!

[Flo]

kim this is awesome!!! makes me want to redecorate -- and yahoo on the studio you're setting up!

[heidi]

totally fabulous kim! i hope you enjoy your new space!

[tracy whitney]

Kim, I am so excited for you! Your space is beyond-words-cool! Can't wait to see all the incredible stuff you dream up and create.

[Cori]

Whoa...it didn't take you long! I can't wait to come over and play! Looks fabuuulllous my friend. It's about time you hijacked David's office!

[slammie]

beautiful space and daughters!

[Layers]

You are such a lucky ducky! I can't wait to see the amazing stuff you create in this room ... and you've inspired me to de-junkify my own teensy-weensy office/scrap studio. Maybe in 2007 .... ;-) ~Layers

[ana]

so loving the new space my dear!!! so loving it. I am inspired... i am going to get to work and beautify my studio area too! love you !!!
and for you.. i am also grateful!

[chris jenkins]

color me green - your new creative space is fab!

[jan]

yay!! so freakin jazzed for you!!! how awesome for you to have a space of your own! and the studio sounds amazing!! be SURE i will be bringing my kiddos by the very MINUTE we get back to the states!! (((HUGE HUGS!!!!))) SOOOO happy for you!!! :D

[Tena]

Ok I am seriously jealous.........love it!! Enjoy and create your heart out. Tena

[Jennifer Lynn]

Girl, that looks so fun... and that aqua is the same colors as the walls in my new office.

Tres cool!!!