Design Ideas

Designing your home craft studio

September 18, 2012

Of all the flooring materials available, wood might be the best choice for your craft studio. It has enough character to get your creativity flowing, and plenty of elegance to inspire your most stylish pieces. Anderson Floors' Gnarly Plank collection has everything you need. These engineered oak floors have a signature distressed look, like antique flooring but with all the durability and versatility of modern materials. Each board is also crafted in random widths, giving your room a unique historic look.

When you hear the words "craft studio," it might make you think of an elementary school art class. Or perhaps it culls up boring camp activities, necklace making and modeling with cheap clay. While these sorts of activities might entertain children, what could they do for you?

A home craft studio doesn't have to share anything with the camp or elementary school variety, despite some essential tools. More and more people are finding satisfaction in creating - and even selling - their own jewelry, clothing and other stylish accoutrements. Expect your space to feel more like a combined sewing room and painter's studio. You'll want it to have charm and character - a place where you feel you're expressing yourself as an artisan. Consider a few of these tips.

1. Go with unique flooring. Of all the flooring materials available, wood might be the best choice for your craft studio. It has enough character to get your creativity flowing, and plenty of elegance to inspire your most stylish pieces. Anderson Floors' Gnarly Plank collection has everything you need. These engineered oak floors have a signature distressed look, like antique flooring but with all the durability and versatility of modern materials. Each board is also crafted in random widths, giving your room a unique historic look.

2. Maximize, customize and compartmentalize your storage. When you're working with the sensitive and small pieces involved in artisan jewelry and crafts, you don't want your instruments and materials spread out across a large space. Organization is key in your studio, so be sure you have excellent storage. Drawer cubbies are an excellent idea, as are labeled tins. Recycle old mint containers or tea boxes for stylish and cheap storage. You may also want to put in some pegboard with spots for your instruments - pliers, hot glue gun, tweezers, brushes and more.

3. Specialize your lighting. Rather than let your eyes strain in poor light as you work, be sure you've got excellent lighting. While natural light is always best, it's not always available. Why not invest in a full spectrum lamp and bulbs? These imitate sunlight and are sure to give you accurate and sterling color representation.

4. Have at least one armchair or sofa. Creative work is exhausting, and sometimes you need to relax a bit without actually leaving your studio behind. Every so often, chill out in a cozy chair or on your favorite sofa, mull over a few ideas in your head and take a break.

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