Creative Studio Plans Unveiled

I am super excited!  A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about dialing back during a pandemic and the decision to put the bigger projects (re: staircase restoration project, master bedroom, and master bath) on hold while the world is literally falling apart around us. We decided to focus on the parlor instead. Then last week, I shifted priorities and instead of jumping headfirst into the parlor project, I decided to focus on a smaller, more achievable, room as my first project post-surgery. That room would be my creative studio.

The reason I am super excited is that this is a room long on my list, and long pushed to the bottom because it didn’t feel as important as other rooms. My insecure self tells me what I do creatively isn’t important… Which is bullsh*t! It IS important! I have been wanting to dive in and focus on working on my woodcut printmaking along with other creative endeavors, but there hasn’t been a conducive space to work in. I have space, but it isn’t set up to actually work on anything. I need large flat surfaces and room to spread out. There are no large flat surfaces beyond the floor anywhere in the house.

Okay… Before I go on I need to get this off my chest. I recently heard my Creative Studio referred to as my ‘craft room’ (not going to call out names here). Let me be clear, this is not a craft room. Not that there is anything wrong with crafters, and they often do need a room for their crafting. However, I personally don’t consider myself a crafter, and this will not be a craft room. And there is nothing wrong with that.

My Vision for my Creative Studio:

In the room layout above, you can get an idea of how I want to arrange things. My current desk remains in that wonder spot between the two windows. I will be adding storage, work-tables, and a large cork-wall for displaying inspiration. Because I plan to set this up as a printing studio, I will be adding additional printing related things such as a drying rack, and ink storage. I am considering a unique lighting idea, and finally I will be painting the entire room a surprising color, even I am surprised (more on that at the end).

1 – Desk:

Eventually I would like to upgrade my current desk, but for now it works just fine. I use this desk to work at my computer and to record our podcasts True Tales From Old Houses. This was the very first piece of furniture in the room when we moved in. I love that it is sandwiched between the two windows overlooking the park. So, not much to change for now. I do plan to add a cork wall above, but more on that below. I also want to upgrade my chair when I can find the right one. In the meantime, this one is quite comfortable.

2 – Martha Stewart Storage Cabinet:

I began acquiring things for my creative studio space shortly after moving in back in 2018. In fact, I picked up the cabinet above via Craigslist for only $175 two years ago this month. It was in northern Delaware and was so big, I had to make two trips to get it home. Then, to get the bottom drawer section through the front entry and up the stairs, I had to disassemble it out front on the sidewalk and reassemble in the studio.

It was only after getting it home and put together that I discovered I had purchased a piece from the Martha Stewart Living Craft Organization & Storage series, sold a few years ago at major big box stores and online. The cabinet I paid $175 for originally sold for more than $800! It is made from MDF and very heavy. It will need to come apart to come out of the house when that day arrives. In the meantime I am grateful for flat-file drawers and storage that is not bad looking at all.

3 – Stainless Printing Bench:

Printing with ink can be very messy. I learned this when I began taking woodcut printmaking classes at Fleisher. Our print studio has stainless steel counter-tops for a reason and it occurred to me that I really need to find a stainless steel option for my studio. Well… As it turns out, restaurant kitchen prep-tables are perfect for this, and they are reasonably priced. The advantage of stainless is that ink can be cleaned completely off of the surface and does not stain. Using this printing bench will not however prevent me from getting ink on my clothes.

4 – Floating Work Table:

In addition to my desk and printing bench, I also need a large work table to spread out and work on larger projects. At 42″ x 72″, this will be large enough for working on woodcuts, framing our art collection (another of my skillsets I can’t wait to get into action), and sewing. Yep… I said sewing… Back in my younger days, I inherited my mother’s very heavy (it weighs 40lbs) Consew sewing machine from 1963. I would sew pillows, curtains, and other things because the styles I wanted didn’t exist on my very low budget. This was the 80s and 90s when the only things out there available to the masses were beige, beige, or beige. I would buy fabric and just make my own.

I am calling it the floating work table because this large thing is on wheels! I want to be able to move it around the room as needed, and park it along a wall when I need more room in the middle. There will be storage underneath, and I am designing it so there is also legroom to sit at the table and work. As for the Consew machine, I still have it… But I bought a new Brother which is much more flexible than the straight stitch and zig-zag the Consew is limited to.

5 – Cork Inspiration Wall:

I have long wanted a place to just pin stuff up, move around, re-arrange, and reflect my personal style and interests. I have had small bulletin boards in the past, but never a large place to just pin sh*t up. I have small trinkets and treasures from twenty plus years ago which have been sitting in boxes waiting for the day to come back into my life, and I see this cork wall as a facilitator of that.

There is a secondary reason for the 4′ x 10′ cork panel on the wall. This wall is directly shared with my next-door neighbor who is literally 10″ on the other side. Now, it is very rare that we hear anything from them, but I want to be able to turn my music up loud and not bother them (too much). The cork will help absorb the sound. I will also be putting a 4′ x 4′ cork board above my desk between the two windows.

6 – Lighting:

One of the primary considerations for the space is lighting. I want to keep it simple yet interesting. I came across the image above and fell in love with the idea. This can be made from ordinary components from the big box store, and it will provide an even light spread around the room. Of course it will be on a dimmer for when I don’t want it too bright. Another advantage is that I can remove it and patch the small holes fairly easily. My plan won’t be exactly like this but you can bet it will capture the look. More on the lighting when I get there.

7 – And Finally… Paint Color:

If you read my rant Living In Fear of Beige which I posted nearly two years ago, you know how much I hate beige and neutrals in general. So, here is the shocker. I am going to paint it a neutral! Albeit a dark neutral. I first wanted to paint it Studio Green by Farrow and Ball, but after putting a sample on the wall, I quickly realized that with little direct sunlight, the room would forever be too dark. I needed something a bit lighter.

I then thought about this neutral, but really wanted color. I looked at dark reds, dark (but lighter than studio) greens, and dark blues. In the end, I felt that anything other than a neutral would compete with my artwork. So, after coming back to this neutral several times, I ordered a sample pot of Mole’s Breath from Farrow and Ball (which arrived from Canada in two days) and tried it out above the Studio Green. Immediately I was in love. Now I don’t know if this is a true representation of the color of the breath of a mole, but regardless, this color is really beautiful. Yes it is a neutral, some would call it a taupe. And if I am to have a neutral in my house, than this would be my favorite choice. Now, if you know Farrow and Ball, you know that it is more than $100 a gallon. My budget is not that plush, so I will be having it color matched with Benjamin Moore instead. The image below is from Farrow and Ball and gives a good feel for the color.

Y’all know I love my dark and moody spaces. And I think this is the perfect amount of dark for an art studio. I have plenty of northern light streaming in through the windows, and I will have a lot of artificial light options as well. I can get away with this because the focus of my art is print making and accuracy of color is less of an issue than it would be with paintings. I also want my space to feel cozy and inviting. There will be a lounge chair and other fun stuff in the room, but more on that in a future post.

Next steps… I have much of the materials already, but will be sourcing my paint and remaining materials locally avoiding wherever possible going into the stores. Because I am immunocompromised post cancer surgery, I am avoiding leaving the house as much as possible. Yoav may be shopping for lumber and electrical parts on my behalf.

So! This is EXCITING! I have never before had the kind of space to set up for my creative self. We bought this house in part because I could have the entire third floor to myself, and I am finally going to be able to see it come to fruition.

The time line on this? Well…. I am less than five months out from major surgery, so my stamina is still not back (and won’t be until the end of the year or so). This will take as long as it takes. I will be working diligently a little bit each day and it will get done. My goal is to bring you along for the journey. Expect more consistent blog posts, and I plan to do more on Instagram Stories (@ourphillyrow). Once it’s all done?…. The parlor!

One last thing… I mentioned our podcast True Tales From Old Houses above. Well a new episode dropped yesterday and it is really interesting. Stacy interviews Paige from @hellohilltop. Paige and her husband Trevor are renovating a 1903 house in Seattle. Check out their story about city bureaucracy colliding with best-laid plans. We also answer a listener question about our furniture style.

[Image Credits: All images are my own unless listed here. Stainless steel prep-table-Craigslist (listing no longer up), Floating work table; Brookfield Craft, Cork wall; Undecorated Home, Lighting; U-Turn Designs, Mole’s Breath; Farrow and Ball Twitter Account]

Till next time. . .

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