Craft Room Sneak Peek

You know that feeling you get when you get organized? When you see things come together in crisp neat lines and pretty little bins? That sense of accomplishment and satisfaction? I'm starting to get that tingly feeling about my office/craft room.

I love to create - Whether it's baking, photography, photo & scrapbooks, drawing, or tinkering on my cricut, crafting is an escape for me. When my husband and I got married and moved to our first house together, we had so much stuff to sort through. My craft supplies ended up boxed away for awhile. Over the last year, however, we've tackled home projects and organization with gusto, and that included creating a maker space for the family. I'm so excited to share a sneak peek with you.

As we considered how to design the room, we knew we wanted the space to marry form and function.  (In other words, my husband knew stacks of plastic bins or metal file cabinets weren’t going to cut it - it had to look pretty). Storage was a priority, but so was display.  I wanted a design to show off  some of the pretty tools and accessories  I had so it would feel warm and welcoming. Showcasing some of these crafting tools made it feel a little like I was ‘shopping’ through my own stuff (woohoo!! - shopping for free!!).  It was also practical because if I could see it, I was more likely to use it!

As the plans came together for the room, we focused on 4 key areas in the space:

• Work space - Desk and craft table
• Bookcase
• Closed shelving for storage
• Open shelving for display

Fortunately, my husband is a genius at problem solving and quite handy- storage but display, functional but pretty - no problem!  Several of the bones of our projects came from IKEA. The bookcase above, for example, is an IKEA piece that we’ll embellish with crown molding around the edges to give it more of a built in feel.  We combined two standard bookcases and a narrower one to fit the space and create a cozy book nook. It’s perfect for keeping my book club books, as well as all my inspo books for Bible study, baking, home decor and more.

We also re-purposed a white wardrobe from IKEA to store most of my drawing, scrapbooking and blogging materials.  I love the accents on the doors, wihich mimic coffered ceilings, and we enhanced the  look by adding long brass handles.  Best of all, this pretty white and gold cabinet not only looks sharp, it is customized for our purposes.  IKEA allowed us to design the number and placement of open shelves and drawers based on our storage needs.  They also offer the option of glass front drawers so you can see what was in each.  (I loved the idea, but know myself well enough not to trust me crafting near glass, but this would be a perfect option for a closet - awesome to see belts, scarves, jewelry, baby onsies, etc.!)

To organize the shelfves, I grouped each shelf by craft type and used baskets, labeled Kate Spade keepsake boxes,a nd Mdesign clear bins to  collect tools by type.  I found apothecary jars are great for organizing ribbon, cookie cutters, and other small loose items.

But my favorite part may be the open shelving my husband designed and built to hold several of my serving pieces and blogging props.  I love to entertain…and to collect all things serverware (I have been named the queen of platters in my extended family!)  To keep these pieces secure, my husband anchored these shelves into the wall to ensure they’d hold significant weight.  These were installed above another IKEA storage cabinet, modified with a wood top and brass handles.  We opted for a natural wood finish to keep the room light, and I love the wood knots we left exposed on the raw shelf edge.

Having a room that is inviting AND organized draws you in and inspires you to create.  I no longer waste my limited free time hunting for my craft supplies.  Even better? The room creates a warm a cozy space where I want to spend time.  Its warm and welcoming ambiance is contagious, soothing my mind and helping me to relax and enjoy the space.

It’s still a work in progress, but it’s certainly becoming one of my happy places.  What are some of your favorite nooks in the house?  I’d love to hear more about what spaces inspire you.

Until the next time,  stay safe and keep celebrating life’s simple pleasures.

XOXO,

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