I’ve been struggling to make myself spend time in my basement ‘studio’ and not having much luck. It’s become a chaotic jumble of too much stuff! And I don’t enjoy being stuck in the middle of it. So I’ve decided to take over our 3rd bedroom, that has evolved into a storage room, and create a pretty place to paint. I invite you on my journey.
My goal is to create a bright inviting space with my essentials…
- A worktable
- Good lighting
- Paints/Colored Pencils
- Brushes
- Paper pads
- Stencils
- Video Camera
- Vinyl Cutter
- Laptop/iPad
- TV
Let me know what you think are your essentials? I’ll edit my list if necessary as I move along. I don’t want to bring everything into this room and end up with another cluttered mess, so will store overflow in the basement.
My room is approx. 12’x13′. We had previously replaced the flooring with a dark espresso wood laminate. The walls are painted a soft ‘greige’. It has one large window (facing west-northwest), and a large closet with mirrored doors. A couple years ago I made a half-hearted attempt to set up a painting station in it, but abandoned it since most of my essentials were still in my basement work area. Then recently we were going to make this an exercise space with a weight bench, but that didn’t go anywhere either. Here’s some pics to show what I’m starting with, a room that has become a storage place rather than a bedroom, painting room, or exercise space. Lots more stuff to move out.


I’ve been inspired by looking through all the pretty craft rooms on Pinterest. Check out Dream Craft Rooms on Pinterest and you’ll get the idea. I think I like the ones with white as the unifying color. I also like a lot of the IKEA pieces. So do I splurge and buy some things or recycle what I have? To get me started, I did spend time searching out an area rug to be my color inspiration. I found this 6×8 rug at Lowes.

It has lots of beautiful colors from the dark espresso brown of the floor to light buttermilk, a soft aqua, rusty red, along with some golds and olive. It makes me happy looking at it. (I am gonna change out that black mat the weight bench sat on for a hidden rug pad…lol!)
Next up a work table. I trying to decide if I want it desk height or counter height and to buy or recycle. I have two 2-drawer file cabinets and an uncut birch door that I can place on top for my desk top. I plan to run it out into the middle of the room, so I’ll sit facing toward the door. (I really don’t like sitting with my back to a door… strange quirk of mine.) I’m thinking shelving/storage along the back wall behind the work table; a countertop under the window for my vinyl cutter; my TV on the wall opposite the desk with a console table under it.

If I use these I’ll paint them white. If I decide I want counter height, I’ll need to raise them about 5″ with a 2×6 frame under them, or purchase some legs to mount on the bottom.
Notice I also changed out the valance curtain for long white panels to help defuse the late afternoon sunlight.
But I do love these IKEA drawer units to create a desk. More drawer storage vs. a 2 drawer file cabinet. My hubby is saying go for it, but I’m torn between splurging or being frugal!

Decisions, decisions… something I’m not good at! But I think putting it down in black & white in my blog will help me to focus and choose the best options.
I’m going to stop and think the alternatives through for a while. I’d love to hear ideas from you. What works for you, what doesn’t?