10.25.2011

Fall re-arrangement: art room

My re-arranging/cleaning kick continued! One of the places I really needed to tackle was my tiny and very narrow art room. It's a funny little space, because it is technically part of our family room: (see it, all the way at the end of the room through the kinda disco wall cut-out?)


(my knitting is always casually draped over the couch like that :). Just kidding, I totally put it like that for the picture)


The art room has traditionally been a shocking mess, which is unfortunate since you can see a lot of it through the wall cut-out. Would you like to know just how messy? I will show you because I have no dignity. (Mom, if you are reading this shield your tender eyes. It is very terrible.)

Yup. There it is, folks. To actually get anything done I had to bring it out of the art room onto a different table. The irony.

As abused as the room is, I love having a spot for all of my random art and sewing stuff. And that big table at the end is so great for the kids (when there is room on it to work) - but in the six years we've lived here I never really felt like I had a good system to keep everything successfully contained and every time I cleaned it, the room just went back to looking like these photos after, like, a day.

(view from the art room into the family room. It is nice to be able to supervise things while standing over here)

But now: hopefully we are getting somewhere. Over the years we've bit by bit been adding sections of elfa shelving to the wall (the newest addition being the narrower shelf holding the small jars).

(my sketchbook actually fits on the desk part!)

I requisitioned some more baskets and jars for separating art supplies for the kids. (This will not stay this clean. In fact as I type this, I can see it, and it's messy again. But that's ok with me, it's easier to clean up now that I have places to put things back into).

I have my easel set up in the corner where I never have to take it down (these days it takes me several months to finish a painting. Carissa - there's a sneak peak for you! Not done yet but in progress!), and space for the dangerous stuff on a high shelf.

And I've finally moved my bulletin boards to a level where a baby can't toddle by and tear off a tasty paper treasure to chew on (this has been an ongoing problem for about four years. Only the baby changes.)

So, wish me luck to keep it clean. Any tips on containing all of your creativity? I've started a pinterest board on studio spaces that inspire me to be neater (and, hopefully more productive. Because pinterest totally increases productivity! :) ). Melissa, where do you keep all of your painting stuff, and your whirlwind 8 year-old-mad-sewists' materials??

21 comments:

chris said...

I love that you live with your art. I mean that sincerely. What I make is so much a part of who I am, it helps to have everything where I am, too. Thank you for sharing your space.

Lisa said...

Thanks for sharing your mess, a good dose of reality is quite refreshing in blogland! And congrats on the nice clean up :) I have a sewing/art room even smaller than yours and it is also messy most of the time requiring me to bring my projects to another part of the house to work on most of the time. It's such a cozy little space when it's clean, you've inspired me to get to work cleaning and making art.

Leslie said...

I love your new sofas! Have you ever considered maybe doing some roman shades in your "disco window"? You can close off your art mess when you don't want to see it, and have it open when you are creating. It may give you a new perspective looking through your "window" of life and family. My SIL is making these: http://365days2simplicity.blogspot.com/2011/04/easy-no-sew-roman-shades.html I went to our local walmart and picked up the fabric for her. :)

P.S. I love that you are blogging again!

Unknown said...

Oh how I miss this lovely home! wish I were there to celebrate your new sofas;) as we have celebrated many of our "news" together!

Unknown said...

that is a great idea, leslie, and I will totally go look at those roman shades. i need to make some for the kids' rooms and those would be great tests for maybe one in the family room. thanks!!

CMN said...

I'm loving this little room - even if it is narrow and tightly packed. Because, of course, it's narrow and tightly packed with FUN and IDEAS and BURSTING CREATIVITY just waiting to be used! That's totally the best kind of room, I think. I have a narrow spare room closet that has been turned into all-purpose media and paper. The sides of the room are lined in book cases and there's just enough room for one person (um, me!) to walk in and retrieve something

Thanks for sharing... and for bravely sharing the 'before' photos too! ;)

allydru said...

I love you lynne. that messy shot just made me feel a whole lot better today.

alexandra said...

your home is so lovely! what a cheerful and inspiring place to be. great ideas on how to get things uncluttered. also i love your couch.

melissa said...

I'm so happy to have a peek into your workspace. I think messy means creatively involved and not prim and stagnant. I love seeing little views of your paintings. I'd love to see more!

Carissa said...

Art cannot be contained. Some days my whole house looks like your art room. Also, I loved the sneak peek. Can't wait to see it all in person next month.

Anonymous said...

Oh, you innocent! LOL. I am too embarrassed to show photos of my studio and work space (a bedroom), so rest assured that mine is much worse. Artists love to show off their space. Not me. :( I love your studio/work space. :)

Gotta go! Gonna clean up some of my work space. Shame on me.

sue said...

Thank You for sharing your art space... it's very real..! Perhaps I'll show mine... it's not for my Mother's eyes...that's for sure! :)

sue said...

Thank You for sharing your art space... it's very real..! Perhaps I'll show mine... it's not for my Mother's eyes...that's for sure! :)

Tricia said...

Love your art room!! Inviting and cozy. And I love that it's right off of your living room, where it is lived in and used. Perfect!

Anonymous said...

thanks for posting without dignity. we just moved and i have yet to set up my office/craft space, but i am worried about the mess. i can't seem to escape it! looking for ideas everywhere. good luck with keeping yours sane :)

Waseem said...

Beautiful house....How beautiful looks....relaxing place...

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Unknown said...

I like such an artwork and the children room is so cool and pretty Rolling Shutters.

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