New Studio

I'm sure I've mentioned this, but H2 is a four bedroom home. Our family of four will only need three of those bedrooms, which leaves the smallest bedroom as a bonus room. What to do with it?

The obvious options are guest room or home office. It was previously used as a sewing room, so any sort of crafting space would work as well. Since I work from home making jewelry and other assorted projects, I've decided this will be the perfect spot for my new studio.

Currently, it is storing all the things that used to be in my studio, a space about 6 times larger than this room.

Bedroom #4 circle tour... ignore the mess! The window looks out onto the covered porch and front yard. Moving to the right, there is a wall about 6' long. On a slight angle, the next wall comes in. Then the door to the hall, followed by a large closet with bifold doors.

My previous studio was in the downstairs of our walkout ranch, all the way back. It had a cement floor that had been painted to look like slate tiles which was very convenient for a studio, especially when I was making stained glass. But as my projects changed and our family grew, it turned into a large storage room and was kind of cold what with being downstairs and having a cement floor. I want something just as functional and easy to clean, but also more of a show room where I can bring clients and also a cozy place to work. I want to have my computer handy and incorporate a shipping station so I can package items without leaving my space to fetch boxes or tape.

I can't get too carried away yet as we will most likely be stealing some space from this room for the master bathroom. We plan to revert to the original house plans and use about half of this room's closet for the master bathroom's shower. Flooring won't be installed until we do the entire lower level. However this is the one room that pets really weren't allowed which is why it was the first place we used for storage. What I can do is paint, install wall cabinets, and start organizing my studio so that I don't have to continue turning away business. Not to mention freeing up the floor space by finding a home for all of my supplies.

Currently we have three rooms going simultaneously, so the progress happens in fits and starts. After making a plan for this room, the only thing I've done is remove the wallpaper border. The next step is to remove the baseboards and primer, then paint. Finally, I'll refinish the cabinets that are going in this room and mount the wall cabinets. They will be going on that 6' wall. This should leave me with enough room to use a large table in the center of the room as a layout area. I plan to find a cushy chair on casters that can serve as seating at the table or rotated 180 degrees, work at the counter space on the cabinet wall.

Originally, I had a plan to paint the walls a dusty grayish mauve color, then put both a chocolate and a white glaze on maple cabinets. Curtains and art would be shades of white, cream, and beige. Think Ballard Designs. I have two off-white media cabinets which I planned to put in here, repurposed for storing supplies and finished jewelry. Then I saw a couple 2012 trend ideas that I really liked. One had plum colored walls and the other a rich emerald. Both used distressed black furniture/cabinets and chandeliers, very gothic looking. I have to say, both rooms grabbed my attention and I thought, "I want to go there!" Which makes me wonder if it is time to tap into the dark side, create a space that feels more like a creative cocoon than floating on a cloud. This is my space and the only things that are set in stone are the window and white trim. After that, anything goes. What do you like better? Leave a comment and give me your vote- gothic or ethereal.