leblancesmatt: {Mostly Finished} Craft Room Reveal! ~ Mom's Crafty Space

Way back in July we gave our cramped and messy office a functional craft room makeover...remember when I showed off these pictures of the painting, the new flooring and the organization? I kept putting off showing the finished room since it was only about 90% completed, and everyone knows that I'm such a perfectionist that I didn't want to show off something that was still a work in progress. Well, since life tends to get in the way of finishing all of those little last minute projects, I'm sitting here four months later with a room that's still only 90% finished. Lately I've had a few people tell me that they were anxious to see how the room came out, so I figured it was only fair to show it off anyway.
We started with a tiny (and hideously green) 10'x10' room that was (just barely) functioning as a home office. The room has a huge walk-in closet with wrap around shelving, but there still wasn't nearly enough storage for my crafting and sewing supplies. Since there wasn't a work area big enough for crafting, I used the office mainly for the storage closet and crafted at the kitchen table and on a folding table upstairs in my bedroom. It was a logistical nightmare trying to find all the parts and pieces every time I wanted to make something, and haphazardly tossed piles of supplies started taking over the room. At the time my work-at-home job was slowing down, and my craft blogging was picking up as the room started being used less and less because it just wasn't functional. That's when we knew we needed a change once and for all. The new craft room is packed with storage in the form of a giant wall unit that my handy hubby custom built for me. His counter-high desk space is on the far right, topped with a pine board that we distressed and faux aged with vinegar, tea and steel wool. We organized my craft supplies before we built the storage unit so that the spaces and shelves are all a perfect fit and exactly what I needed. The base cabinets still need to be painted white and have the hardware attached (we're going with the brushed nickle cup pulls to match my desk). I absolutely love that everything has a place to call home! Maybe some day all those storage bins and buckets will coordinate and look pretty, but I used what I already had around the house, and I'm pretty thrilled with it.
My made over Craigslist desk is still going strong, and I love having such a nice big surface to work on! A slender set of drawers in between the desk and window wall holds my smaller in-progress projects as well as serving as a desktop space for my folder file and overflowing inbox. It's really nice that I can keep the entire desktop clean and clear to work on. The lighting in these photos make the walls in the room look baby blue, but they're actually a pale aqua that looks nice against the dark bamboo flooring and the white cabinetry and trim. In the near future we'll be adding in white crown moulding as well. This little dresser fits perfectly between my drawer set and the closet - it's home to my larger pieces of fabric and vintage sheet collection. My candlestick ribbon organizer sits on top, and I think I may? need to make another one soon since my ribbon collection has grown! I wrote a post all about my love of fabric organization awhile ago, and this system is still working out really well for me. I tend to use this method for any fabric pieces that are 1/2 yard or larger, and any smaller scraps are folded and stored in one of the large cabinet drawers.
Between the closet and the door hangs my decorative coral-edged corkboard, and above it is a built-in shelf that holds pre-cut wood for Read the Signs, my hand painted sign shop. Jars hold everything from magnets to buttons and colorful straws and Sharpies. My washi tape collection is hidden up on a shelf inside of this galvanized tub. I have a different storage solution in the works though...this tape is too pretty to hide away! The deep drawers hold a TON of supplies - jewelry making tools, beads and findings, baker's twine, zippers and loads and loads of fabric scraps (just to name a few things!). Inside the walk-in closet are several smaller pieces of furniture that organize my paper and office supplies as well as my unfinished wood projects. Miscellaneous tubs and bins hold all the items needed to complete projects - it's so easy to just grab a bin and get crafting without having to look all over and gather supplies! There's also a step stool handy so that I can reach all of these fancy schmancy shelves since I'm only 5'2"!? Lots and lots of plastic tubs from the dollar store. I've been collecting these for years because they fit perfectly on the closet shelves. Seriously, everything has a place now! Recycled Starbucks glass bottles hold my cabochons, ring bases, hair clips and jewelry findings. There's even a kid's corner where the boys can quickly grab a project to work on while they're hanging out in the craft room. This is in addition to their huge art armoire that resides in our dining room, of course! As a family we have amassed an incredible collection of arts and craft supplies, no doubt. I'm only a hoarder when it turns into a giant unorganized mess, right? I love that the view out of my window is of our side yard (where all the planting, potting and composting takes place!) and a small part of our garden. We spend so much time in our garden that it's especially nice to feel like I can still be connected to the outdoors when I'm inside my office. Early in the summer there were sunflowers and strawberries outside of my window, and now there's an abundance of herbs, garlic bulbs and a small patch of wheat that Sawyer planted. I love, love, LOVE this artwork, and it fits perfectly in my room. I'm certainly feeling inspired...not only to create beautiful things in this new space, but also to make over every other room in my home!