New Year. Newly Organized Workspace.

i posted about moving my workspace a few months back. But this weekend i finalized a lot more of the organization in here to make it so much more efficient. i like lovely furniture, but honestly, this office is all IKEA, HomeGoods, Pier 1, or homemade. i beat it up. i spill paint on it. In here, i just try to get the most storage for the least cash.

In the photo above, the work surface is IKEA countertop. The drawers are all from the ALEX series. My printers and scanner are Epson. The computer is a MAC, of course : ) My graphics tablet is a Wacom Intuos 4 XL. The chest of drawers behind my chair is from Pier 1 a million years ago. The desk chair/ottoman and wire bins are from Home Goods. Can you tell i like a bargain? My husband built the lightbox table and attached it to the wall. He also put in all the overhead can light and task lights. (He’s an electrician. i know, i’m lucky.) He also wired my wall mounted tv all sneaky-like so i don’t have wires all trailing everywhere. My OCD wouldn’t be able to handle it. He also changed out the standard door on the room for the pocket french door shown. This gave me use of the wall space which used to be behind the door so i could house my monster easel.

Let’s see, in this view you can see the side of the monster easel and my drafting table which were both scored on Craigslist. That easel is the Cadillac of easels, man. Would have been way more than i needed, but i couldn’t resist the Craigslist deal. it has a ratcheted crank and pulley system to raise and lower my huge canvases. It totally rocks. The drafting table is pretty basic but it tilts and goes flat for watercolors and serves it purpose. My tripod was a Christmas gift this year from my parents and i LOVE it. Not sure how i lived so long without it. The octopus light is totally cheesy and i’ve had it since college i think? But it is just so darn useful, i never seem to get rid of it? The upholstered chair is about the only “fancy” thing in the room. Its pure wool and from some schmancy store back in the day when i was single and decided to splurge on a “cool” chair. i still like it ok, but i think a slipcover is in its near future. : ) OH!! and see my leather ottoman under the desk? best thing ever. Nothing as nice as propping your feet while you recline a touch, watch tv and sketch on the graphics tablet. That’s often how i spend my evenings. During the day, i tend to be doing more graphic design and keyboard work, so i sit up straight. Honest.

Here’s a better view of the easel area. The IKEA chest of drawers was a new addition this weekend. i needed it. My younger son, who is almost 2, would not keep his hands off the paints! Now they are all neatly stashed away. Phew! When i paint, i put one of my paper palettes and that tray of most used acrylics on the rolling cart and pull it beside me. My easel and my chair both adjust up and down, so i never have to hunch or stretch at the canvas. Occasionally, i’ll stand to lay down the base layer of the painting, but generally, i like to sit. it makes me feel more relaxed. Oh! And i always watch/listen to tv when i paint. i like the company. Radio makes me feel lonely when i’m painting. The only exception is if somebody sits and chats with me while i work. Then Pandora works out just fine : )

This part of the room is where i also spend a lot of my time. i stand here and trim, pack & ship all my orders. The lightbox has a glass top so you can cut right on it. i have all my tape, stamps, return address labels, gold paperclips (my favorite!) and business cards right in reach. i just pop into that white door to the left and access my storage closet for the shipping envelopes and art packaging. Here’s what that closet looks like……its not nearly as “pretty” in its organization…….what can i say?

That white door also opens up to the SINK!!! i get easily excited. The best part of taking this room in our house as my studio space is that its actually the master bedroom. It’s on the first floor, sort of the left “wing” of our house, if our house was big enough to actually call it a wing! So this room has a master closet (the storage closet) and a sink behind that first white door…..then a toilet and shower behind a second door. Its very self-contained and i could hole up back here for quite some time if i keep bottled water and the candy drawer stocked! Having the sink so handy for craft cleanup and brush rinsing has made me so cheerful about creating. Its the little things.

Here’s the SINK part of the room.

So that’s it! If you have specific questions about any parts i missed, shoot me a comment. i’ll do my best to answer!

-xo,s