I’m so pleased today to have a guest column from Jennifer Riley Simone, who works with Case Indy, a home remodeling and home design company located in Carmel, Ind.
Today she’s writing about creating a craft room, which is among the valuable advice she offers homeowners about how they can improve the home they live in and love. “It’s great when a neighbor hires a remodeler in Indianapolis and stays right in the neighborhood they love as needs in their existing home changes,” she said.
Create Your Own Craft Room
By Jennifer Riley Simone
If you enjoy crafting, you’ll enjoy a craft room even more. You’ll have a place for all of your essentials and extras plus an area to display what you’ve done.
Go Cheap
Go cheap and save your money for your hobby. Before you spend big money to outfit your area, look at what you already have in the house.
Just like a home office, a craft room needs organizational space but it doesn’t have to be new to be what you need. You may want to shop the classified ads, Craig’s list and yard sales for pieces that can function like you need them to.
Once you have everything you need for your room, you can paint it, paper it or distress as needed. Even a craft room can have some style.
Rehab
Many pieces just need to be rehabilitated to be useful. Make a craft table out of an old countertop, old tabletop or other flat surface You can use matching, sturdy filing cabinets or other shelving units to prop it up. Again, you can paint, paper or distress it. Maximize counter space by keeping out only everyday-use items. Use open containers to keep tools in view.
Take an old TV armoire, one of the easiest items to find in the classifieds. Open it up and add interior shelving using L brackets. Add hooks on the inside of the doors to provide display space or a fun way to arrange small items. Then paint, paper or distress it.
Suddenly the shelves look like a natural part of the furniture. Leave it open or keep it closed. It will look good either way.
(See an example from BHG above right.)
Old bookshelves are another option. Paint or paper the back of the shelves with a light color to increase visibility. Add square baskets or boxes that match the space. Instead of one color, choose several colors to create a pattern when the containers are in place.
Before you buy containers, think about what you already have. Old baskets can be painted to coordinate. Mason jars can make great see-through containers. Baby food jars can hold small items. (See BHG examples below.)
Special Buys
There are always special items like drawer organizers and tiered baskets that you will want for your craft room. Stores and manufacturers are always trying to sell one-use items, but keep in mind that these may quickly outlive their usefulness. Don't buy too many organizers and use up the money you'd rather be spending on your craft.
Note to Scrapbookers!
Now while I myself am not creative, I know plenty of other moms who are and they are always complaining they wish they had a room to work in.
I hear you and offer these suggestions on where you can find the space to create those beautiful memory books! Take a look around your house for a niche like a large closet, decent sized laundry room, spare bedroom, or unused corner in your bedroom.
Consider how you could use that space in a new way, like scrapbooking! A table, some attractive room screens, and an area rug might be all you need to carve out your new workspace!
Room photos at top and bottom of post provided by Jennifer Riley Simone.
