My space

A few weeks ago, Anita at Bloomin' Workshop suggested that since so many were blogging about spring cleaning in their creative spaces, we should have one day to show them off.  Today's the day.  What a great idea!  The deadline definitely caused me to power through where I might have just left a few piles here and there for *another day*.  So, come on in!

 

While this room is absolutely the best sewing space I've ever had, it's not without its unique challenges.  This photo is taken from the doorway.  My fabric is to the right and the design wall is to the left.  The remaining walls, which you can see here, each have ceiling-to-floor windows...great for light, but difficult to work around.  Additionally, on the back wall, there are two closets (you can see one above) which, while providing storage space, also make it challenging to arrange workspace.

 

From the opposite side of the room, you can see that my design wall is still just leaning against the wall.  It's fine for now...we plan to get some Z-clips to mount it higher soon. 

 

Here's the shot you were waiting for.  I love, love, love these Ikea Expedit units.  I pulled the fabric forward for the photos (and will do so when I'm choosing fabrics for a project) but the sections are 15" deep so generally I keep the fabric pushed back to protect it from fading.  I was fortunate that the windows came with plantation shutters, so that although the room is a nice, bright workspace, I can darken it pretty well by closing the shutters when I'm away.

 

This is the heart of the room, my *work area*.  The table looks like the only thing that doesn't belong in here yet it's my favorite piece, for two reasons....sentiment and function.  It was my grandmother's kitchen table in the 50s and then our family's kitchen table for years.  Somewhere along the way it got *antiqued* and although I always had other plans for it, I just never got around to it.  Incredibly, *picky me* hardly notices its unfortunate color anymore.  The picket-fence chairs have been re-glued so many times that I'm down to just one that's still functional (unless you're a twig).  However, sentiment alone wouldn't have saved it.  It's simply a great table!  While the center workspace is generous, with two drop leaves it can be quickly extended to accommodate a big project.  I've basted many bed-sized quilts on it over the years.

 

When we got the Expedits put together, I loved the clean look of the storage area and decided that the room could accommodate two more small Billy bookcases.  I'll use this one for books and fabric for ongoing projects.  I haven't sorted everything yet...just put things on shelves to get everything off of the floor.  From now on, if it doesn't fit on a shelf, something's going!  For years I've had piles and boxes stacked in my workspace and I'm done with that.

When everything was finally put together and a floorplan decided on, I started arranging my books and fabric.  I was so excited...everything was looking so fresh and clean.  A place for everything and everything in its place, for the first time.  And then I noticed something.   

  Acckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!

 

I had rushed ahead on this last piece on my own and never flipped it over before nailing the backing into the bottom shelf.  So the raw, back edge is front forward.  And the finished edge is now facing back and studded with tack holes.  This is the kind of thing that really bugs me! 

 

Fortunately, I keep things within arm's reach to help calm me down.

I do prefer a more neutral wall color so eventually I'd like to change that.  And I'd like to get some things up on what little wall space there is...a bulletin board, and some small art pieces that are still packed somewhere.  But for now, it's wonderful.  And I really need to shift my decorating focus to the rest of the house, which has been patiently waiting for some decisions to be made.  Soon.

***Added later:  So many of you commented on the room color that I researched it.  If you're interested, it's Benjamin Moore #634, Forest Valley Green.

Comments

[Lemon Tree Tami]

What a cheerful sewing studio! Those expedit shelves are fantastic!!! I personally love the wall colors but I can understand wanting something more neutral as well. :-)

You could always go to the hardware store and see if they have any of those iron on formica strips in white to cover up that one shelf edge. It'll make you feel better.

[Carole]

It's fantastic! And I love the wall color.

[Tracey]

I love the wall color you have, I wouldn't change it! And no matter how much spring cleaning I do, my space will never look that clean!

[Alissa]

Oh that all looks so great!! The Expedit shelves are perfect... gets me thinking...

[Liz]

I agree with the others - I like the color since you have such great windows. But, I can understand that it could be dark at night or on a cloudy day.

It's funny, there never seems to be a good place to put the ironing board. I'm always moving it around.

Love the big table, especially with the wings.

[lucette]

Your space is fantastic and very inspiring. How do you organize the works in progress?

[JudyC]

It looks fabulous and I love the wall color..I have the same color! Get a tiny bit of white paint and a little brush and start painting that strip..or the hardware stores have small rolls of laminate wood that can be glued to cover the rough edge and then painted.

[Kristin L]

It's a lovely space!

[Janet]

What a wonderful room you have there, it must help with creativity. You are lucky to have good light but I can see how it restricts your arranging. I have the opposie problem.

[Jeanne B.]

The first thing I thought when I saw it was, "Oh, I LOVE the green table and chairs!" It's unique and friendly. Love your space.

Any way you can take apart the unit and flip the offending part around? The hardware store probably has the solution. It would bug me, too.

[Wendy]

I LOVE IT! You have really put some hours of work into that! Just getting all that fabric stack alone is a huge chore! I look at mine and groan all the time, doesn't make me do it, I just groan! Have to get over to Ikea, we have one of the two in this whole area in my town. Place is always packed! May you have many, many hours of fun and many quilts etc. to enjoy from that lovely space! Happy sewing etc.!

[Leslie]

Oh, what a wonderful space. Those Ikea pieces are genius. I can't believe we don't have Ikea here! And I was going to ask about the wall color; I love it and we're getting ready to paint a very boring space that could use some color. I guess since it was already that color, you won't be able to tell me what it is! :-)

[lisa]

I am so pea green with envy over your fabulous space! Ikea rocks for storage and a little painters putty and glossy white paint will fix the shelf snafu up. Lots of things like that have gone awry in my life lately, is Mercury retrograde?

[Irene]

Your space is so beautifully organized. I have measured my wall space and I can fit in some of those Expedit shelves, if I get rid of a lot of stuff. I had a table similar to yours and I antiqued it yellow. My DSIL? wanted it back and I'm sure she threw it away. Enjoy your new room and create lots of great quilts!

[Pinneguri]

Poor Munch. They say that The Scream is the most (or one of the most, I am not sure) used pictures in the world.
Maybe a crochet lace for your shelf would be an idea?

Love the light in your room, very Scandinavian. Viewing the Hostas no doubt ;)

[Cindra]

What a wonderful and cheery place to work. I love that it has a wood floor. So easy to clean up.

[Jennifer]

The first word that came to mind was EXCITING. It really looks like an exciting place to create. Enjoy the results of all of your hard work. This looks like a great start to that "this is the year of quilting!" we were talking about in January.

[Christine]

Fabo! As I recall, as an added bonus, you also have a fantastic garden view from those windows - Many happy days creating in that wonderful space.

[Lynn]

Wow this looks fantastic! I am SO jealous!! I really like the way your room looks. And as far as the little strip of unfinished wood? You could get some paint and finish it yourself. Nobody will ever know. Actually unless you point it out, nobody will ever notice it. They'll be too busy looking at that gorgeous wall of fabric!!

[Meredith]

Great color for your studio. I like the ikea storage you have. i only wish I had the room for it. I put my entire stash, not scraps, in a closet. White out on the strip of wood? I love the green table. It is nice that you have sun light coming in. I shared my space on my blog tonight. Just thinking of what we will all create in our rooms gives me goose bumps.

[tami]

The sewing room looks GREAT! I love Ikea storage. I have never gone, but I really want to check it out although it's probably in my best interest not to.

[MaryjoO]

OK, I'm reaching for the sugar.

Wow ... how fabulous! You have a lot more room than I do -- we have the same Expedit wall ... but my design wall has to be the closet doors, and I have a much smaller table and also a dresser with "tools". No room to keep an ironing board set up -- and looks like you have great light, too.

I'll think about asking hubby one day to knock the walls down between my sewing room and the guest room and then I could get my fabric out of tubs LOL ... oh well, I can dream.
But congrats -- and I like the little Billy -- may think about a couple of those in a couple of other places in the house.
And we too have a couple of ahem "backward" shelves ... oh well. No way in @#$$%%^ are they going to come apart though!!
M

[Ruth]

The wall color is delicious. I dream of having work space like that.

[Anita]

Oh wow, I love your new sewing room! The IKEA shelves are awesome. And I'm with everyone else in loving your green table. I bet it feels good to have it all unpacked. Now you can sew till the cows come home! :D

Thanks so much for sharing your space!

[Kristin]

Very nice Jan! Thanks for giving us a peek into your world. I really like that wall color, btw!

[amy lobsiger]

Your space looks so inviting. Bright, creative SPACE! I will add in a been there, done that to the turned around shelf. Ack. What I'm getting also is perspective on the size of your Japanese fabric blocks on your design wall. I imagined them bigger but I think I like their smaller reality better. :-)

[Lazy Gal Tonya R]

gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. love that wood floor and the shelves and I can understand how marvelous that table is.

[Chris]

Wow, your space is gorgeous. I can just feel peaceful creative waves emanating from it.

I can point out a spot or two like that reversed shelf on each of my IKEA projects. Does it bother you enough to take it apart and fix it? Some of my IKEA misassembles have... and some haven't.

[mimi k]

Great tour! I love how you put it all together- the old and the new.

[elizabeth]

I just died over your wall of fabric.

What a great space! And I am so jealous that you can baste things whilst standing up at that great table. That sucks about the shelf, though. Try not to feel TOO bad... I just busted a piece of a drawer in half the other day because I wasn't paying attention. I glued it back together and kept going. Boy did I feel stupid. Maybe you can tack on some pretty ribbon or trim to hide that raw edge?

[thimbleanna]

Wow! Look at all that awesome natural light. What a beautiful room Jan. Now 'fess up -- where are you hiding all the yarn???

[mathea]

In the words of quirky English quilter Dorothy Stapleton: "There are no mistakes, only design opportunities" - why not use your back to front shelf edge as a design element of some sort - stick a pretty ribbon to it, use some decoupage, contrasting paint, a tape mesure, a row of buttons... you get the idea!
But, really it doesn't matter, and ypu have a lovely room to create in - I wish I had half that space - but I'm not at all envious... ;-)

[Kathie]

I love your wall color, too. I notice that many people commented on that. Do you happen to know what color it is? I'm guessing not, since it sounds like you didn't paint it that color...I think it's beautiful.

[Schnoobie]

LOVE IT! you made an awesome space even better..and have inspired ( do doubt) countless others to do the same...
just think of the shelf as a backwards quilt block type element..;)

[blackbird]

OMG!
That room inspires ME!
I want to quilt!
I don't even know HOW to quilt, but I'm SURE I could in that room!

[jen]

beautiful room!

[Alison Marie]

Ok, the studio is great (I love the aqua, but I think it's helpful to have a neutral studio too), but where did you get that sugar jar? It is beyond great! (oh, and my suggestion for the raw edge of shelving- there is old-fashioned adhesive or gummed shelf trim that is meant to make the edges of linen closet shelves look 'lacey' that could be adorable there. I've seen it in books and always wanted it, but have never tracked it down.

[quilt crazy]

Love your new space. Have you thought of just putting a coat of white paint on the bottom of that one unit? It would help it to blend. Also, you may want to check out the metal bulletin boards at IKEA. I put 3 together across one wall and love them. They also have magnetic clips and pencil cups you can attach. I found some very decorative magnets that look more like a button with a dome on them at the office supply store. I'll try to remember to post on them one of these days.

[Wendy]

Lots of ideas for that offending shelf - I've got some white contact paper around here, I think. I also think Home Depot sells the white trim for their pressboard shelves. A little glue and presto!

I don't consider the green of your table "unfortunate" at all. It's just a different green family than the walls. Once you decide what neutral to make those, it'll be the standout piece in there!

[Amber]

Awesome! And I love the table. And I think others have mentioned, you can get a little strip of iron on or glue on facing for the plywood, so you'll forget it until you are shifting things around someday in the distant future and wondering why you have a finished edge on the back of that one...

Thanks for sharing!

[KathieB]

Fabulosity!!!!!!!!! Love what you've done with the place! I wish I'd known about the workspace unveiling day and I would have played too. I probably will play, just a bit late. As is about typical for me.

Anyway, I like the color and the sunniness. My space lacks windows and I have to pretend about light and fresh air.

[Donna]

I absolutely love your work space!
And WOW your fabric stash is huge, i don't think i have ever seen one that big :)

[Maddy]

What a fantastic space! And you've done a great job organising it! I hope some day that if I have my own creative room, it will look something like this! Oh how I dream! Currently all my dress-making fabric is in my airing cupboard and all my cross-stitching bits are just all over the place lol. My stash is no where near that accumulative I don't think, but I could be wrong! Thanks for letting us see your lovely room!

[Tanja]

Love your sewing room....you're so lucky to have so much space! Had to chuckle about the "raw" shelf. I did the exact same thing! Solution...paint it white! :-)
Happy sewing!

[Cris]

I feel jealous :P

[Tonya]

What a fantastic studio! I do not have that luxury, but I am wonderfully inspired by your space.

[Mr K]

Nice work, I was just thinking - if someone hasn't said it already. You can go to a hardware store and pick up edging for those shelves. it comes on a roll like tape and you use your iron to basically iron it on. It's pretty simple & you'll notice the difference immediately.

As a kid I used to help my dad do this to finish custom built kitchen shelving etc

[Ha Richmond]

What an inspiring space! I love your family table--even the color. Can you tell me more about the sugar jar? Where did you find it? I don't have any hope of replicating your space, but I'm hoping I can at least find that sugar jar! Thanks for sharing.

[HELOÍSA BASTOS]

Muito belo seu trabalho!
são lindos e muito interesantes.

[Amanda]

you can actually buy iron on edging tape (or hot glue some pretty ribbon) for the backwards shelf. I do that all the time.