STUDIO SPACES

How do you feel about studio spaces? Do you have enough room, and is everything always tidy... or a total mess?

Sally Turlington has made a little video of her new find (library drawers - oh, how I want some like this!) which I couldn't resist showing you.



Here's my old studio (the spare bedroom) in the last place we had. Oh, the SHAME of it! I swore to myself that if I ever do anything else in my life, I'll never allow my art space to get into this state again.

View from the landing, before you walk/force yourself into the room. Facing you is a desk (with it's designated chair) plus shelves above and also on the side wall, next to the window.







A closer view of the desk, and looking towards the right you'll see an oval dining table (single central pedestal, so rather wobbly and the cause of many a landslide. Under the table, you'll see a little coffee table! With MORE stuff on.

And why waste a windowsill whilst you are at it?

A closeup of the table (as though you really needed one) showing the mess, the latest landslide - and even more STUFF on another chair! I usually had around 6 square inches to work in...





Looking to the right, moving around the room. On the opposite wall to the desk, you'll see the shelving system to end all shelving systems! It still wasn't big enough. Behold the Muji drawers (sadly discontinued) with some of my vast collection of wood-mounted stamps.

Behold the gigantic boxes on even more shelves, above. The white edge to the right is the side of the door - I couldn't get any further back for a better shot.


Moving around the room a little more, we turn the corner to the wall opposite that window. Yes, it is a step ladder. Why? Your guess is as good as mine... possibly to get up to the top of the shelves?


To the right - a bureau with a drop-down leaf (rather nice actually) but covered, and I mean covered, with yet more art supplies, work in progress etc.

Turning right again, we are now looking at the back of the door we came in - with a rolling card, yet another dining chair holding some ring binders and a filing box, plus another unspecified box balanced precariously on top. On the back of the door, yet more STUFF.





The desk, facing you as you walked/forced your way into the room. Shelves above, shelves to the side, drawers underneath the desk... and not even an inch to work in!




The computer area: under the stairs, in the open-plan living room. This was quite a large alcove: the table was 120cm wide. It's still a sea of papers, and a total nightmare to work at.



Talk about disorganised....I think about the only thing missing was a roof rack!

We have since downsized to a 1-bedroom flat (hence the name of the blog) so even less room! I posted about my new small-space studio here, if you want to see it.

Still, I thought these pictures of the normal state of affairs at our old place (2-bed maisonette on two floors) would:
(a) amuse you
(b) possibly make you feel better!

I know one thing I have in common with Sally, and probably a lot of you out there, is MESS - and an ongoing battle to keep everything under control and yet still be able to find your stuff.

I had a big tidy around a couple of weeks ago, but put all my stickers/labels/rub-on lettering In A Safe Place - oh boy. Yes, you guessed it... I have been turning the place upside down ever since (4 separate sessions) and still haven't found where I put them. I have a nasty feeling I'll have to buy some more.