Create the Craft Space of Your Dreams
Whether it’s knitting, scrapbooking, graphic design, painting, stationery, sewing, handmade artwork—or any other craft that requires an extra-organized workspace with numerous components and materials—a well-designed craft area can make a huge impact on the productivity and creativity in an artist and/or hobbyist’s day.
“The thing about craft spaces and craft rooms is that they can look really disorderly really fast,” says Kristin Becker, a design consultant with California Closets in Denver. “You want to be able to see all of your items and make a quick inventory of your materials, but you also don’t want the space to feel cluttered with items.”
The key to the perfect craft room according to Becker: Utilizing as much deck space as possible, and methodically organizing every last component—down to the last bead or spool of thread.
Here are some tips to transform a cluttered and uninspiring craft space—whether it’s a dedicated room or the cozy corner of your home office or bedroom—into an efficient (and gorgeous) creation station.
CONSIDER YOUR SPACE
Your desk or worktable will be dictated by what kind of square footage you’re dedicating to your crafts. “It all depends on the dynamics of the room and the ergonomics of any possible layout,” says Becker. If you have a whole room or even a whole wall to use, consider an island as your workspace—and also consider its height. Depending on the craft or medium, it might be ideal to stand at your workstation, or a very comfortable chair or stool might work better for you.
If you’re in a small space, getting smart with your layout and features is infinitely more important. “You can utilize features like a fold-down or pull-out table,” Becker says, “which can provide more work surface area when space is limited.”
CONTAINERS, CONTAINERS, CONTAINERS
Boxes, baskets, and bins can hold larger items, like fabric and paper scraps, craft scissors and tools, paints and paintbrushes, stamps, and so much more. Mason jars and snap-lip jars are good for smaller items like buttons, glitter, and beads. Rails and rods can hold large rolls of wrapping and scrapbook paper. File folders, corkboards and pegboards, hooks, and drawers—explore all of the organization options and then invest in the containers and systems that are right for your craft and its materials.
“I personally love using clear bins—with a good labeling system—so that I can easily see all of my materials,” says Becker. “ Then I make sure it’s all organized in cabinets so the space isn’t visually cluttered and it’s all easily contained.”
GO TO THE WALLS
The best use of space in an easily cluttered craft room is your vertical space. If you don’t already have them, build in organizational units both above and below your desk or table. Cabinets, cubbies, shelves, drawers, a track system for hanging scissors, pencils, paintbrushes, and other smaller containers from the wall for easy access—these are all features to consider.
DON’T FORGET LIGHTING
Good, consistent lighting is critical when working on a craft—especially one that requires diligent focus and handcrafting. Make sure there is a good light source over your workstation—perhaps even natural light from a window, if that doesn’t tarnish your artwork (as it might with photography or certain paint materials). The last thing you need is unnecessary eyestrain when threading a needle or working carefully with glue and beads.
MAKE IT YOUR OWN
At the end of the day, your craft space is where you go to express yourself creatively and uniquely—so why not do the same with the space itself? Showcase some of your art in small doses around the room—even some of your larger material inventory—to add concentrated bursts of visual interest to your studio. Just be careful not to overwhelm the space; allocate these displays to certain exposed shelves, cubbies, or walls.
Happy crafting!
To learn more about creating a dreamy craft room—or any organized space, for that matter—you can contact Kristin Becker at 303.319.6202 or kbecker@calclosets.com.
