My Studio Reveal...

Happy Friday, folks! I am certainly glad its Friday - yesterday I lost my keys and was stuck at home all day with two less-than-impressed kids and the trio of us were a great old laugh I don't think! Today, I am hosting a morning tea disguised as a birthday Dora-the-Explorer party for Fern's 3rd birthday... she sort of insisted on it and my mother-guilt at not organising a party was high on the richter so I've pulled this together in about 6 minutes and I'm hoping the lovingly decorated Dora cake husband and I dallied over last night makes up for my lacklustre party efforts!

Anyway, I promised you a studio reveal and a studio reveal you shall have!

Have I mentioned how my studio has changed my life? No? Well, it has folks, it has! One can only run their hobby-turned-proper-business from one's kitchen table for so long. In my instance, about 10 months. By the 10th month, my kitchen looked a bit like Spotlight during their half-yearly sale. Not pretty. Not conducive to inspired creativity. Not fun to live with.

My renovation downstairs was necessity in the end... which is how I somehow managed to pull the whole thing together in one month from woe to go! Here's a little reminder about how it was before:

before. Red brick. cockroach infested carpet. Green windows. And junk junk junk.

I wanted something light. Something bright. Lot's of desk space. Storage. Somewhere to photograph my items. Somewhere to INSPIRE me. I didn't need anything especially huge. Which is just as well, because in the end we went with the decision to turn the one longish room into a small studio for moi, plus a fourth bedroom and bathroom (without shower) for guests and resale later on. Basically you come in from the garage and this is the room-turned-three rooms along the back. I made a half-wall so the studio would not feel too boxed in and it is in fact an alcove. A sliding door leads to the extra bedroom (reveal on bedroom/ ensuite to come later!)

The paint is Dulux half-strength Lexicon - walls, doors, roof.... the lot! I still have blisters and paint in my eyes weeks later! Carpet is a mocha colour. And my decoration palette is yellow, pink and turquoise.

Enough talk. Want a looksy?

My creative space! You can see my purpose-built desk which is built at a right angle into the entire wall. Of course, I have filled up every inch already! But basically its big enough to house my sewing machine, a mini-ironing board, a large cutting mat and some open shelving. I am loving loving my new chair - a replica Eames in sky-blue that is actually surprisingly comfy! All my fabric I store by colour in large tubs under the desk.

A close-up of the desk where I work and my storage solutions! Noticeboard from Typo.

That's it, folks - my entire studio! She's compact, but beautiful...

A peek over the half-wall into the studio. You can see my groovy woven light from Beacon Lighting, my birdie wall hanging by Bubby Makes Three and my 'You are My Sunshine' print by Kathy Panton 

My sexy twisted-string light from Beacon. Switched on it gives lots of light and I loooove it!

The long-shot where you can see the half-wall into my studio, plus the open 'corridor' that leads into the extra bedroom.

Adjacent to the half wall is this bricked wall -- now my photography studio! These bricks were red originally and it took us about 300 gallons of paint and an awful lot of elbow grease to get them white... but we got there in the end. Not sure why we didn't gyprock this last wall, but there you go!

A close-up of my wall hanging!

A very awkward alcove space above the back wall is painted white and used as 'display' space for my art letters and love heart, purchased for a song from Typo.

closeup of print by Kathy Panton

My self-covered table lamp finally finds a home!

I got two packs of three little cubes from Kmart for $12 each.  Button container from Freedom. Ribbon-box from a little Chinese store. Birdhouse from Bed Bath and Table. 

Little Bubby Makes Three labels stored in a sweet little pink bowl by Royal Albert (always wanted to find a use for that bowl!), the yellow wire storage box is from Domayne.

My 'cupcake' pink cushion bought for a song from my local handmade market

My business card holder: a little nursery hold-all from Bed Bath and Table bought for $2!

... and that's it, folks! She may be small, but she's perfect for me. I am so pleased and proud of the result and every day when my kids lay their sleepy heads down on their pillows and drift into slumberland (that's on a GOOD day ;) I sprint down the stairs into my little space and sigh with pleasure. I love what I do. And now I love where I do it!

I would love your feedback/ thoughts... and I'd love to peek into YOUR creative space if you have one! Do post a link if you do! xx