Workspaces

I am obsessed with other people's workspaces. Whether they craft, create, write or just work, I love looking into other people's offices/studies/studios. I would kill for a full-on studio.

I subscribe to 'Where Women Create" and "Cloth Paper Scissors Studios" paper magazines, as well as following numerous Blogs that have studio or workspace articles. I have also ventured out into more straight design-related sites......I am a bit voyeuristic that way. I am always on the hunt for new ideas for my space.

We have quite a large study. I have sort of adopted it as my space (the kids call it mum's study), but 'my space' still spreads out into the rest of the house too. I sew on the dining table, have magazines and paperwork all over the place, and cabinets/buffets full of crafting stuff in the lounge. I would love to be able to customise this space to do what I really want it to do, and keep my crap (as Cal calls it) confined to one room.

I recently posted about our home improvements, and the study is one room that I REALLY want to sort out. I have to get everything out of here to recarpet, and my plan is to make it more functional as the furniture comes back in.

When we built our first house about 10 years ago, we had a beautiful big desk and matching file cabinet made for the study. Although this room is big enough to house them, and my never-ending supplies of crafting paraphenalia, I don't want the desk in here. Cal, on the other hand has this vision as to how he thinks the study should look - or so he tells me. I keep asking him and asking him to describe this vision, and all he says is 'a study'.

About a year ago I moved the 'family' desktop computer out into the family room. The kids were getting older and playing on the computer a bit more, and I wanted to be able to see what they were up to while on there. I also wanted it in a central position so that if they needed me for anything, I wasn't too far away (and could hear them hollering quite easily).

I now have this huge desk taking up most of the space in the room. Cal thinks we need it, but I think we only need a space for a laptop and printer. I'm having a hard time convincing him, and to be honest I don't think that I ever will.

I also have a crafting bench that I procured off eBay for $1 a few years back. It is an old high school science bench from the 60s that is big and sturdy. When the school it was in was demolished it went to a jewellery designer/maker and then to an artist/painter and now to me. It sits in an alcove of the room like it was made to be there. But it is CLUTTERED. THe other storage solutions I have in the room just don't cut it.

The current storage is 2 bookcases filled with books, and fabric and anything else that I can get my hands on. There is wasted space, poorly designed space, and......its just bad all around.

I know where everything is, but is just looks messy. Thank goodness the room has a door and I can just close it off when I don't want anyone to see my mess.
I think that I will need some custom-built furniture, but I really don't know what just yet. I will have to go through my mags, and my websites and have a good think about it. I do love using furniture in a way that is originally wasn't intended, but I may have to have furniture made to do specifically what I need it to do.

Boo!!!
But yay to having an organised space. One day.

Do you have a favourite piece of storage furniture? Does it do what it was originally built to do?