Workroom tour - my re-imagined work space

Color, color, color! I love to see the array of ribbons and twine.

I don't actually call my workroom a craft room. However, I realize that to most people, it looks like a craft room. It has crafting supplies, art supplies, gift wrap and lots and lots of scissors! By whatever name you choose, I have some ideas and inspirations to share from my remade work space.

The dining table, cleaned and ready for pricing linens. Check out that fab chair I found at a private estate sale!

This space is actually the dining room and for the first time in two years, I cleaned it out for Christmas dinner. This major cleanout allowed me to rethink how I use the space and how I want to use the space. I like the wood top on the dining table, but it is not a sealed finished and I want to protect it from paint, markers and abuse. So, pricing linens was going to be the last thing I did before covering it.

Goodbye nice wood tabletop, hello vintage cardboard cutting board.

TIP: using a cardboard cutting board not only protects my table top, but because it is for cutting out dress patterns, it has a grid and measurements. I use the yardage measurements to measure twine and ribbon I am cutting and it's a great tool for quickly checking the size of something without getting out a ruler.

 The room needed to work for storing my vintage items that I sell online and items that are waiting to be listed or sent to my antique shop. Ideally, I would like these shelves to be able to separate online store items, brick and mortar store items and just purchased items. But I am not there yet. 

Admittedly, this looks a bit jumbled, but it is actually arranged for easy access to the items, which are stacked in a way to protect them from damage.

And really, the "just purchased" items need to live with the cleaning supplies that I use for rehabbing them. Again, not there yet.

The "to be solds" cleaning supplies, art supplies, fabric books for my design business and photo props

 I also needed to store everything I sell in my paper goods online store. I store my paper goods in a "Pick and Pack" system, so that I can quickly find the size, shape, and color I need for each item. This is a great store owner solution that I picked up from a big online retailer! I prepackage items and store them together so that I can quickly ship. I feel very Henry Ford when I am packaging them. It's also a great "down time" or "thinking time" project, too. When I do not have a project brewing, or I need to stew on a project, counting out doilies is a useful way to clear your head and re-focus. It's also a great time management practice to package everything when I get them in stock rather than when they are ordered.

Vintage metal drawer boxes, paper drawer boxes and clear drawer shoe boxes- all easy access storage. The turquoise paper sorter was spray painted to add color and store 10 inch doilies.

I want to package my items to ship from here, as well as do photo shoots here. A shipping center is a must for this space.

A collection of black and white art acts as a foil to the brightly colored ribbons and twine. And, they look great when the table is in the center of the room as the dining table.

Poly bags are stored, sorted by size, in a rack that I also use when I do outdoor shows. It's easy to empty the rack for a show and I don't have to store and empty rack somewhere for other 350 days in the year. It is still looking for a permanent home, for now, it's by the window.

Dual use vintage store display. perfect for storing shipping bags and works great for outdoor art shows.

Photo shoots are a preferred task for this space. This room gets great light and the table is by the window. I am working on a new method of photographing items, so I think this will be a good fit. I can store backgrounds beside the bookshelf, like the lovely antique enamel ceiling tile (above), and the camera can live on the tripod here. I found that shooting in natural light requires a slower shutter speed and a more stable grip than my hands!

Love a Sapien bookcase (also known as a spine bookcase) it is invisible when in use and keeps all book accessible! Check out my post on this fantastic bookcase HERE.

My lovely, Spanish, mid-century umbrella stand is holding my pre-packaged kraft gift wrapping paper. Eventually, I will find the perfect spot to store my 12 inch cardboard squares that are the shipping support for my 12 inch doilies... for now, they live by the wrapping paper. I have moved a bed for my schnauzer under my work table for the cold weather this week. He does not come in my workroom, normally. And even with a bed in here, he seems uninterested in the temptation of spending some quality sleeping time at my feet.

A new use for an unused item from the past. Umbrella stands are not much in use these days, but they make a great storage piece for rolls of paper and would be a fun addition to any craft or gift wrap room!

Do you have a great work room to share, please post a link below!