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I finally got the go ahead to put together a craft room in an unused bedroom -
Woo-Hoo!!!! I originally thought I wanted standard stock kitchen cabinets (upper & lower) and a counter top along the long wall, but am now second guessing myself. Maybe a desk and storage units should be used (Target has some in their ad this week). Please let me know your opinion on what works best. Thank you!!!!
__________________ In HIM, all things are possible!
If I had the option of my own room with a permanent set up I'd go with the kitchen cabines with a counter top, and perhaps a desk to the side. You can always get all drawers for the cabinets for everything.
I've had both and both have their positives. I found I didn't like the cabinets, I prefer to have my things on shelves in containers where I can easily reach for them. I'm short and the cabinets were not that handy. I had countertops and when I switched rooms I went to a desk. I miss the countertop because I had "stations" set up. My sewing machine had a permanent place, as did my big shot, cricut and cutter. Using the desk, I've found I need to place these items on shelves and just bring down when I use them. The only suggestion I have is to look at several rooms online and think about how you use your things. Enjoy the process, it's fun to have your own space.
Good Luck
Kathy T
I think I would be going for the less permanent solution. Cabinets are very permanent. Moving them is a pain. (or impossible if the measurements don't match) Also, if you do have to list your house for sale, they stay. Can't take them with you. (unless, of course, you remove them before listing the house)
With a desk and shelving of some sort, if you get the urge to rearrange, you can. I have a permanent set up for my sewing machine and I have a "coloring" spot that I also use for doing my watercolors, in addition to my main stamping area. I can't rearrange because of the windows/wall space in my room, but it's all furniture, not considered permanent fixtures.
I have a mix - my room has a countertop along one wall, and I also have shelves, a table in the middle of the room, and a desk along another wall. I tend to stand to do some things and sit for others. I do love my countertop and would highly recommend getting one. We purchased mine cheaply, since it was a slightly damaged piece from a home improvement store.
__________________ Marcy Wolf Creek Crafting
I just love the smell of Stazon in the morning!
I bought 2 lower cabinet drawer units from Home Depot and have a table top from Ikea on top of them. This way...if needed I can move them and yet they are really sturdy and heavy enough not to move around while I am working. I like this set-up because I like to stand when I work and this allows for that.
Good luck with your decision.
__________________ I got a Nikon camera. I love to take photographs, so momma don't take my kodachrome away."
Paul Simon
I have a mix - my room has a countertop along one wall, and I also have shelves, a table in the middle of the room, and a desk along another wall. I tend to stand to do some things and sit for others. I do love my countertop and would highly recommend getting one. We purchased mine cheaply, since it was a slightly damaged piece from a home improvement store.
This sounds like my room. My room is kind of long & skinny � it used to be a darkroom before we got here I believe.
I have a long countertop on one wall that has shelving underneath. It holds my Big Shot, TV, wire racks with DSP, etc. My table is in the middle of the room (an old kitchen table) as well as two rolling sterlite containers. One has shallow drawers with little things I want easily accessible such as brads, coloring mediums, etc,. and the other holds my 8.5x11 cardstock in hanging folders. I also have a Pampered Chef Tool Turnabout that holds my most beloved things (scissors, folder, pencil, TV remote, etc.) that have to be right there for me. Finally, I have shelving units o the other wall with stuff I want to have at my fingertips - embossing powder in sandwich sized bowls, ribbon, assorted alterables, paint, ink, stamps, punches, etc.
__________________ Diana
*******
Save your drama for your llama.
This is really helpful, I had to move back in with my parents so space is very limited, but my mom said I could have the attic for my craft room since I have an overabundance of craft supplies - the only problem is a slanting ceilings.
I've had kitchen drawer or door cabinets, and I found they were pretty wasteful of space. I use bookcases and countertops and find it gives me more space.
However you can get it done get counter space -- whether it be permanent cabinets with counter space or an moveable island with working space. I wish I had more of this space available to me where I can leave out the 12x12 paper trimmer, die cuts, etc. My craft table is so small.
I don't know. Never had cabinets in my craft room, but I do have alot of bookshelves for my supplies, and that seems to work just fine. In the center I have a round black table, and on a wall with no shelves I have a table w/ wheels for my Cricut and Cuttlebug.
__________________ Lauren Live to stamp, stamp to live!
Seated or standing?
Do you put things away, or prefer to throw them in a heap?
What tools do you want to leave out?
I thought I'd prefer to sit when I craft but I've found I stand up to use a lot of things. So, my ideal would probably be counter height and a rolling stool.
I don't put things away well, but I can't craft when I'm disorganised so, drawers and baskets work best for me. I share my space with our business office so it has to be everything within arms reach but easy to hide. Shelves didn't work out and cupboard doors were a pain, so I've got regular supplies in drawers and just a few things above my desk in baskets. The drawers, I'm using foamcore to divide (just slotted joins).
I needed permanent space for my electronic cutter, cuttlebug and guilotine, plus workspace, so that determined the amount of bench I needed as a minimum. I also found that having the tools on a different bench to where I work has helped me keep them from encroaching on me.
For DD (and I'll replicate it for me when I can), I divided the space between some shelves with foam core so she could store her pencils and markers on their sides, in plain view. She isn't the tidiest kid in the world, but they seem to go back there. (Here's a link to a photo in the gallery)
Hope all those thoughts help in some way.;)
__________________ There is no such thing as lack of sleep, only caffeine deficiency.
Last edited by KoffeeKat; 04-02-2011 at 04:36 PM..
One thing I've discovered in my is that I put my Ott-type lamp on the right side of my work space so now I have a shadow on everything since I'm right handed. I need to put another lamp on the left side of my coloring area.
I really would like a very long uninterrupeted counter so I would have a Big Shot station, a paper trimmer/cutting station, and room to spread out various projects.
I have a love/hate relationship with my craft room. I love having a craftroom but I hate the way I have it set up. I tend to "run" with an idea or project with full force and then regret it later. I have Best Craft Organizers, Sterlite four drawer containers, bookcases, a desk, a table, a file cabinet. It's dreadful.
My Advice: TAKE YOUR TIME. Really sit down with a sketch pad and make a diagram of how you want your room to look. Or I guess you could use a file folder and cut post it notes different shapes and sizes and keep rearranging them until you see what you like. But, anyway - however you do it - take the time to do it. Even a tv tray and legos (if you have a little one...lol).
So that is STEP NUMBER ONE, arranging the furniture.
Step two then would be to figure out where you are going to keep everything. (like i keep my bigkick on the desk, it is my cutting table. i keep my stamps and embellishments in my bestcraft organizer, i keep my precut cards and envelopes in the sterlite drawers, etc.)
Step three - what kind of containers will you keep stuff in when you store it in/on the place you have designated for it. (i have a wire basket on top of my desk for my bigkick cutting pads, i have plastic containers with buttons on my bookcase, etc.)
I think you will really be happy if you take the time to PLAN it all out very carefully before you do anything. I am trying so hard not to buy one single thing this year and use up everything I have so I can redo my room. I just can't redo it while I have so much stuff. Just thinking about it is stressing me out. So, I'll shut up now.
Good luck! I hope you LOVE LOVE LOVE your room when it is finished.
Good luck! I hope you LOVE LOVE LOVE your room when it is finished.
I am also redoing my space and have been dragging my heels trying to decide which of the BEST craftorganizer to get and what drawers to put into it. I have a stackable mini and I want to get the desk. Any suggestion?
I don't know what would be best for you. However I know either way you will need to "customize" to meet your needs.
I love my gadgets so I have to be honest the stock cabinets intrigue me but I would be looking at those pullout and up appliance shelves so I could keep things plugged in and ready to use but also be able to put them out of my way so they wouldn't be using my countertop.
Right now I'm using plastic sterilite containers to organize the inside of a Pie Safe my maternal great grandfather made. At least it is still being used to house some home made goodness; mine just has less calories than my great grandmother's did.
My table is from my paternal grandparents - beautiful, solid and useful.
Neither are my first choice but I wouldn't get rid of them to facilitate anything else.
I agree with others you need to sit and work out how you work/would like to work and how that will fit in your space.
My big worry with kitchen cabinets for myself is the stuff at the back of the bottom cabinet. It would never see the light of day again.
Last edited by RiverIsis; 04-05-2011 at 02:33 PM..
I am also redoing my space and have been dragging my heels trying to decide which of the BEST craftorganizer to get and what drawers to put into it. I have a stackable mini and I want to get the desk. Any suggestion?
Hi, I took some pictures that might help you decide what will work for you if you decide to go with these. Here's a sample of each insert to show about how much each tray will hold. In order of the pictures they are one inch/two inch/three inch. In my desk I have the two inch drawers without inserts to hold my dies on one side and my paper on the other. It really just depends on how you plan to use your desk and for what. (Is it your cutting station like mine/your work table.. etc.).
But, I would definately take the time to figure out what size drawers you really want before you buy it.
Hope this helps!
Last edited by not2shabbydesigns; 04-06-2011 at 01:03 AM..
the two inch drawers will easily hold four whole packs of su paper. maybe five.
here's just a picture of my punches on a bookcase, the sterlite containers and my file cabinet. you can see i have a big mess right now. i have actually been trying to get it all organized for about six months now. (very sad).
so that is why i suggest to new crafters to PLAN PLAN PLAN before you put together your craftroom or craft space. it will save a lot of money and time later on. i started out with bookcases full of baskets and containers and i didn't like that because of the dust. went to sterlite containers and don't like them just because i think they are ugly (just my opinion). then got the BEST desk and hutch.
i also made the mistake of thinking that i had to have every single thing you could think of before i even knew as a cardmaker what kinds of stamps and cards i like to create. every tool (don't need or use half of them), every bird and flower stamp i saw, etc.
sorry for the rant...lol.
just trying to help anyone out there to NOT make the same mistake i did.
Last edited by not2shabbydesigns; 04-06-2011 at 08:09 PM..
Reason: tring/trying...lol where is spell check?
went to sterlite containers and don't like them just because i think they are ugly (just my opinion).
<SNIP>
sorry for the rant...lol.
just tring to help anyone out there to NOT make the same mistake i did.
LOL I hear ya! I only used them because for my cabinetry they were the best option. They definitely are not what I would have used if were designing an area from scratch.
Seated or standing?
Do you put things away, or prefer to throw them in a heap?
What tools do you want to leave out?
Great advice!
One more word of advice: if you're a standing sort of person, don't get hung up on pushing your workspace up against a wall.
After years of working at a counter against a wall, I now craft at a kitchen cart in the middle of my craft room. I have a wall of shelving, loaded with plastic drawers, trays, and bins on my right-hand side and stamp storage just behind me. I can reach over to my drawers without leaving my spot, or spin to reach for a stamp set without taking up precious space on my work surface. That allows me to keep a scrap pile, basket of new products, tool caddy, and my markers out all the time.
Fingers crossed that my next house allows me to make the the same set-up face the windows so I can enjoy a nice view while I work.
Stamping Room Set-up
