03 June 2006
Finally, some pictures of my new craft room! Not everything has been moved in yet -- namely, all the letterpress equipment. That will go back into the cabinet with the glass doors (which I have yet to fit fabric behind to match the other one), and the actual press will go on the lower bookshelf in the corner. Because this room has a fitted closet (half of it is shelves!), the cabinets are fairly bare at the moment, but I'm sure they'll fill up eventually. It's really nice to not have my fabric crammed into one spot, but laid out and visible on the closet shelves.
Oh, dear -- look at droopy old Mr. Pothos Plant. He had a good swig of water this morning, but he was very thirsty, so it's taking a while to have an effect. Whoops! On one hand, it's really nice to have a room with a door for the birds. On the other, though, the room is so tall and echo-y (click here for a crappy photo of the full height of the vaulted ceiling) that the birds seem louder than ever. Oh well.
Sometimes I think my 'style' is really all over the place. I'm drawn to soft aquas and pinks, which are influenced by Country Living, but I also like the bright colours of Rowan prints, and I'm drawn to bold, modern Scandinavian styles. So I'm really pleased that (to me), the craft room seems to all fit together. I think I got really lucky with the Ikea fabric I've used to close off the cabinets. It's light and white, but incorporates some of my favourite colours. The fabric hanging off the back of my chair, by the way, is a half-finished quilt top that I love. Nobody else likes it -- I've only got tight smiles in reaction to it -- but I think it's lovely, if a bit overpowering in its bright patterny-ness.
Fearless with combining patterns, I am. Well, in places. Somehow, I just think these patterns all 'work' together -- maybe it's the different scales. The weirdy ridged cone lamp belongs to the leaseholder of the flat. I'd have never picked it out, but it's strange and glowy, in a nice way.
One last photo. I always try to take photos of things in the mirror of my little medicine cabinet, but they hardly ever turn out. I roughly focussed the camera and set it on the desk to take this, and I really like it. The picture of the mouse in the corner was cut from a magazine. He's eating some berries. Nice little mouse.
P.S. -- Rob and I went to the Grand Designs show yesterday (I had a free ticket from the magazine, and the Excel centre is just down the road from us). It was more or less a bust -- WAY too many people for it to be enjoyable -- but we did walk right by Kevin McCloud. Now there's a clever bunny (not so clever as Rob, though).
I think the room is beautifully unified – what an incredible view! Gorgeous space!
posted by jen at June 3, 2006 03:11 PM
What an amazing craft room - it's so big! Lucky jammer :)
posted by Cate at June 3, 2006 03:43 PM
Lovely studio ... and that view, of course, just makes me sooo jealous :-)
posted by Tania Ho at June 3, 2006 03:53 PM
Your studio looks so airy and inviting. It's beautiful. My favourite thing is the view. How will you manage to concentrate on your work with that window in the room?
Thanks for sharing your photos.
posted by Adriana at June 3, 2006 07:28 PM
What a beautiful studio! It looks so peaceful.
posted by caitlyn at June 3, 2006 09:24 PM
Your looks divine, definitely a place to create some beautiful thing. I think you definitely have to be in a great place to create great things, light and air are some of the most important aspects of forming a good space. You need a place to sit and think.
posted by Jessica at June 3, 2006 09:25 PM
That studio is to die for. Lots of light, a view of the Thames, (it is the Thames, isn't it?) and whole cabinets for fabric. In my next life, I am going to be you.
PS - You just described my own eclectic tastes exactly, only they don't manifest quite as beautifully as yours seem to. I think I would love that bright quilt of yours - from the peek on the chair I can see, I am quite sure of it.
posted by Megan at June 4, 2006 02:00 AM
Wow! This is a wonderful space! I the first picture especially looks like a magazine photo and styled space. very nice.
posted by Heather at June 4, 2006 03:16 AM
GORGEOUS studio. You have perfect lighting in there. I don't think I would ever want to leave that room!
posted by Mariko at June 4, 2006 03:24 AM
i think your style is AMAZING! your room is so lovely! i love all the light and what a view!
posted by joleen at June 4, 2006 08:25 AM
Oh, I daresay it's SMASHING, love! Simply brilliant!
posted by Alicia P. at June 4, 2006 07:50 PM
This is beautiful - so serene..Gorgeous!
Hope u get lots of inspiration from that view!
posted by Anastasia at June 5, 2006 05:38 AM
Good golly! Fabulous lucky you and lucky birds!
posted by Gemma at June 5, 2006 12:02 PM
Your workspace is really beautiful. So clean and tidy and so peaceful....
posted by Lesley McCormick at June 5, 2006 02:46 PM
My first thought when I only looked at the photos was that you must like Scandinavian style, so it was nice to read that it was one of the things you liked! Really great studio, it’s to die for! Just seeing the room gives me inspiration. In my next apartment I’m going to have a bright and inspiring studio. But I think it some years away, because I moved in January...
posted by maria at June 6, 2006 11:52 AM
Oooooh, that view!
I think that with the lovely white walls and the simple furniture, you've got Scandinavian down and can add whatever Country Living touches you want and still have a gorgeous, well-balanced space.
I just love it.
posted by Heels at June 6, 2006 04:23 PM
I'm loving white lately too. I'm dreaming of lofty spaces with white walls, pinky reds, aquas and browns, and that's just what you have there. And the views-- WOW!
posted by Courtney at June 6, 2006 05:27 PM
your new studio is really beautiful! and the view... amazing!
posted by Gisela at June 7, 2006 04:34 PM
wow! what an amazing space- so bright and modern- mmm envy!
:)
posted by tania at June 7, 2006 07:15 PM
This is one gorgeous space! And the view looks amazing too. If this is where you create, I can see why the things you produce are so lovely.
posted by blair at June 8, 2006 03:13 PM
Wonderful calming studio! What a dream to have such a space to work in!!
posted by julie at June 8, 2006 06:27 PM
You have done an amazing job! Love your new room and all the colors and prints go perfect together. I'm sure your birds are loving it too!
posted by Gina at June 9, 2006 01:35 PM
lovely, lovely room. Such good light, too! And it really does hang together well. So pretty, it makes me want to come over and sit there.
posted by eireann at June 10, 2006 12:42 AM
Great place!
posted by batixa at July 5, 2006 10:50 AM
I love your craft room, the colors, the lighting, the feeling. I feel peaceful just looking at the pics. Good job!
posted by michele at July 5, 2006 10:05 PM
I have studio envy in a big way. How absolutely amazing
posted by Mia at November 19, 2006 11:08 PM