The Finalized Studio Plans (Windows, Doors, Cabinets, Floor Plan, Etc.)

I read all of your comments and input about windows on yesterday’s post, and the ones that really stood out to me were the ones that encouraged me to draw everything to scale to see how it would really look. And then some of you stressed to me that while the outside is important, it’s way more important to get the interior right. I agreed with that. After all, I can always use decorative items — window boxes, trellises, landscaping, etc. — to change the way the windows look from the exterior view. But the whole point of this room is to have a large and efficiently designed space where I can work on projects, so that needs to be the focus.

So I spent all of yesterday afternoon and evening drawing out three of the four walls of the studio, as well as an overall floor plan. I started off trying the three windows on the front, because I had it in my mind that that’s the configuration that would look better from the outside. I was hoping it would be the better option for the inside as well.

It wasn’t.

In the end, I went with two large windows on the front wall. But I’m going to have them made so that each large window looks like two windows right next to each other. (Correction: They are actually two individual windows that open and close separately, but the two windows are basically welded together to form one large window.) Here’s how I envision the front wall (i.e., the wall on the front of the house) of the studio looking with the two large windows and long worktop spanning the entire wall. This entire wall will be workspace for projects. I’ll have my sewing machine set up here, and there will be plenty of desk space (14.5 feet wide x 30 inches deep) to sew large items like drapery panels.

studio plan - NE (front) wall

The actual cabinet design is subject to change. I think I’ve put way too much open shelving on this wall, especially considering that I have more open shelves in the “office” corner of the room (i.e., the NW wall pictured below). I’ll probably end up putting cabinet doors on the upper portions of the built-ins on the NE wall above, because let’s face it — most “crafty” items that need to be stored in a studio/craft room/sewing room aren’t that pretty to look at. And I need actual storage space, not open shelves to style pretty vignettes for Instagram pictures. 😀

I’m not sure what I’ll do on the wall section between the windows in the middle, but it’s a great spot for artwork, a cork board, shelves, etc. I’ll have to wait and see if I need that area to be more for practical use/storage or if it can be more decorative.

The wall to the left of that is the exterior wall that looks out to the side of the house. (That would be the right side of the house, if you’re standing in the front yard looking at the house.) The driveway will eventually be there, going to the back of the house where we’ll have a carport. And that wall will look something like this…

studio plan - NW wall

This is the area that will be more of my “office” section, where I’ll have my file cabinets, printer/scanner, office supplies, a desk, my computer, etc. What’s not shown here is the floating desk that will sit in front of this built-in credenza section. So when I’m sitting at this desk, my back will be to the window, and I’ll be facing the doorway to the breakfast room. I decided on this configuration because I think it’ll make it much easier for Matt to be able to come directly through the breakfast room door and just straight ahead if he wants to come in and chat with me while I’m sitting at my desk working.

The wall to the left of that one is the wall at the back of the studio where I’ll have a cased opening that leads into what’s now a storage room at the back of the garage, but what will eventually be a half bath on the left, a mudroom on the right, and French doors straight ahead that lead to the back of the house (and eventually to the carport).

studio plan - SW wall

So on the right side of the cased opening is my “office” area with the floating desk depicted in the drawing. To the left side of the cased opening will be cabinets. Lots and lots of cabinets.

I didn’t do a drawing of the fourth wall (i.e., the wall between the studio and breakfast room) because there won’t be any built-ins, new doorways (just the existing doorway to the breakfast room) or windows on that wall. But that will be where I’ll store my movable workroom table, and I’ll probably have a TV above the table on that wall, and then use the rest of the wall for artwork, open storage (maybe some pegboard storage), shallow shelves, etc.

studio plan - floor plan

I’m still working on the design for my workroom table. I had hoped that I could just have a huge workroom table that sits in the middle of the room and is ready to be used whenever I need it with no setup required. But after working on the floor plan, I realized that a massive 65″ x 108″ table is just way too big to keep out, even in a room as big as this one. I want to be able to have lots of open space in the middle of this room so that if I want to work on something really big, like reupholstering a sofa, I’ll have plenty of space without having to squeeze around a massive table.

So I’ll design it in a way that it sits against the wall providing a 24″ x 108″ worktop (i.e., a standing worktop that is 36″ tall, rather than a table-height worktop). It’ll put it on rollers and probably design it with a drop leaf on each side (although I’m considering one other design that utilizes separate leaves rather than attached drop leaves) so when the table is pulled away from the wall and the leaves are in place, it will be the full workroom table size that I want.

So this is it. I’ve handed the plans off to Chuy, and he’s ordering the windows and doors today. And there are already some guys over here today removing all of the siding from the garage. Things are about to get exciting over here! 🙂

 

 

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54 Comments

  1. It’s going to be a great space! But I am a little curious about why you decided to go with 2 large windows that look like 4 smaller windows on that front wall rather than putting in 4 windows that could be opened independent of each other.

    1. It’s not actually two large windows that just look like four windows. It’s actually four 24″ x 44″ windows that open independently, but two windows are basically welded together to form what will look like one larger window.

  2. Great job Kristi! You have designed a wonderful space for yourself. Letting go is always the hardest, as you know, but you can now take some deep breaths and let the magic happen. In the end, you will have the work studio you have been dreaming of and your creative juices will really get going. Try not to over think at this point; you know if there is something not right after all is said and done, you will be able to tweek it yourself. The “Big Picture” is designed and you know it will be wonderful. You have thought it out, drawn it all out, most likely “walked” through it in your head a million times, so you know it will work for you. I can’t wait to watch the transformation happen and see the finished product. I’m very happy for you!!

  3. Kristi, with office space now going to be in your new space will you use you bedroom/office in the house for something else?

    1. Matt has decided that he wants to move his game room to the bedroom that was my office, and then we’ll have the third bedroom as a guest room.

  4. I am so envious! You will love the 36″ height of the work table. That was the best purchase I made. I am only 5’1″ but bending over a table working on projects was a killer on my back and neck.

  5. I knew once you designed what you wanted on the interior NE wall, that the decision for the number of windows would come easier. That’s what I do if it’s a new design project. Your design plan is very well thought out and it’s going to be a fabulous studio to work in and be creative in. How exciting the men are there already starting the transformation!

  6. Ooh, I’m drooling. I so wish I had space to put a room dedicated to my crafts/hobbies. I never have a good place to sew currently. This is going to be awesome to see and use.

  7. This….looks….amazing! Color me jealous, and also extremely happy for you! Can’t think of anyone that deserves, or would use a room like this more than you. I’m so excited to watch the process unfold.

    BTW — I have to tell you, you’ve inspired me to paint my kitchen cabinets and I’m using the BM Gentleman’s Grey on the lower cabinets and BM Chantilly Lace (both in the Advanced paint) for the uppers. I LOVE your final choice for paint color in your kitchen….it’s beautiful, and perfect in your gorgeous home…..but the Gentleman’s Grey you tried made my jaw drop open and the color is perfect for my home! Thank you for being such an inspiration to so many people. I sometimes find myself thinking “What would Kristi do” when deciding on home design/decor. 🙂 I’m still in the midst of the painting process, and boy what a process it is (kudos to you for the multiple times you have tackled painting cabinets), but my lower cabinets are done and I’ll start on the uppers this weekend. There is a light at the end of the loooooong kitchen cabinet painting tunnel!

      1. I’ll be happy to share some pics once I’m done! But guess what — painting the cabinets has led to “I need a new countertop” and “my stove is old and also needs replaced” and “if I’m replacing the countertops I also need to replace the back splash”….new cabinet hardware, a new sink and faucet….etc. etc. etc. The list seems to be growing but you inspired me to at least “START” by painting the cabinets and I thank you for that!

  8. Good call. The inside NEEDS to work well for it’s intended purpose. THAT is the primary consideration. You wouldn’t put how a room looks over Matt’s ability to access and use the room. You would have his needs as the primary consideration and then work on making it look good. You’ll do the same in regards to your workroom and how you need it to work for you. Function before form!

    By the way, I’m envious as all get out over that huge workspace! If only I had an attached garage!

  9. Great job, as always. I’m excited for you. Will you be able to unlatch and open the windows with the sewing project desk in front of them? Perhaps having sections of that work surface on hinges so it can drop down for access (cleaning, opening/closing, etc.)? I’m glad your big work table will be flexible for easy maneuvering. You’ve put a lot of thought into this room and it will pay off big.

  10. It looks wonderful! I know I’m excited to get this project started, you must be walking on air! 😀 Can’t wait to follow along.

  11. I’ve been sewing this week (at the dining table) and I kept wishing I had a large table to cut my fabric on. I would especially like one with a cutting groove like they have at the fabric store. Any chance you could get one of those? Your plan looks great and I’m envious! ☹️ Best of luck to you!!!

  12. Where will your tools go? I see your vision and it’s cool bt I cannot figure out from the drawings where they would be stored. I think I’m missing the big picture.

    1. The big picture is that I’ll eventually have a separate workshop where I’ll have my wood working tools set up, and all of my tools will be there. Until that time, all of my woodworking stuff will be stored in the sunroom (where most of the area now), and I’ll continue to use my saws on the front porch. 😀 Not ideal, but my front porch basically acts as a huge work table for me, so I’ve made it work this long.

  13. Kristi,
    Love your plans for the interior. You could have been designing this for me. My floorpan is very similar. There was no money left over for cabinets after we finished building. I have made due with Large plastic shelves. The good thing about it is that I have been able to rearrange everything several times. I love following what you are doing and getting up the courage to build my own cabinetry. You are a true inspiration.
    Thank you.

  14. Not gonna lie – this may be my favorite project to date because this is one I may actually get to do, too. Hurry! Lol

  15. I don’t know what you are sourcing for materials, but if you sacrificed length on the work table, I bet you could do that with two doors, one door as a drop leaf. That would give you time to find and re-purpose a desktop or counter top from something.

  16. Nice job Kristi!!! Thank you for doing this! I was trying to figure out how I could carve some time out of my schedule this weekend to do it for you! Design is complicated! And you’ve just saved yourself bunches of scale, line and proportion mistakes by taking the time to do this! Now, I can move on to solving other design problems! Hugs and have a great weekend!

  17. I think the best move was to hire guys to clean out and move stuff for you!!! I am drooling over this space, so excited to see it progress.

  18. This will be your most loved and useable space. I’m excited for you! When we remodeled I was able to get a new big sewing room and I love it. I like to quilt so having a big cutting space was also important to me. I actually purchased my cutting table but it just happens to have an open shelf on wheels that can slide under the end of it. You might like the idea of something like that as just one more storage area. One other thing I did on one long wall, which also has my sewing machine on it, was to place my outlets above my counter so I didn’t always have to crawl under my work space or keep stooping down to plug things in. I love being able to just pop my ironing board up and plug my iron in or my glue gun or whatever. Having those outlets up high is just so convenient.

  19. Love the plans! As an artist who also crafts and sews large projects, your ideas are right on; I’m trying not to be jealous of all your dedicated space! Everyone has already voiced many of my thoughts so I’ll just say that open shelves can be handy and look cool. Closed shelving, however, keeps dust under control and your supplies and tools more pristine.

  20. Great decision about the windows. That’s going to look terrific both inside and out. This room is going to be awesome and I am already green with envy! Having a 36″ work table is the right move for cutting fabric, laying out projects, etc. But a word of caution about the surface for your sewing machine. On a 30 inch surface, a sewing machine bed will be at around 33-34 inches or more depending on the brand of machine. Given you are short and already have some neck/back issues, that will not be comfortable at all if you sew for any amount of time. If you want a continuous countertop you might want to plan to have the builders put in a cutout and shelf below the work surface to drop your machine down even with the surface. I am 5’6″ with lots of neck and shoulder issues. My sewing table is 29″ and the machine sits down in a cutout for a smooth surface that is filled in with an acrylic insert. If it was any higher sewing would be painful. Just something to consider.

    1. I sit in an adjustable office chair, and have a stool at my feet to rest my feet on. I don’t need a foot pedal on my machine though, so I don’t need to have feet on the ground.

  21. I’m very jealous, I’d love a workroom like this. I have two suggestions, one, put a heavy duty pull out shelf in your sewing area. Personally if I’m doing drapes, I want a lot of room on the sides and back to layout all that fabric so it doesn’t drag or get so bunched up behind the machine. I just don’t think a 30 inch work space against a wall is deep enough. Two, have you considering making yourself a flip top table rather than scaling down the work table? A table flipped to vertical and on wheels takes up little room when not in use.
    I know the finished room is a long way off even with a contractor but I can’t wait to see it.

    1. My aunt used to use a ping pong table! It folded up and rolled against the wall when she wasn’t using it. We even had Thanksgiving dinner on it once, but I wouldn’t advise that – it was too high! 😉

  22. So glad to see a moveable work table in the plans. When I sew long panels of curtains, I so wish I had a sewing table that I could pull away from the wall to allow my fabric to “fall” away from my sewing machine instead of bunching up behind it as I sew. What a wonderful workroom/”playroom” you have planned!!!

  23. I can’t wait to see the process of creating this space! I’ve often wished for a huge work/craft space like this and the storage you will have is amazing. If I were ever so lucky the only thing I would add is space to store fabric rolls for upholstery and decor fabrics.

  24. One idea for the work table might be to make two smaller tables that you could then “attach” together when working on large projects. Might provide more flexibility and save floor space in some instances. Love the idea of drop-down sides so when not in use, it saves space.

  25. The plan looks awesome. I am so jealous but just two things to think about.
    1. If the windows are above a 30″ counter you will have difficulty opening them. I have two windows above my kitchen counters that are only 25″ deep and since I am only 5’2″ I am not able to reach over the counter to open them.
    2. If your computer screen is facing the window you will likely have a problem with glare from the window. IF it is facing into the room and you are looking behind it to the window you will be squinting against the sun.

  26. I would dearly LOVE a bank of windows in front of my sewing area. But my sewing area relegated to my walk in closet, lol, so that won’t be happening. Maybe one day, when I’m an empty nester, I can take over one of the bedrooms upstairs! I’m really happy for you, I think your office/studio space is going to be fantastic!!

  27. Wowza! That plan looks great and I’m so jealous. I like the idea of a cork/white board on your first wall between the windows. It’s a good way to keep your project ideas and goals right in front of you. The second wall is nice with your office area so you can blog, look for ideas etc from that station. Did I mention how jealous I am? : ) The extra storage on the third wall will come in handy and I love the opening that leads to the doors out in the backyard – more light and easy in and out for large painting projects. Your rolling worktable with leaves is a wonderful idea! All in all, it’s nothing but wonderful and I hope it works out for you.

  28. I didn’t read through the comments because I didn’t want to forget what I had on my tiny brain…..
    I used to have a sewing station in our old house that my husband made for me, and I found one problem with it that annoyed me when making draperies: it sat firmly against the wall. While it was deep (36″) the problem was that I would have a huge volume of fabric behind the machine and jamming against the wall. I told him I wish I had thought of that when we designed it. I would have had him give me a gap from the wall of about 6″, so the bulk could waterfall over as I continued sewing. It was really a problem when making underlined, lined midweight drapes. If I could have had it sit out totally away from the wall it would have been perfect! We’ve since moved, and got rid of the whole thing so we can start over.
    Also, I really like the final layout you came up with as far as the windows/doors. That space between the windows could be a great spot for a mood board or inspiration board. Or a rack full of threads – color coded, for functional art! 😉

  29. Dream workspace! Have the side (driveway) exterior door be L hand in-swing please. It appears to be R hand I swing right now, which doesn’t feel right… I’d rather walk in to ‘the room’ than in to ‘the sewing/project desk’ but maybe that’s just me! 🙂

  30. I’ve been following your blog for a while now and love it. I know I’m a little late here, but I find my sewing projects easier if there is room for the large things to flow over my table. Right now, my table is facing the center of the room. In past homes, it was against the wall, but not built in so I could create a few inches between the table and the wall for those large projects. Just wanted to share an additional thought since you’re starting from scratch. (Maybe someone else did…I didn’t read all of the comments. Everything looks great!

  31. Very impressive, Kristi! So happy for you that you will have a designated room for doing all these things. I’m not sure if anyone has addressed this yet — The only place for my computer is where there is a window directly behind it, and it has always been a great irritation for me…..the computer screen is like a mirror, with the light from the window showing up in it. I find it very distracting and hard on my eyes. Could you work on your computer facing the window, and then swivel your chair around when Matt comes in to talk with you? Just a thought. 🙂

  32. That does it. It’s official, Kristi — I’m moving in. And I’m going to live in the studio, I don’t care when it gets finished. If you see a blonde-haired girl on the tall side standing on your doorstep with a gray and white tuxedo cat tucked under one arm and a suitcase under the other, that’s me! It’s your option to open the door when I knock!

    Seriously though, this will be a gorgeous, highly functional space when it is finished, and a dream space for all of us ladies who craft and sew, etc. and would love a well-though out, work space for that, and an office. *Swoon!*

  33. What is the total size of the entire room? Where did you put all the stuff you took out of there from your previous project. I know some was trash, but I mean all your big tools, now that you don’t have a garage anymore. Can’t wait to see it, looks like it is going to be FAB!

    1. Most of it was scrap wood, and I threw out most of that. The good plywood and large pieces of wood that can still be used are neatly stacked in the carport. My big tools are in the carport as well, and all of the small tools have been returned to sunroom, where my big tool chest is. That’s also where I have shelves to store my paints, primers, and other supplies.

      When I get ready to build the cabinets for the studio, I’ll do that in the carport.