The Craft Room Redesign Project: Hidden Workstation

Before:

After:

The Craft Room Redesign Project is in full swing, thanks to all of your great advice. I’ve installed new flooring all by myself, thrifted some furniture, repainted a brass table, and upholstered a chair I found on the street. But the eyesore of my crazy workstation overflowing with supplies was making it feel more like a garage and less like a room. So here is my solution.

What do you think? Is it weird, or do you think it works? Is there a corner of your house you might try to turn into your own workstation? Let us know in the comments and you could win that Kokka fat quarter. Check out more pics of the Hidden Workstation after the jump…

Work mode. Sewing Machine and tools all readily available:

Going, going…

Gone.

I’m gonna teach you how to make pleated drapes later today, you’ll be SHOCKED by how easy it actually is. Curious to know if you think this meets my objective of cleaning up the visual space, or if it seems a bit fussy and obtrusive? And yes, I know at some point I might have to actually still organize those shelves.

That would probably be the best plan.

by

54 Comments

elisa.b

What a clever idea! I would love to have a space of my own for a work station. I'm finishing up graduate school at the moment so I sadly have neither the resources or space a permanent workspace but when I move back home, my best friend (an avid crafter/sewer/quilter) and are planning to be roommates and we hope to find a place with an extra room just for crafting/working. ๐Ÿ™‚

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Jolene

So brilliant!!! This would work to cover our totally messy row of bookshelves in our study (plus keep out the dust). ๐Ÿ™‚

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K. Dill

LIKE! My craft station is at a corner of our living area. Much smaller than yours though. I wanted to make curtains to hide the mess but Hubby thinks it will make the living area smaller. Sigh…Maybe he'll change his mind after seeing your photos. Fingers crossed!

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Serena Legg

Hmmm, although it would not be my ideal solution to clutter, I think it definitely works! I probably wouldn't want to leave it that way long-term but until a better idea comes along, it's great! If I were you I would probably move the workstation to the corner, change the shelving to cubbies and use fabric drawers, boxes or baskets to contain your crafty stuff. Also, if you still wanted to cover it with a curtain, it would look more balanced in the corner. Just some ideas!

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The Queen

I love it! No matter how you much you organize it's still going to be a mess. Let's just face it. Sewing/crafts/art is just messy. Isn't that part of the process we love so much? You picked the perfect fabric too on the curtains. Awesome. Can't wait for the tutorial!

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tracyrosen

I love the idea of drapes for hiding purposes ๐Ÿ™‚ I live in a 1 1/2 story 100 yr old farmhouse. Because of the 1/2 story the ceiling of all of the upstairs rooms slant towards one side. Because of the 100 yr old-ness, nothing is straight. I have a large closet at the end of my upstairs hallway that had louver doors when I moved in. They kept falling off of their track because the ceiling and/or floor is not straight. So in a fit of frustration I finally pulled them off of their track completely and decided to hang curtains instead. Love it!

If you want it to look more 'organized' and less cluttered, maybe a solid, muted tone would be in order for the drapes. Like a light grey that would settle into the background.

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AnnaPK

I like it! It is a great way to get it out of the way when you want the room to be a guest room. Even better, out of sit is out of mind for little people who might be tempted to get into your stuff. Both of those things are issues at my house too. ๐Ÿ™‚

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storiedyarns

I really like this! I have a little "nook" in my house that I lust after to turn it into a craft space. It's just one of those little dug-out mini hallway types of areas, totally wasted right now just storing the playpen we never use. I want to put a desk (or two in an L shape) in there and put my sewing machine on it so I don't have to drag it out to the dining room table every time I want to sew! Imagine the joy of having my machine always accessible like that, with all my fabrics and notions stored right near it in extra drawers and shelves! I think hanging a curtain over the doorway to that little space might be really handy to sort of hide my mess from the "public" areas of the house!

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ppags

Can you show me how to do that to my children's toys? Not that my craft/sewing area isn't a mess but the toys, oh the toys, they are everywhere! I was thinking about buying the folding wall to close their toy area but this is much better.

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SuzyMcQ

Ingenious! I wonder if I could get away with doing that in all the messy corners of my house…….craft corner, sewing space, jewelry nook, doggie toys basket, kid's backpack area, husband's workout gear corner, etc!

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Jodi

Not weird, nice! I'm fortunate enough that I took over my daughter's bedroom for my sewing space and there's a door I can shut! Yippee! But my cat gets quite insulted so maybe a curtain like that in the doorway would keep her happy, too! Looking forward to the tute.

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Missy

Are you kidding me?! This is an awesome idea! I love it!!! I might steal it, IF I can ever get my sewing machine working again. It looks great!

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Jess

It looks really nice! I do think that you can make your craft space more organized though. It make things easier for you if everything was a little more streamlined :).

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*Amber*

Have you thought about doing those wood shelf and drawer units meant for closets? It seem like something that can be used outside of a closet with a little bit of work to build it in and can make the space seem clean and uncluttered. Right now my craft room is the laundry room with a roll top desk, I can't wait til we can afford to redesign it!

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Brianne

I like the idea. Everyone always talks about doing the big curtain, but it seems like few actually execute. Well done!

**pay no attention to the craft behind the curtain!**

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Amor a cada hora

I want to know where you found the curtain rod?? I've had a hard time in finding it.

It looks beautiful, I might just hide there in my moments of crazy~~

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Renee Weber

I think it's fantastic! What a great way to add some color to a room, too. I definitely need to do this for my craft room (which doubles as our guest room!)

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Lindsay Conner

Hey, I really like that! For my space, I'd probably go with a solid or a large print, so it doesn't look so busy (walls are smaller), but I'm loving the idea of a hide-away!

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Stephanie Granite

What a great solution to a tricky problem! My husband has been kind enough (like he really ever had a say) to let me use our little dining room nook as a combo dining room/ crafting room. Maybe a year or so ago he rearranged our little one bedroom apartment so that our old TV armoire was shoved into the dining nook with our table, but sadly my supplies have long since spilled out and now I have a huge pile of boxes full of fabric, batting, patterns and scrapbook supplies sitting on top of the armoire creating a MAJOR eyesore, as well as a clear plastic tower of drawers next to it full of fabric.
After seeing your solution I'm feeling inspired and maybe I'll finally make the false 3-walled fabric boxes that I've been meaning to make to cover all my clutter. I know that would sure make the hubby happy =^)

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Nora

NO! The wonderful thing about closet doors & curtains is that you DON'T have to organize those shelves! Well done, thinking about doing something similar to my messy craft corner.

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Jamie

I love it! It wouldn't work in my home though, I can just see my little monkeys swinging from those curtains. I have taken over the kitchen table as my work space. I make no apologies for the clutter anymore. I just blame it on the small space (2 bedroom cottage for 5 people-well three of them are under 3 feet).

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Kharlie Bug

I think it turned out great! I love that it's covered but easily accessible! Great job. Can't wait to see how you did those curtains.

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jessica

In case you decide to go with some people's ideas and change the drapes, or don't use them, they would look GREAT in MY living room! ๐Ÿ™‚

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:Brittany:

I want to do this on my basement. I would love to have one for my craft stuff and my kids toys! Thanks so much for the great Idea~

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svIslandLady

I love it! I did the same thing long ago when we found out we were pregnant and I had to surrender my extra closet in the spare bedroom for the baby and her new nursery. I found a corner of our house, installed a custom closet and hid it with drapes. When living in a small space, you find the most creative ways to manage! Well done!

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Maggie

That totally works! I wish I HAD a spare corner to convert. I am tired of picking all of my stuff up every night off of the kitchen table!

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Vanessa/NessieNoodle

love.
I had to move my craft space into the master bedroom when my daughter was born. While the room is large enought to hold all my supplies/equipment, I don't always like waking up to see it.
you have my brain going now! thanks for the insporation.

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klahmers

Will Rick let you work in there with curtains open? If not the design sucks and you definitely need more lighting. Is there an over/under for how soon you try to hide in there with blinds drawn to finish a project?

You looked good in the jump suit, but no way I commenting on that post with the negative vibe.

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Deanna

I really would like that FQ of Kokka.

However, as much as I know you are a sucker for compliments, I cannot compliment you on this.
I don't like it and I think in the long run you may find the curtain a little unhandy.

It kinda makes your sewing area a bit darker.
Not handy.

It adds more bulk to the room, so rather than declutter, it seems to me that it makes clutter.
Not handy.

You will be opening and closing just to get to your stuff.
Not handy.

But despite my critique of your curtain solution, I would really still like the Kokka.

๐Ÿ™‚

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Kathryn Randolph

Every woman needs a room of her own and creativity is not a faucet that can be turned on and off as needed. If your creative rush is cut short by putting everything away then getting it out again, the underlying question is why? If you feel better when things are neatly organized then do it. If you feel more fulfilled by spending that time on your project then leave it as is. We spend enough time trying to please others instead of knowing our own worth. If this works for you I love it. It isnโ€™t about me. Good idea and enjoy hearing your solution.

Have fun!

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Lesley

I would love to do this in my room because how things are set up I have to have my desk and cleaning things (eg. Vacuum cleaner) and they aren't very attractive.

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faux domestic diva

Oh, my GOSH. I'm in *love*! I'm in the same situation as comment #37, exactly. I'm stuffed in a corner of the Master BR, with a hubby who likes things "hidden". This would be GREAT!! Could you share how you got those curtains up? What railing you used, etc?? NEED!! ๐Ÿ˜€

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Marilou

What rod do you use to hang these curtains? I don’t know what to buy to attach to the ceiling. I love this idea and would love to do it too. Thanks

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Anna

Might have to do this when we move because there is only 1 bedroom and 3 people, one of which is a 4 year old. Probably need to learn to sew first haha

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Linda

Easy to close up at the end of the day separating work and home time. Therefor being more disciplined. You can turn a closet into this too or onewhole side of a room especially if you have industrial sewing machines. Thanks.

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SGP

I think it great! This could also be used to create more closet space in a room by adding hanging rods have shelving.

I have a large laundry room that’s been transitioning into a craftroom/office for a while now. All my laundry appliances & linen/storage cabinets are on one wall and I’d like to hide them. What kind of ceiling track did you use for the curtains?

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