This 12' x 13' space was a catch-all bonus room with no true identity. By investing in a few versatile pieces, it's now a warm and welcoming place to focus on arts and crafts.
To give the wasted space identity, its walls were painted a warm, neutral shade of gray and its windows were covered with classic cotton drapery panels. Before investing in new pieces, a pedestal table collecting dust in the garage was dismantled and brought in and tested for scale and proportion. An antique rug was also taken from another room to inspired a unique color palette in the space.
A vintage painting of cyclists was put on display as the room’s focal point. As new works are created at the table, art pieces can be swapped out quickly on the easel.
Creative spaces in which paint and other art supplies are heavily used call for seating that’s easy to keep clean and also super durable. Vintage industrial chairs are an excellent fit since any splattered or dripped paint will simply add to the worn, weathered look of the metal chairs.
For supply storage, a birch wood chest was placed in a corner next to the pedestal table. Its drawers keep sketchpads, paint, pens and brushes neatly stored and hidden from view. The wall space above the chest is used to display favorite works.
For softness underfoot, a vintage hand-knotted rug was placed below the table. In addition to adding texture to the room, it also helps to gather the orange tones found in the bicycle artwork and steel chairs.
Since the space gets very hot in the afternoon once the sun crosses from the front to the back of the house, its windows needed to be properly dressed. Instead of using colored or patterned drapery, simple white cotton panels were used to help diffuse light and also keep paint colors reading their true values.
