I was going through My Scans folder and paused when I got to some unlabeled images that had been sitting there for quite awhile. This one really took me back. It was labeled “My First Studio” and is a counter in the kitchen of the house I lived in in Norwalk.
In the evenings, and during my kids’ nursery school hours in the daytime, I’d sit and decorate eggs on the flat surface sticking out underneath which a stool could go. You can see my dyes on the bottom shelf and the wire rack which held important papers. That was all I needed at the time.
It was actually my second studio. I’d been working on the dining room table of my first apartment in Stamford before that, but hardly considered myself a business owner back then.
As my business grew, I needed more space and eventually shared space with my husband in the family playroom.
Then, one day, I attended an Entrepreneurial Women’s Network luncheon, sat next to an architectural designer, and made the decision to really invest in my company by committing to a renovated, well-designed home studio. Here is the transitional photo while I worked out of the living room:
When it was complete, I had areas of the room dedicated to design, a space where workers could be in the room with me at their own desks, a shipping section, a sink for mixing dyes, a cutting box for making the jewelry pieces and a corner table for computer work.
My current requirements are minimal now as life becomes increasingly paperless and my work is centered on the phone and computer. I often conduct business with only my laptop and cell phone.
As this new ‘semester’ of work begins, I’d be curious to hear about your workspace needs and alterations. It’s freeing to pare down or design up. Where are you on that continuum?
Jane, I loved seeing the evolution of your office space! It really mirrors each point in your development and later, your success! I recently had to turn my tiny office into an office/guest room, and as tragic as that sounds, it was the catalyst I needed to clean house! I purged every file, every pile and recycled, sold or gave away a good chunk of my interior design samples. It’s been a freeing experience and I feel lighter in so many ways. Having recently read “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” I am in a new mode of decluttering my life…physically, emotionally & spiritually. While I’m still in a state of transition, I am heading toward a new and better me.
@dbaliotti – Thanks for your comment! Spot on! Loved your story! I enjoyed that book as well and often ask myself her ultimate question, “Does this spark joy?” Good to hear from you!
I remember those rooms! My studio is still a very happy refuge for me. The occasional decluttering when a job is finished is so satisfying.
@swanson14 – And I remember all of yours! Good ole days!
After many years making my office in the dining room of our tiny house (which technically, was part of the living room), we moved into a two-bedroom four years ago and I finally had my own office-slash-guestroom.
Unfortunately, over the past year, I haven’t been interested in working in there. I’m not sure why. The ceiling fan is stuck in the “on” position, for one thing! And the room has gotten really cluttered and messy, and I don’t seem to have time to clean it. But I love the space and I’ve had fun dressing it up. I need to figure out how to get back to working in there.
Right now, I rotate between my bed, the couch and the dining room table (which is no longer part of the living room)!
@Lisa Braithwaite – Interesting situation! I once had a studio rental and had a similar experience. I didn’t go there. Your gut is telling you something…