Craft room love

I thought I´d share you some photos of our craft room! It also functions as a home office and my husband studies here. And of course our son Oskari also wants to do his crafting here as well as in his own room! So you can call this a multi functional room :).

When we moved here, it was obvious that one of the rooms would be our office and craft room. Before that we only had a small computer nook with a little storage and I had to do crafting and sewing on kitchen table. It was frustrating as I had to always clean before meals and could not leave things as they were to continue later! So I was thrilled to have a whole room for office and crafts. (photo below) It did function well until Oskari grew up. Then I needed place for him too! My husband, then teaching philosophy and psychology, needed more space to file all his papers and to keep his teaching material at hand, so we made the decision to switch room! It did not take long to actually make the move, put to convince my hubby that it was the right move to do!

As many crafters say, it´s difficult to get your own craft room just right, it took us many changes until we finally got this right! And it has served us well. I can have a few friends with me crafting here or I can spread my fabrics over the table and sew, or I can make cards with Oskari! My husband also likes to spread his papers to study or to take part in web seminars. Is it obvious that I just LOVE this new room?

I´ve always been an organizer. I remember when I was a child and we lived in a small apartment, where I shared a room with my parents, that I had to keep my things organized in a very small space. I learned how to let go of things I no longer needed, used or wanted. From those days I´ve enjoyed organizing, like really ENJOYED! That just isn´t enought though, I want things to look good, too.

 As you can see, we have used Ikea`s cabinets and tabletops. Here in Europe these are called Alex  drawers.  We have used them for years and just bought some more, when we changed the rooms.  First we had the basic white legs, but since have got these curved ones, which I like. I do many different crafts so it´s easy to organize things to these drawers. A couple of drawers hold my pearls and jewelry making supplies, one has all my Himmeli straws. Then there are drawers for inks, Big shot equipment (Big Shot is a non electronic cutting machine), origami papers and so on. I´ve labeled most of the drawers so things are easy to find! I would have loved to use Martha Stewarts book plates, but it would have cost so much to order them from Amazon with shipping to Finland, that I ended up using just card stock.

We combined three tables, so there would be plenty of space for all of us! I use one of the tables for sewing, but if we need more space I have a place for them in the cabinets. So a lot of free counter top space if needed! Above the sewing desk there is a Bestå wall cabinet from Ikea for my sewing supplies within easy reach. I´ve used Ikea`s boxes a lot, because they are durable, stackable and, well - affordable. Then I have a couple of turquoise metal storage containers from H&M home as well as some metal cans. I think the key to a successful organizing is different kinds of storage options.

On the other side of the room is our computer table and a bookcase for our important files and some of my husbands professional books. One whole wall is full of cabinets (this used to be a bedroom), where we have more books, files, seasonal decor and clothes as well as some of my craft supplies. Next to the computer on the table there is a filing system. We have there bills to be payed, papers to be filed, witch I go through once or twice a month, Oskari´s daycare papers and my husband`s learning material. It´s easy enough to use and maintain. 

This fall I joined School of Decorating, a online school founded by Jackie Hernandes, woman behind the Teal and Lime -blog. By the way, it has been worth every penny! So I truly recommend it to anyone, who wants to learn more about your own style and learn to decorate your own home! You can sign in here. One of our homework was to style a bookcase with the directions and help we had in an online seminar. I chose this bookcase to style and I´m pleased how it turned out! Looks good even though hold many different sized and colored books.

In my last visit to Ikea, I found this light, which I totally love! I was planning on adding a Himmeli "lampshade", but I love it the way it is. plain and simple. It offers plenty of light over the desks, so crafting during these dark winter months is a pleasure! 

One of the tables serves also as my dressing table! Here is enough light, even natural light in the summer mornings and a place where I can get ready without disturbing anyone. I had one in our bedroom before, but if I had to get up earlier than my husband it just didn`t work. My husband didn`t like that I had to switch the lights on to see something and he would have liked to sleep some minutes more! So this is a perfect solution! And even my mom can now use this place when visiting us! She has been great help during my back surgeries and recovery. We wouldn´t have made it without her! We are so pleased to have such a supporting family around us!

If I happen to need even some more counter space, I have one of those rolling Alex drawers. There is even a place for big papers on top of it and on the other side I have hooks for my curling and straightening irons. So versatile! I even had that tall one in our walk in closet for a while!

I truly love tihs space and spend a lot of time here working on projects and so does my husband and Oskari! We probably use this space more than our living room! So, if I ever build a house, I will definitely design a big room for crafting and basically just doing things together!

So what do you think? Would you enjoy working here? As a starting blogger, it would mean so much for me if you would leave a comment! Thank you for reading and see you again soon!