≡ Menu

Studio Tour

Welcome to my art studio - tour and how I store my suppliesWelcome to my studio!  It’s where I make my messes while having fun playing.  What’s most important to me in my studio? Being able to spend more time playing and less time finding or cleaning.

What you see is my attempt to keep supplies within easy reach and limit the effort needed to clean it up. I hate cleaning….but I love having an organized studio.  So the shelves and drawers are usually organized but the counters are full of stuff.  But I cleaned it up since I was having a guest – YOU!

Watch Mixed Media Art Studio Tour on YouTube.

Here’s more of what it looks like a typical day…journals stacked on journals and then covered with Gelli® prints.  No matter how much space I have, there is NEVER enough counter space!

Welcome to my art studio - tour and how I store my supplies

 

The Details

The cardboard sections that hold my journals are repurposed scrapbooking paper shelves turned on their side.  This makes it super easy for me to grab any journal without all the others falling and it creates a storage area right on top.

Welcome to my art studio - tour and how I store my supplies

Every inch of space is important to me, so when I can make my storage go to the floor, I do!  The narrow shelves I have around my primary work area hold all sorts of supplies in a way that I can see exactly what I have and it’s easy to grab.  Master carpenters we’re not…but the basic shelves we built are the exact dimensions I wanted.

Welcome to my art studio - tour and how I store my supplies

Thanks to plastic Command Adhesive hooks even the sides of my cabinets become storage.  Bonus is they aren’t permanent so as I reorganize in the future, there are no nail holes or marks.

Welcome to my art studio - tour and how I store my supplies

In the center of my studio is a custom made counter.  Nobody in my home is a carpenter so we take some short cuts.  The base is extremely cheap kitchen cabinets.  Wall cabinets because they were the cheapest and I didn’t want to mess with doors due to space limitations.

Since they were designed to be wall cabinets the counter would be too low, so we had to adapt.  Using 2 x 4’s, we created the extra height to get the counter just where I wanted it.  As an unintended bonus, that because another shelf thanks to the plywood top.

On that plywood is glass so the surface is extremely durable and easy to clean.  No cutting mat needed for Exacto knives.  Paint comes off.  Spray ink doesn’t stain.  Super low maintenance!

Welcome to my art studio - tour and how I store my supplies

My stencil storage…which is a spinning rack by Simply Renee, but sadly they are now out of business.  I have seen table top spinners at Hobby Lobby.  You can also repurpose an old wire lampshade to do something similar.  The plastic tags that I use to hang most of my stencils are from Uline or in smaller quantities here.

Welcome to my art studio - tour and how I store my supplies

 

 

All those shallow shelves with white drawers that you saw in the video, well, I can’t remember who made those! Memory is going it seems.  But, those drawers hold a plethora of stuff and it is all easily accessible.

You’ve probably noticed that theme in my studio…easily accessible which is code for I can grab it and put it back quickly.  I’d rather spend more time arting than cleaning!

Thanks for stopping by my studio for a tour and thank you for being a part of this colorful journey!

{ 14 comments… add one }

Leave a Comment

  • S@ndy July 5, 2015, 10:52 am

    HI Carolyn,

    Thanks for the video, I love to see where artists work. Besides that, it make me feel better when my friends make fun of me for my messy studio. I enjoy your videos and your humor.
    S@ndy

  • LynneP July 5, 2015, 1:38 pm

    Great studio! Thanks for sharing it.

  • Suztats July 5, 2015, 4:54 pm

    Gee, I wish my studio looked like yours! You have tons more room (and supplies!) than I do.

  • Lynne C Walker July 5, 2015, 6:24 pm

    Thank you for this studio tour Carolyn, you are always so inspiring, honest and fun. It makes me feel better that my space is messy and yet a little organised. you have some great storage ideas I might copy and will be looking out for second-hand shelving or units I can adapt.
    cheers Lynne

  • Jean Marmo July 6, 2015, 12:06 am

    I love your clean and tidy and bright and cheerful studio!! My stink often looks like that but unfortunately it is in the bathroom upstairs! Wish I had one in my room like you!

  • Jean Marmo July 6, 2015, 12:06 am

    I love your clean and tidy and bright and cheerful studio!! My stink often looks like that but unfortunately it is in the bathroom upstairs! Wish I had one in my room like you! Thanks for the tour!

  • Kay Wallace July 6, 2015, 9:23 am

    Thanks for sharing, Carolyn! I want to come play with you!!

  • Gwen L. July 6, 2015, 4:36 pm

    Carolyn, you crack me up! I love your studio… it’s so bright and happy! I can only imagine how fun it is to work in there 🙂

  • Rae Lynn Reffruschinni July 6, 2015, 9:31 pm

    I had to laugh when you talked about the yarn. I’ve admired it in lots of your videos and wondered what you did with it. Now I know! It’s exactly what I do with yarn. I find it irresistible but never use it.

  • SusanJane July 6, 2015, 10:14 pm

    The art world does not have enough sarcasm! Thanks for the healthy dose.

  • stephanie July 10, 2015, 3:12 pm

    Great space!

  • Corrine July 12, 2015, 8:14 am

    Love your skinny shelves, that’s what the superhero modeled when he built my work top shelves, although mine are wider. Great journal idea and how to store them. I am still trying to figure out my fabric storage for reachable use. Time for more shelves I think…..messy work tops are good aren’t they! Xox

  • Hope February 3, 2021, 2:58 pm

    Hey Caroline! Just watched this! I love you work space. I dream of having an area like this one day, but right now I am limited to one wall. Haha…oh well. If you are ever throwing away your stencils, just send them my way. I love using the beat up, grungy stencils. Haha. Have a great day!