Creating A Home Studio

[Ginametrical]

Hello! I'm just looking for any ideas, tips and helpful insight from people whom have started up a studio in a space that was not exactly studio-ready.

 

I was lucky enough to move into a building that had an extra annex for rent. This space had been used as my landlord's office and storage. I was given the opportunity to rent it out, and here I am. Now I find myself looking for the best way to utilize this space. It has two stories, approximately 1000sf, no faucet or water. On the first floor I have hooked up 2 kilns and will be using the rest of the space as inventory and a glaze/assembly room. I plan to use the second floor as my work area (its pretty wide open.) I do sculpture, so no wheel. Just an extruder mounted to one of the walls.

 

I've been given permission to tear out the cheap carpet, and ideas for flooring material?

 

As for the studio layout, will I just have to feel it out - or should I try to plan where I want everything to go?

 

Other advice/tips?

 

 

Thanks!!

 

Gina

[SShirley]

Gina,

 

I'm a drafter, so I drew up a floorplan and put all the furniture bits in it and moved it around till I got something I liked, but when I went to put it into the room, I changed everything, so don't get too hung up on planning. One thing I would advise is to put everything on wheels. Tables, shelves, etc. Then it's easy to roll things around and rearrange as needed. I like my concrete floor pretty well. It's old and cracked so it doesn't matter if it gets dirty or not, and it's pretty easy to wet mop.

 

Do you have any access to water, even outside? When my studio was in my garage, I got an old metal "tea cart" thing, that had three shelves and wheels. I took out the top shelf and put two 5-gallon buckets on it. That made it possible to roll out into the driveway to fill the buckets with water, and then roll it back into the studio. One bucket was for wash water and one for rinse water. That worked pretty well, but since I've moved into my current studio I would really be lost without my running hot and cold water. Since you don't work on the wheel you may not use as much water as I did though, so you may not need it.

 

I really love my metal wire shelf units (from Sam's) with wheels on them. They're the best, but you can pick up used shelves at garage sales really cheap too. I also got some closet organizer shelf stuff at a garage sale and had somebody install the standards (the upright pieces that hook onto the wall). Those are really handy for holding lots of things.

 

Good luck in your new studio!

 

Sylvia

 

 

 

Hello! I'm just looking for any ideas, tips and helpful insight from people whom have started up a studio in a space that was not exactly studio-ready.

 

I was lucky enough to move into a building that had an extra annex for rent. This space had been used as my landlord's office and storage. I was given the opportunity to rent it out, and here I am. Now I find myself looking for the best way to utilize this space. It has two stories, approximately 1000sf, no faucet or water. On the first floor I have hooked up 2 kilns and will be using the rest of the space as inventory and a glaze/assembly room. I plan to use the second floor as my work area (its pretty wide open.) I do sculpture, so no wheel. Just an extruder mounted to one of the walls.

 

I've been given permission to tear out the cheap carpet, and ideas for flooring material?

 

As for the studio layout, will I just have to feel it out - or should I try to plan where I want everything to go?

 

Other advice/tips?

 

 

Thanks!!

 

Gina

 

[hansen]

Hello! I'm just looking for any ideas, tips and helpful insight from people whom have started up a studio in a space that was not exactly studio-ready.

 

I was lucky enough to move into a building that had an extra annex for rent. This space had been used as my landlord's office and storage. I was given the opportunity to rent it out, and here I am. Now I find myself looking for the best way to utilize this space. It has two stories, approximately 1000sf, no faucet or water. On the first floor I have hooked up 2 kilns and will be using the rest of the space as inventory and a glaze/assembly room. I plan to use the second floor as my work area (its pretty wide open.) I do sculpture, so no wheel. Just an extruder mounted to one of the walls.

 

I've been given permission to tear out the cheap carpet, and ideas for flooring material?

 

As for the studio layout, will I just have to feel it out - or should I try to plan where I want everything to go?

 

Other advice/tips?

 

 

Thanks!!

 

Gina

 

[Ginametrical]

Thanks Sylvia! I am definitely putting everything on wheels. Also, I love the water cart idea, its a must for cleaning. I have access to a hose right outside of the first floor, so it works perfectly!

 

I've started looking for shelving now, craigslist is amazing.

 

 

Gina

[Marcia Selsor]

Hello! I'm just looking for any ideas, tips and helpful insight from people whom have started up a studio in a space that was not exactly studio-ready.

 

I was lucky enough to move into a building that had an extra annex for rent. This space had been used as my landlord's office and storage. I was given the opportunity to rent it out, and here I am. Now I find myself looking for the best way to utilize this space. It has two stories, approximately 1000sf, no faucet or water. On the first floor I have hooked up 2 kilns and will be using the rest of the space as inventory and a glaze/assembly room. I plan to use the second floor as my work area (its pretty wide open.) I do sculpture, so no wheel. Just an extruder mounted to one of the walls.

 

I've been given permission to tear out the cheap carpet, and ideas for flooring material?

 

As for the studio layout, will I just have to feel it out - or should I try to plan where I want everything to go?

 

Other advice/tips?

 

 

Thanks!!

 

Gina

 

To keep a small space versatile, I put everything except my slab roller on wheels. Check ebay for casters by the dozens.