Jill Davis, founder of Scrapbook.com and master of organization, has extensive experience with properly organizing her craft space. She invites you to learn from her and organizational expert Stacy Boatman as they share incredibly valuable insight, tips and tricks, and the dos and don'ts of the journey you'll take when organizing your studio. Shop the vast Scrapbook.com store for many of your home decor and craft storage and organization needs!
Materials Needed for Organizing Room and Space Decor
- Inspiring Items for Walls and Shelves
- Picture Hanging Supplies (hammer, nails, hooks, level, etc.)
- Measuring Tape
The Challenge of Organizing Room and Space Decor
In this article, you'll be putting the finishing touches on your studio walls and shelves. I recommend you take "before" and “after” photos of your space and create a layout with them. Post your layout in the Get Organized Gallery and add comments about your experiences to our Get Organized Forum so others can see and be inspired.
Adding your signature to your studio is all about adding those decor pieces you feel a closeness to and feel are appealing. You know, the things that make a difference between “Ooooh, so THIS is your scrap space?” and “I WANT YOUR STUDIO!” Here’s a little secret Stacy shares… the difference between the two is in the details - the accessories, the embellishments. She knows that you don’t need custom cabinets, a $1000 work table, or hardwood floors to make your studio feel good. You don’t even need a whole room for that matter. What you do need when making a truly creative studio are pieces that help pull all of your organizing containers and environment together so you gasp every time you see your space and whisper under your breath, “I love this place.” I actually shout it out loud!
By now, you probably (hopefully?) have your basics in place. If you don't, read another article I wrote about brainstorming your way to your DREAM studio. But for now, when adding the finishing touches, you have walls painted or at least cleaned. You have a main workplace and centers defined. You have lots of bins and baskets (plastic is perfectly okay). Labels might be finished. Now, we need to tie all of these items together so it flows. Stacy’s first words of advice: pick a neutral color as your foundation and add a second neutral as an accent. Then, pop the room with splashes of a color you love! For example:
- Walls: light tan. Furniture: black. Accents: red
- Walls: grayish blue. Furniture: white. Accents: orange
- Walls: cream or pale yellow. Furniture: cherry wood. Accents: bright royal blue
Get the idea? What color combos have you chosen to use in layouts recently that you absolutely LOVE? You can bring them into your scrap space! By keeping bold colors as accent pieces, it’s super easy and cheap to change your color scheme. Tired of red? Swap for turquoise! It’s that simple, and THAT secret can change the look and the feel of a space in no time.
Consider whether or not you want your space to flow seamlessly with the rest of your home decor. If you have a warm French country thing going on, then you might not want a white melamine and plastic scrap area. Or, maybe you do. Our home is Tuscan with some vintage accents that make my studio blend in with the flow of the house. Make your space a place you LOVE and want to be in. Not just because you get to create there (and it’s yours), but because it truly feels good to be there. I wish you all the comforts of home in your fresh new studio!
Now, what "accents" are Stacy and I talking about and where are you going to find them? Things you might love to see in a scrap space might be rugs, lamps (table or floor), potted plants in decorative planters (think BIG floor plants, not tiny African violets), pottery, vases, photo frames, antique suitcases, framed mirrors, pillows, window treatments, candlesticks, artwork, etc. The same kinds of things you find in other areas of your home that make it feel like “home” instead of a department store showroom or a workshop you’d see in a garage.
You don’t have to go out and pay full price for this stuff. Re-purpose what you can. See if family and friends have things they’d like to “donate,” and go shopping in your own home (relocate an item from your family room or bedroom). Accessories can be painted or dyed, and many things can be recovered with fabric! When choosing pieces, think about a scrapbook page again. You don’t add ONLY flat shiny stickers as embellishments, do you? No! You add glitter, flowers, ribbon, etc. You like different textures don’t you? Your studio is no different. Try a knobby chenille pillow or a sisal rug; they can bring dimension to your space.
Try exploring antique stores and garage sales. These are great places for unique finds that will end up being beloved items in your studio.
You can find great plants for reasonable prices at home improvement stores. Try your best not to purchase artificial plants. Get real plants and connect with nature! However, if you fear you’ll forget to water them, go silk.
Kathy of The Budget Decorator shares budget friendly craft room decorating and organizational ideas in her article called Crafting a Craft Room.
Further Decor Insight
Hopefully, you’ve had your eye on decor pieces and may have even already purchased some. That was the case with me when I reached this point of my organizational journey. Through the weeks, as my studio evolved, I found items to purchase or make. The purchased items went into another room (waiting for their turn to shine) and the things to make went onto a To-Do list. I’d work from the list when I needed a creative outlet from organizing. It was a sublime moment when I put the last pieces of decor on the walls and stood back and processed all that I had accomplished. I hope you can find, or make, those special pieces that bring meaning, joy, and happiness to your studio. Those will be the pieces that make a statement about who you are and what you love.
If you choose to go the vintage route with your decor, be keenly aware that mold and mildew can be in vintage pieces, and both can adversely affect your health, as well as your house and creative projects. Be sure to contact the seller and specifically ask if the piece smells like mold, mildew, is musty or has any water damage. Most sellers are honest, but I’ve had a few who apparently didn’t have a strong sense of smell. Be careful and only purchase from sellers who will accept returns. Also, remember that the lining and materials used in vintage suitcase construction probably won’t be acid-free. Don’t store family heirlooms, heirloom photos, or new supplies in them for a long period of time.
I read some books on Feng Shui before setting up my new studio and incorporated a few simple principles into my room so it would have a healthy flow of color and energy. Visitors who frequent my studio, and who are acquainted with Feng Shui, recognize the principles in operation and the difference they have made. I do too.
I’ll share some pictures of how my studio turned out below, but I also want to give you a final idea. I found it on a blog Stacy suggested visiting. It’s one of the things I’ve incorporated into my studio that is productive and keeps me challenged. As you sorted, purged, and organized you undoubtedly found items you’d forgotten about. I know I did, and I committed to finding a way to put those things (and other new items found in the future) in front of my eyes so I’d be inspired to use them; tools, seasonal papers, embellishments, etc. It’s a simple system called an “Inspiration Station” or in my case, my “New” bin. It can be a fabric or plastic bin, basket, or box you put supplies into. The supplies are items, old and new, you want to see (and hopefully use) during a particular season--things you might otherwise leave in their containers waiting for you to get to them “someday.” The Inspiration Station sits in an obvious place, beckoning, calling your name to come and see, be inspired by, and use! The more you can see the contents through the container (a mesh or wire basket, acrylic box, clear bin) the better. I try to change the contents of my bin at the beginning of each holiday season.
Completing this challenge may be one of those experiences that you look back on as profound and gratifying. When you spend as much time as you do in your studio, you deserve a well-oiled machine that is beautiful and orderly.
Space Decor Summary
Decorating a studio can be fun for some and challenging for others. If you aren’t sure what to do to finish your space, ask trusted friends to give you ideas and help. Be sure to make the final decisions though, because your studio space is a reflection of you and your interests...not those of your friends. Enjoy the decorating process. Add fun, comfort, boldness, and class as you deem fit. It’s time to accessorize! I hope you enjoy the process.
Check out these other great organizational article options...
How to Organize Memorabilia, Ephemera, and Junque
How to Organize Templates and Masks
How to Organize Pens, Pencils, and Markers
Want to experience organizational joy in the place you are at your most creative? This article is based on an inspiring lesson from our free class, Get Organized. Trust those who've organized before you, and sign up for Get Organized NOW!
