Then & Now

The future studio, way back then (above) and now (below).

Then and now

Roughly 15 x 13 feet, it took the two of us 8 hours to install the hardwood flooring yesterday. I love the play of sunshine, filtered through the trees, dancing across the bamboo floor. (The flooring is solid bamboo Natural Floors in Spice finish by USFloors, available at Lowe's. The cable lights are Termosfär by Ikea with a slight hack [alteration] to remove the shiny, disco ball transformer. An electrician hacked them for me, I haven't the slightest clue what he did other than improve the look.)

After replacing the outlets (they're grungy, dirty, paint encrusted, and installed upside down throughout the house) and installing baseboard, this room will be ready to have studio furniture moved in to it. I can't wait to have a cozy, functional home for Odd Bird Studio.

Having this cheery, empty room to work with is liberating and exciting, but intimidating, too. Just like when we gutted the kitchen. When the only restriction is budget, the possibilities are nearly endless. All those decisions that need to be made are fun, of course, but quite exhausting. (A-hem. We still don't have handles on the kitchen cabinets.) 

For the studio, I know what elements I need: computer desk, sewing table, counter height work table, bookshelf (-shelves), storage, storage, storage. And I have inspiration. One of my favorite studio spaces belongs to Alicia Paulson of Posie: Rosy Little Things. Take a tour of her space, here. I don't plan to replicate her studio, but it makes for a wonderful jumping off point.