A creative space of your own

So far in my column I’ve talked about creating your own challenge, seeking inspiration and finding time to create. When I was deciding what to write about this time I was browsing Pinterest and came across this brilliant craft cupboard. I would love a cupboard like that! So this time I’m musing on creative space.

Where do you craft?

Are you lucky enough to have a whole room of your own to spread out your fabric, pen your stories and whip up crocheted blankets? Or do you have a corner of the kitchen you call your own? You can sketch at the kitchen table and pull out your sewing machine from the cupboard under the stairs when you want to make a new dress.

But what if you haven’t set up somewhere in your house to create? Can you be creative without a space to call your own? Yes, of course you can. You can create anywhere. But I do believe that having a space to be creative is important – a little haven of calm away from the distractions of life.

Create your crafty space

How about a corner of your sofa or a pretty chair in your bedroom? Just perfect for some knitting, embroidery or sketching. Don’t forget to make sure you’ve got a good light source so you’re not squinting as you stitch beyond sun-down.

Photo by Lucie Summers

Or could you install a shed or summer house in your garden to give you a space away from modern technology and the pile of dishes in the kitchen?

Photo by Jennifer Perkins, Naughty Secretary Club

If you have a spare bedroom maybe you could steal back a part of it to make a crafty space. A desk and a chair (get one that folds away to save space) needn’t take up much room and your guests will be wowed by your crafty creations when they visit. Or you could screen off a part of your living space to hide a desk behind. You can store your materials in boxes under the bed or sofa.

Photo by Lucie Summers

Make the best use of your wall space by adding a storage rack, some shelves and a mood board.

Creative space inspiration

If you need some more ideas, the Internet is awash with inspiration to help you create a crafty studio/nook/corner:

1. Search for crafty space inspiration on Pinterest.
2. Or Flickr – this group has thousands of photos.
3. UK Handmade has a regular studio feature.

Where do you create? Tell us about your crafty nooks, creative sheds and cosy corners in the comments.

– Christine Evans from 52 crafts in 52 weeks project writes the column Creativity Corner, which appears bi-monthly on Tuesdays. Read more about her on the contributors’ page.