I started telling you all about my new studio space after recently moving. Renovations are still underway, and I wanted to share more about what I have planned as well as some things I learned about creating a workspace that is just right.
I am waiting to have a large bay window installed in my studio, which will be wonderful light. When I first had my desk set up in the studio, I placed it facing the window that I am opening into the bay window eventually. After a few days, I quickly realized that wasn’t the right spot and shifted everything around. It took me a couple of tries as I kept moving my desk until I decided which location felt most comfortable.
I definitely would recommend setting up your studio and testing a few different configurations to see what really feels best. Live with the desk in its new location for a couple of days to see if that is the correct placement. Is the light coming in the room at a good spot? Or do you prefer your desk in a different part of the room? It is easier to move everything around before everything gets unpacked!
I did figure out one neat way of utilizing my large, 48-inch by 36-inch drafting table. I use the one side of the drafting table to do my paper sculpting and painting. Before, the other half of the desk wasn’t used and quickly become a space where loose, miscellaneous papers piled up into a messy stack.
This time I set the other side of the table up for my computer work. I don’t know why I never thought of this before! It seems like such an obvious solution. I was very close to sawing off the back half of the desk to give me more space in my studio since it is a bit smaller room than my previous one. I am so thankful I didn’t do that!
Now I can keep my computer on the other half of the table, which is so convenient. I don’t have to clear my desktop off just to use my computer — I always have a clean space for it in order to work on the business side of things. Somehow, I even had an extra comfy office chair that I can keep on both sides of the drafting table.
Or should I say… Now my cat Molly and I both have a nice, comfy desk chair available!
Since I finally decided where I want to keep the desk in my studio, I was able to have my monitor installed on the wall. After using my small desktop computer for months, I forgot just how big my monitor screen is and how nice it is to use for reference material.
The spot where I mounted the screen is on the wall but over the middle of my desk. That allows me to turn the monitor to whichever side of the desk that I am working on. When I am working on my computer, I can turn the monitor to face me. I can then have the monitor with my reference photos up on the screen, facing my workspace where I can paint and sculpt.