12 Craft Room Ideas That Blend Form and Function

Emily Goldman, Blythe Copeland

Mon, July 13, 2015 at 11:51 AM UTC

4 min read

From color coding your supplies to using clear storage containers, your craft room will look great in no time.

Every crafter knows the importance of maintaining their workspace. Whether you consider yourself a crafting novice or an experienced DIYer, designing the ultimate space to let your creative juices flow is important. Not only will it give you a designated area to work on your projects, but it's also an easy way to ensure everything stays organized.

As it turns out, putting together the perfect craft room can feel like a major DIY in and of itself, and that's why we believe approaching this makeover with the same gusto you would as any sewing or paper project is key. You'll end up with more creative, intuitive results.

Meet Our Expert

Darcy Miller, founding editor of Martha Stewart Weddings and author of Celebrate Everything

Put Projects in Plain Sight

If out of sight is out of mind, here's the ultimate way to ensure your projects stay front and center, says Darcy Miller, founding editor of Martha Stewart Weddings and author of Celebrate Everything!—plus, her idea doubles as decorative wall art. "My designs for past and current projects are in clear folders, hanging on a bulletin board, instead of on stacks in my desk," says Miller.

Color-Code Your Writing Supplies

Organize pens, colored pencils, and markers by type and color to make reaching for your favorite hues a breeze. If you have to search for something, it's less likely that you'll use it.

Use Transparent Storage Containers

If you find yourself rummaging through storage bins to find what you need, opt for see-through vessels instead. "Clear cubes help me store everything in an organized fashion while letting what's inside peek through—so I know when I need to restock on colored paper," says Miller. "And I store supplies in clear plastic tubs in a closet, all labeled so I know what goes where."

Create a Wrapping Station

Creating a wrapping station can be a lifesaver, especially around the holidays. Dowels make finding and cutting wrapping paper and ribbons fuss-free, and extra storage compartments keep other essentials like scissors and tape close at hand.

Keep a Color Scheme

If aesthetics are important to you, consider giving your craft room set up a color scheme. "My desktop accessories are white, gray, and metallic—even my stapler and ruler are gold-toned—and because everything is in the same color scheme, it looks harmonious, even though I like to have my tools out on the desktop where I can reach them," says Miller.

Take Advantage of Multi-Purpose Furniture

Get the most out of your workspace by combining your craft room and home office. Craft furniture can easily double as an office desk to create a cohesive and multifunctional space.

Add a Hutch

For the ultimate crafter, couple a desk with a cabinet hutch to deck out your space. Sewing supplies fit neatly behind cabinet doors, and paper tools tuck away securely into a drawer space keeping everything organized.

Incorporate Light

While nothing beats natural light, there are other ways to brighten up your craft room if you're short on windows. "I have strong desk lamps—because I need bright light when I'm drawing," says Miller. "Bring in as much extra light as you need, whether that means overhead light, desk lamps, floor lamps, or all of the above."

Metallics are also a clever way to add some light to your space. "They reflect any light that does come in, whether from a window or a wall. And if you don't have any windows, you can fake it!" she says.

Add Labels

No craft room is complete without essential craft tools. Ensure everything has its own space and add a label—that way you'll never waste time looking for what you need in the middle of a project again.

Work With the Space You Have

Even small spaces can make a great craft room. A corner desk is the perfect solution for apartment or small-space dwellers who want to get crafty. Wall-mounted storage and risers that store jars and containers maximize an otherwise little-used corner.

Install a Convertible Table

A drop-leaf table provides an extra area to spread out sewing projects or other crafts and folds when not in use to allow easy access to the rest of the space. Since this version is on wheels, it also rolls out into the center of the room to provide a versatile, multi-use surface.

Utilize Vertical Storage Space

In many rooms, extra storage space can be mounted vertically on the walls above workstations or storage cabinets. Here, two simple cube-shaped shelf systems store paints, adhesive, and twine; laying the items down instead of storing them standing up means the entire collection is visible at once.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.

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