I've finally admitted to myself that the perfect lighting combined with everything finally finished and up on walls and tidy, is just never going to happen.
But it doesn't matter because the studio isn't a stage set, it's a real space that is worked in and played in and that's how I want you to see it.
I also want you to see what I see, so that you can see how happy it makes me. Because sitting in this room is very special for me. And for so many reasons. Obviously I'm just about the luckiest person ever to have such a great space that's all my own (no swiping Jim!), and yes it is wonderful to be surrounded by so much beautiful fabric. But it's not just that.
My studio is on the same floor as Bella's bedroom and I love that. I love it in the evening when I can retreat in to my own space whilst knowing that Bella is safe and sound and happy across the way, in her big girl bed (I don't think I've even mentioned yet that Bella has been sleeping in a bed since we got back from New York). It really does make me feel safe and happy. You know, like I can't be all bad if I have a room like this and a daughter like that. All on the same floor.
This is the view from my armchair. And it really is my idea of beauty.
The cabinets are from Ikea, as is the desk and the chest of drawers. Actually it might just be quicker to say that pretty much everything is from Ikea!
I want to show you a proper picture of the right hand corner, but for now you can just see one of Emily's prints hanging on the wall and one of Tif's slips hanging beside it.
The picture frames are waiting patiently to filled with yet more of Ashley's prints (done) and are then going to hang in the sitting room.
I haven't sorted the bookshelf yet, so it's a big jumble of vintage and new craft books along side my Living Etc's and Elle Deco's. I'm such a geek that I'm actually saving the job of sorting it all for when I need cheering up or a special treat. I do so love to sort books.
The shelves themselves were stained dark brown when I bought them (Ikea), but I wanted them white, so I painted them with 3 coats of undercoat and 4 coats of gloss! And they actually still need more coats.
The baskets hold all my vintage dress/craft patterns, as well as some of my stationary.
The pile of magazines next to my armchair are all waiting to be read!
When this was just the spare room we built a wall of cupboards, using cheap carcasses from Ikea and cutting sheets of MDF for the doors. I always meant to paint the doors but never got around to it.
When we decided that this was going to be just my studio I had the idea to use the doors as a combined chalkboard and notice board.
So I glued cork on to two of the doors and then made patchwork covers, using the linen that I brought back from New York. I used my staple gun to attach the linen.
The two middle doors are both chalkboards and magnetic boards. I just painted them both with magnetic chalkboard paint and now use them to try and stay organised with my orders. The little strips of wood that you can see are my favourite magnets of all time (not something I ever expected to have a favourite of). They too are from Ikea. And when I bought them I intended to glue strips of printed cotton on to them, to brighten them up but I really love the simplicity of the plain wood, so I'm keeping them as they are for now.
The magazine holder is just pinned to the board and at the moment holds a selection of Japanese books and new magazines that I'm finding particularly inspiring.
And finally, this is Marshall enjoying a different view.
