Lainee

Question....if he has a 40 x 48 toy room, why do you have to share a room half that size????

I like the idea of electrical drops unless you are going to have an island electrified. If you're going to freemotion on a DSM then I would want counter surfaces as slippery as possible.

chewboo

i wouldnt have any other lighting than full spectrum i have it in my new sewing room but not in the last and it makes a deffinate difference

Iluv2quilt

Congratulations!! I'm so happy for you, it's going to be wonderful!!

Teacup

Lots of natural lighting as well as electric would be nice. If there are not enough windows, think about skylights in that lovely vaulted ceiling. I think hard floors as mentioned are good. Wood laminate also holds up well to scuffs of a rolling desk chair. But do you need to consider acousitics with accordians? Will you need some soft surfaces to absorb some sound? Maybe some large area rugs in the music and sitting areas. Draperies might also help if the music getts too loud.

Is a longarm quilting system in your future? If so, you might want to think about placement of that and not make permanent builtins like cabinets in a spot that you'll want to expand to in the future.

Some previous threads talked about building large homemade ironing tables that make ironing a length of fabric so much easier. If I wasn starting from scratch I'd want one of them for sure.

Barbm

Lots of ideas here! I called the builder of our house. They now build it with a room over the garage. I asked him to call me with costs.

Full spectrum lighting- cool- I told hubby to get that for the toybox. I will certainly check that out. The room is over the garage- well away from water issues. I like the door as a cutting table. That might work for my temporary solution now.

I was thinking a wall of cabinets -upper and lower with countertops for "stuff" and pegboard for the wall area between. Lots of outlets too. This would be the wall that joins to the present house.

One wall will have 2 large windows- spaced above the ones right now in the garage to add symetry and not make it look added on. This also will be all cabinets, upper and lower. I want window seats in the space below the window, to sit on and boxes underneath for storage. It faces the front of the house.

The next wall that would be over the garage I want no cabinets, but a double window centered on the wall with a half circle over it. I do not plan to have window treatments so I can look out (we don't have neighbors for thousands of feet on all sides). This will be our seating area with 2 chairs and probably a wall mounted tv.

The last wall will face the back of the house. It will have a set of patio doors (or French doors) leading out to a 10'x 24' deck. I may do more windows on either side, depending on how much room I have. I kind of want to keep the corner of the last wall and this wall open for my quilt frame that I have never set up yet.

I also want a work station towards the front of the house, by the 2 walls of cabinets.

Oh- under the deck- I told hubby I want concrete pad, so I can park there since I've never been able to park in the garage in 8 years (long story- someone always takes my space). And a laundry line between the posts- the one I have only holds 3 loads of wash.

I want to share- he plays his accordian across the hall from me now and I have to stop and go across the hall to see him (easier for me- the accordian weighs about 27 lbs.). I figure he and I will spend a lot of time together as we get older and I love to be with him.

Lainee- I do have a bit of the toy box- I park my 67 firebird in there. And I have lots of free car maintenence.

MadQuilter

My floor is a sheet vinyl which is easy to clean, makes rolling around on a chair smooth, and I hear pins drop.

My sewing surface is an IKEA table top (laminate, I think) and I have a regular laminate counter top on the base cabinet.

My lighting sucks. It's a fan with a light kit and it throws a lot of shadow and glare on the work area. I need to add more directional lighting like a track to counter the effect.

Recently, I added IKEA cabinets with some glass doors to replace my book shelf. I like the clean look of the storage and less dust.

Have fun with your project.

amandasgramma

Your ideas sound awesome! And they're right about the lighting. I don't have enough and the fan/light does cast shadows. I bought some flex arm lamps at a garage sale and use those.

I've also been kicking around buying a sheet of laminate to put over the carpet......don't know what that'll do!!!!

bizybess

Lots of outlets on several diffent circuits. Iron shouldn't be on same circuit as a potenial long arm or electronic sewing machine. Irons pull a lot of amps. Book cases for all your quilting books and storage out the wazzoo!

bearisgray

Large flat surfaces -

Places to hang the rulers

One lady I knew had sort of an island effect for her cutting center - she had hooks for her rulers, etc. on one end of it.

I'd like a drawer for pins, etc., too.

Maybe even add a "cutting board" like kitchens have to it.

Minda

I would definitely recommend some receptacles about 3 1/2' up the walls where you can plug in your sewing machine and iron. I have a little hook beside the receptacle so I can unplug my sewing machine and hang the cord over the hook. (I always unplug my sewing machines when I'm not using them, in case of lightening.) My husband even put a switch on the one for my iron, so I don't have to unplug it - I just turn the switch on and off. It's the most convenient setup I've ever had.