I'm starting up quilting again after nearly 20 years. I am going to make my livingroom into a sewing room. If you could start with a blank room, what would you do? what would you not do? What advice? Tips? Etc? Thanks! Virg

Lots of shelves for fabric and such.

Get bookcases and organize your fabric so you can arrange by color and are able to see it all! I have just recently done this and absolutely LOVE it. No more digging through totes for me!!

create a nice design wall, shelving for fabrics, books, cutting table, area for sewing machines

Good lighting ... essential!! White or bright colored walls to reflect the light as well. Study the room carefully in different lights of the day before you place sewing machine, cutting table etc - so you know where the dark/shady places are going to be. And remember overhead lighting casts shadows when your standing, so make sure you place lighting over something other than YOU.

Also, I only use "daylight" bulbs in the house. The lighting is much more natural and brighter - easier on the eyes.

Sue

How lucky are you! More electrical sockets and plenty of bright lights. The swirly power saver lights are worthless in a sewing room so forget about those. One windowless wall devoted to a design board. One big island for cutting and pressing. One wall of built in shelving and a large walk in supply room.

One safety tip that I picked up on was to use the long electrical stick (with 8 or 10 plug-ins)and an on & off switch on it and plug everything into this ,lights,machines, iron ect.. then when you leave the room and throw the switch you know everything is turned off!

A big table to layer the quilts so I didn't have to use the floor.

yeah I need to do same...lots shelves...peg board place to organize threads...

get rid of the carpet...I hate getting pins stuck.