Mine is in the basement and I painted it a light yellow. With all the heating ducts, I could not put in a dropped ceiling so I just covered the ceiling area with white cotton fabric and worked it around all of the ducts - hides the insulation and adds light to the room. I also use 3 ott lites to light up my work areas depending on what I am doing. I keep thinking of adding an old window frame backed with a mirror to look like a window but that's just another project to consider.

I keep thinking of adding an old window frame backed with a mirror to look like a window but that's just another project to consider.[/QUOTE]


I think that is a terrific idea! :thumbup: I would also reflect the light and be more 'sunny' in there!

very lite like off white and add a lot of lights. Mine is in our large garage and it has no windows so I have track lites above my quilter and over my sewing tables and above the cutting table, embroidery table, and die cutter table. LOL I knowit is a lot of lites but I can use all or apart of them depending on what I am working on... have fun

Yes to mirrors! You'll really notice the difference.

Congratulations on getting a new workspace! As a former interior designer and an ardent fiber artist, I suggest picking a light but warm shade of your favorite color and pairing it with crisp white or linen and then picking one more color to use liberally for an accent. The idea is to create a space that makes you feel happy and comfortable. If possible choose lights that have "daylighting" bulbs. Avoid any light fixture with a colored or translucent shade as it will distort the light value and thus your impression of what you are seeing. A really cool trick if you have enough wall space is to build a fake window. This mounts a real window to the wall but it has a light behind it. You can mount a mural behind the window too, or apply a translucent film, and then dress the window as desired. Just the impression you have a window is psychologically positive. I like dark floors in my studio. Yes you see all the dust and lint, but you can also see the pins, bobbins and other things you drop. I made the mistake in my current studio of using a light floor and now miss my dark floor. I also like a hard surface rather than a carpet after having tried both over the years. My favorite floor was Pergo brand. Mid I could talk my husband into helping me move out my stuff, including my 12' long arm, I'd go back to the Pergo flooring. Have fun in your new space.

Paint it a light color, yellow would make it appear to be a sunny room :)
and put in lots of lights, fluorescent lights can provide natural bright lights.
You will still probably need a Ott light where you cut and piece as well.

Lowe's or any good hardware place offers a ""daylight bulb"" for tube, ceiling and lamp light,,,

If you have wall space, find some travel posters and place them on the walls. It will give you something to look at that you enjoy as you spend time in your sewing space. I had a room with no windows once and it worked great for me!

Use a light color (my sewing room is lavender, has one small window) and invest in Ott lights. Expensive but completely worth it. I have two - well technically only one is mine but I stole the second one from my DH. He doesn't mind too much. Love those Ott lights for bright clean lighting.

Pale yellow is cheerful. When you do the lights, check out what type of bulbs simulate sunlight, and put some in there, too. I assume you'll need to make sure your fabric is away from that type of light (I'd ask questions about that at the lighting store), but it would be worth it. Here in Oregon we get so much rain, and have so many days that are overcast that many suffer from the light deprivation (not me, though).