I've been working on moving my sewing space into my living room....that is, turning the whole living room into studio. I'll have my comfy sewing/TV watching chair in the dining area and move the TV so it can be seen from both spaces. The cottage is tiny and I have few guests out here in the country so need very little seating really.

The neighbor stuck his head in the door tonight while the landlord was here and said, "It's as bright as a tanning salon in here!". We had just installed two florescent light fixtures - 2 bulbs each - in the ceiling and it is BRIGHT!!! Man, I love it!!

No more shadows on the edges of rulers.
No more screwy seam allowances from a missing bulb in my machine.
No more hunting for that scrap/thread/scissors/needle/whatever that fell on the floor and couldn't be found.
No more dragging a special lamp over to do fabric pulls from my stash.
No more putting off sewing until a sunny day. YES!

It was so bright it gave me a headache, LOL! Whadda ya wanna bet I get over *that* real quick!

Now for more shoving furniture around, getting rid of a few pieces to the neighbor's, rearranging things the way I want them, and then down to the sewing and enjoying part, sigh. :D

Jan in VA

And what fun you will have!! Enjoy!

What we don't do for our quilts! I am very new to this, but I am already going to sacrifice a 16 foot long sectional sofa so I can give up my family room and make it into a sewing room. I already have a dedicated sewing room, but it's full of fabric and it's not a warm room in the winter.

Your room sounds very inviting!

If I lived alone, I'd turn my LR into my quilt studio. I might just do it for the summer while the kids are away.

Wow, can't wait to see your sewing room

I am also moving things around in my house, is a big job, but will be nice when I get it all done for my sewing room

That's what I need. More light. I can't work on dark colors after the sun goes down. I can't see a thing. Maybe I'll take the cover off of the overhead light and put in 150 watt bulbs. Can never have enough light. :idea:

Sounds like a very workable lighted sewing area!! Enjoy!

What a smart gal you are by turning an hardly used space into a wonderful quilting studio, enjoy it. May in Jersey

I hope you post a pic. It sounds wonderful!! Enjoy :D:D

Great idea for more dedicated sewing space! :)

I would love to do something like that but I don't think my family would be very happy with me. Enjoy your new sewing room and just know that I'm very jealous. LOL!!

How awesome is this!! I am sure the "bright" light will soon become like sunlight and warmth to you (smile). Congratulations on constructing such a creative, warm and comfortable place to accomplish beauty. You are very fortunate and blessed. Thank you for sharing.

I know how you feel. I have two 4 tube lights in my kitchen plus over the sink lights and over the stove lights. I like it bright. My husband always says if the hospital has a malfunction they can move surgery to our kitchen.

I recently replaced the ceiling fan in my dining room area, the same area that I sit and sew at the kitchen table. I could not believe the difference the light bulb made. The fan came with compact fluorescent bulbs although they take a minute to "warm up" it is so bright in there now its crazy. I love working right in front of the big windows that are behind my kitchen table, they let alot of natural light in. But sewing in the evening with the new bulbs is just down right amazing!

Sounds great!

Good for you!! I'm a huge fan of using your home the way it suits you. I'm going to do a huge rearrange after my DD leaves for college next month. Two whole bedrooms with a connecting doorway. I'll have a room for sewing and room for my LA quilt frame. Should be great!

Sounds like the work of shifting things around will be well worth it!

Like RoseL I too am a fan of using your space to suit you. Many homes are set up like furniture catalogues, some rooms never even get used (like formal dining or living rooms). Life is too short to live in a "display" home...have fun in your new space and happy quilting.

I encourage everyone to replace "yellow" bulbs with daylight spectrum fluorescent. You'll get truer color.

You will be the envy of all of us!

I used to have a formal dining room and all I did was dust it. It now is my sewing room . Yep my machine is on the dining room table and thats where I sew/quilt. We live in every room of our house and enjoy it. Life is too short not to do what you want.

What fun!

Love these, I replaced every bulb in my apartment and the money I save on electricity is unbelievable. And it's lovely and bright all the time. My DH suffers from depression and it really helps to have these going. I even have them on during the day in our living room, I automatically hit the light switch as I'm walking into the room and it stays on til we go to bed. I use the ones that are equal to 100 watts of a regular bulb.

Love it idea of a space all my own...ENJOY!

Glad to hear you can do what works for you!!!!!

Awesome! We all need good lighting!

Hey Jan, did you and you helpers get all the quilts quilted and sent off yet? how many did you wind up with?

And if you replace a frosted bulb with a clear one, thr difference is amazing. Just did that in my reading lamp. It has two bulbs, both were frosted, one went out and my only replacment was clear. I have as much light with that one clear bulb as I had with two frosted.

I'm jealous. I don't have good lighting but have a great space.

Enjoy your new environement.

Will be watching for a picture when you are through.

Happy for you.

I need better light in my sewing room. I envy you:-)

Enjoy the room!

Yep, I said the same thing to my doctor DD last night, LOL! Can't wait to get things settled in there, but have an otherwise busy weekend ahead and little time to give to the studio. Arrrgh.

Jan in VA

The benefit of being single...when I moved recently, the master bedroom became the sewing studio. Now I just need to add the daylight bulbs for better lighting.

All 128 quilts have been sent to the group in Farah, Those that didn't make it -- too late/unfinished/wrong sizes/not masculine enough/etc. -- are being sent to the tornado victims in AL. Thank you all for your generosity!!!

Jan in VA

I just received my new Ottlite. Assembled it this morning. I know it will help. Is it the age, being nearsighted or what that makes us need so much light?
Enjoy your new space.

Someone told me once it's age related, something about the cones not being as responsive.

Good for you! Our livingroom is huge, with great big windows. It would make a great studio, but no go here. It's down to the basement for me. Parts of that area are fantasic, though, so gotta be happy with it.
Happy sewing!

Good sewing to you! Enjoy the new site and light.

Yep, same here front "formal" living rm is now my sewing rm...we are just not "formal" people