Quilting Studio
 

I have an opportunity to design and furnish a brand new quilting studio. It will be in a basement with no windows. I need suggestions on what kind of lighting to install. Also what kind of flooring would you recommend. Any other "must haves" would be greatly appreciated. This is a once in a life time chance for me and I want to do it right!

What a great question.

Flooring: something easy to clean, where you can see and easily retrieve dropped objects. Definitely not carpet. I prefer wood, but tile or linoleum work. Concrete floors are just too hard to stand on a lot.

Lots of electrical outlets. Maybe even a couple on the ceilling, especially if you have a long arm or are able to have an ore industrial sized steam iron.

Lots of compact storage areas.

I prefer a cutting island, where I can go around to cut without moving the fabric. The a larger area for laying out the quilts.

I'll let others add about lighting.

I would definitely have as much light as possible. The LED lights are super bright and don't give off heat. I have ceramic tile with foam mats in front of each work station in my sewing room. I learned to keep a foam mat near my iron too, a hard floor will kill an iron. LOL
I love these floor lights. I have one over each work station with a 100 watt equivalent LED bulb. [h=1]Style Selections Task Lamps 69.49-in Black Indoor Floor Lamp with Metal Shade[/h]

You want the floor to be easily cleaned. I certainly would do some research of what others have done. If you have an IKEA nearby, they have lots of stuff for storage at reasonable prices. Have fun.

This is a wonderful adventure I am also in the midst of enjoying. I put in canned lights, LED because they will be efficient. Daylight bulbs are the greatest invention. You don't want 'soft' light. Some even give off a blue glow. This can change the value of your fabric. Depending on the size of your room, put lights on different switches (I have two) Mostly I stay on one end of the room. But when I use my Sweet 16 I turn on the extra lights at that end of the room and it makes all the difference in the world.

Flooring: We put in vinyl planking. The man at Mendards said it was something new. My husband installed it in one evening. My room is about 15 x 17. I love the ease of rolling my chairs over it and the ease of cleaning it. Swiffer once or twice a day depending on use. I did get all new chair rollers too because my previous ones had been rolled over my broken basement concrete and I didn't want any small chunks of cement gouging my new floor! Pins are easily seen too.

I am using the storage I already had except I purchased ready made cabinetry and put some wall cabinets up--as many as I had space for. We also put base cabinets in the center (6--3 drawers and 3 shelved ones) back to back. These are topped with a 4 x 8 sheet of melamine. Best decision EVER! I have pinned queen size quilts by myself using Cindy Needham's technique.

Many electric plugs. Count your irons and sewing machines and double for your needs. Remember if you have friends over to sew you will need more plugs than if you are in there alone. I even have two 'wall' plugs in the ceiling over my table so I can plug an iron in at either end of my table. I usually use an 18 x 24 ironing pad on top of my cutting table. I made it myself. The table holds a quilt better than a regular ironing board. I also have an ironing board for doing the longer stuff.

After hunting season(January!) my husband has promised to turn his attention back to finishing my space. We will put under cabinet lighting, as I have a long table (just like you see in the sewing machine store) along the wall with 4 machines on it. I will also have my peg board back. I can't wait to use my finished room. In the interim, I am enjoying the heck out of my sewing room. I love, love, love being in there!

Judy

Jecreed, take a look at the Smartcore flooring from Lowes. 100% unaffected by moisture so it makes a lot of sense in a basement. Feels great underfoot, we put some in a basement bathroom and will probably do the entire basement in the same flooring as we love it.

When wiring the room, make sure as well as lots of outlets, they are on different circuits. Put some of the outlets at counter height. No point in having to crawl under counters to push in a plug. I have power bars mounted on the wall behind my machines.

No windows, that is tough. I would put in a variety of types of lighting and bulbs. I know people have their favourite bulbs, but you need what will work best for you. Overall room lighting, task lighting, lighting over your iron, cutting table and design wall. I prefer to have lots of light around my sewing machines, above, in front and from the left.

I currently have concrete floors. They are hard and cold. My dream sewing room would have heated wooden floors.

When designing a space I like to draw the dimensions on graph paper. Mark all windows, doors, closets etc. Then I make little to scale cut outs of each piece of furniture, or feature I want. This helps me to plan the layout and see where plugs and lighting will be needed. I take a photo of each layout, until I decide which one to use. I do keep the plan and pieces in an envelope until need next time.

As Tothill said: "When wiring the room, make sure as well as lots of outlets, they are on different circuits." I would go with a hard surface floor vs. carpet. If you can have some of your furniture on lockable casters, I would go with that so you can rearrange if needed. There is a great sub-forum under Pictures called "Mission Organization" I would scan thru the titles and take a look at the posts that sound pertinent.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/sitemap/f-23.html

You will have a devil of a time convincing an electrician that yes you do want that many outlets in one room. I fired two electricians before finding one that didn't tell me what I needed. He installed a bigger breaker and put as many outlets and lights as I wanted.

My DH put all my plug ins at counter height. Very handy, every thing I use , I use at counter height. No carpet, I also have total of 30 foot 29 inch wide counter with drawers under counters and adjustable shelving above. Lg cutting table in center of room. DH also built me a set of 7 1/2 ft tall by 16 foot long cabinets, 23 inches deep, perfect for storing ruler folded fabric. Top of doors are pegboard, more storage. This spread between two rooms. Only thing I old change-wish I had better lighting, and I would like it all in one room

I did a dedicated outlet for my iron. That baby can pull a lot of watts! Learned the hard way not to have my iron and sewing machine plugged into the same outlet :)

I'm a fan of the vinyl plank flooring as well. I have (real) hardwood in my sewing room but we did the vinyl in our dining room a couple of years ago. Bought the higher-end Allure brand from Home Depot. It has a lifetime warranty and is water resistant. They state up front that it is applicable for basement use due to the water resistance. It is a dream to clean up. Just a microfiber cover on my regular mop. The dogs nails do not damage the surface. The style we chose was a dark walnut color with a 'distressed' finish - slightly uneven texture (like hammer head marks). A dream to walk on as well. I would highly recommend this flooring. In fact, as the carpet in other areas of the house are replaced, we plan on using the same product.

When we were having our house built, I had cushion vinyle put on my floor, and it has worked out great. Also had 18 ceiling spots put in. About a month ago, I put LED daylight bulbs put in those outlets. What a difference that makes.
Also put them in my other room where my quilting frames are. Just do not put them where you look in the mirror to check your hair or make-up. LOL

Think about putting in your plugs at 36 inches or so off the floor. I have often wished that I didn't
have to kneel on the floor.

Sounds like so much fun to do especially if it was your own. Someday I might be able to do it too. Not holding my breath but you have to have dreams! lol My biggest thing in my little room is lighting. My aging eyes are not what they used to be. I'm not old, 63, but my eyes are not good especially any dark fabric on dark. Another is lots of storage space with doors & not just shelves. Keeps the dust down. I have to keep mine now in plastic bins. No carpet is a must. A very large cutting table & a extra long ironing surface about 2-3 foot wide, a wall left open for a design wall or install one that pulls down like a roller shade. Also I would love to have more wall space just to hang some of my creations up so I can enjoy them & be inspired. Those are some of the things I would love to have if I was building a new sewing room.

so many helpful hints and great ideas... we are having an architect look at our house next week for a room addition off our first floor and a sewing studio over our 2 car garage... I will definitely need to make notes of some of your expert opinions.

I have laminated wood flooring in my sewing room and I love it.

My studio is in the basement with in-the-floor heat. We put the peel and stick carpet squares on the basement floors and I love it. Guess I am in the minority in regard to carpeting in my studio. Lots of lighting is a must. Good luck with your project and looking forward to seeing pictures!

I'm glad to see this thread! My husband and I may be moving into his mother's house in the spring. If we do, I plan to turn their "storage shed" into my new sewing room. My late DFIL had it built for storage, but it is actually a one-car garage with a concrete floor! I've seen some great suggestions here! Is there a way to save a post to "favorites" other than to subscribe to the thread?

Donna

I agree with Ali Kat, definitely a tile, linoleum or wood floor, as it's a bear to find pins when they fall onto carpet. I'm sure you're going to have a lot of fun making your new quilting studio. Lucky girl.

If I were the designer, I would mount all of the outlets at waist level. Getting too old to bend that far all of the time. Oh, and three more than you think you will need. A small fan for air flow, the best idea in my sewing room came from DH. He hung one of those hanging lamps from the seventies, right above my sewing machine, but above my head, so I can use what ever type of bulb I want in it depending what I need at the time. He also helped me lower my sewing chair since it is easier for me to see the bed of the machine better. Makes it easier for my damaged neck to tolerate the long hours I want to spend there. I just thought I would share the modifications I needed to be comfortable, to remind you to allow for whatever challenges you have as you design. I love my sewing room! Can't wait to see the end result!

My studio is also in the basement, but I do all my fabric things there - quilting, sewing, and embroidery. It is my "she cave", a huge 14x25. I had my concrete floors stained a warm brown color, and I love the look and easy care. Disadvantage is you have to leave the house one night while it is being done, but it is a permanent solution. I do not have a long arm, so I don't worry about standing a long time. If I did, I would install the anti-fatigue mats that industrial companies use. For lighting, I had a nice chat with the lighting guy the contractor sent over. I wanted lots of light and even light (no shadows). He ended up with large fluorescent lights and a type of bubble coverage to diffuse the light evenly. They are wonderful! I know I lose "natural light", but if I need a critical color match I walk upstairs to the windows. For electrical, I had them put in four outlet sets at about 4' above the floor and about every 4 feet. Lots of options for rearranging things.

One thing I will mention is that even with the best laid plans - you will find your studio will evolve a little as you use it. 2 years down the road from when I built mine, I -think- I have the ideal studio but I was still eyeing that Ikea catalog and formulating ideas. (That space under the sofa bed is just wasted space... ) :)

I'm also in the basement. It's about half of the basement. The room was originally an "in-law" suite - so I have a full kitchen along part of one wall. This is invaluable. I don't have the headaches and other issues I used to have because I got absorbed in what I was doing and forgot to eat, or left something in the microwave for a day, or had to reheat it 3 times.

The floors were done with "Dri-core" and then laminate over top of it. We get cold in the winter and the basement does stay very cool most of the year - so I have 2 space heaters. One oil filled and one parabolic. There's a rug under my long arm so that my saddle stool doesn't roll away with me (anymore). I also humidify the room in the winter, which alleviates the need for thread treatments and eliminates thread breakage. This came about because where I am - it gets really dry in the winter and the furnace doesn't help that! When we tried to turn the whole house humidifer up, we ended up with windows that dripped water upstairs. I also find I have fewer sore throats and less fatigue problems down there as a result.

As much "storage" space as you can manage. I have pegboard on portions of 4 walls, I have Alex (Ikea) drawers under my Long Arm and under my main sewing machine and a couple of "armoires" that hold batting, fabric and quilt tops waiting to be quilted. My cutting/Do everything table is made from Expedit (Also Ikea) book cases connected together and on a base that we put wheels on then covered in MDF and (4) 24x36" cutting mats are attached to the top. My pressing "station" folds away against my cutting table if I need the room, or has 2 folding legs and a piano hinge to the cutting table to keep it in the usable position.

All of my tables are at standing height. My sewing desk and the cutting table are at 35 1/2". I found this the most flexible for me. Easiest on my back (disk problems) and if I want to sit, I have higher chairs with good foot rests. I regularly spend 10 hours a day down there between sewing, quilting and servicing.

My lights are from Ikea - they were clearing them out for $3 fixture. They each hold 2 halogen GU10 bulbs which we're slowly converting to LED (though I do love the warmth of the bulbs. I take after my cats that way, I guess). There are 12 fixtures in the whole room, with 2 of the fixtures in the "kitchen"/"Seating" area on a separate switch. My LA has florescents over it - (3) 4ft fixtures which are over and above the Ikea lights and also on a separate switch along with one set of the halogens.

The way the room is set up, I have room for my sewing, Long Arm, servicing sewing machines and 22 sewing machines on display and (mostly) convenient for use.

I think there was a thread here once where someone asked what we call our sewing areas. Mine? I call it the Ikea showroom. ;) Though more accurately, I guess it would be the Ikea Hacker's showroom.

Design wall or areas to show off the quilts especially as you have no windows.

I have a floor outlet under my machine tables, which is wonderful. I have rocker switches on them, so I can turn the machines on with my toe. Another vote for the dedicated iron circuit. I have very short, cream carpet that shows every pin and thread. I ran tests on a sample beforehand, dropping pins and needles from various heights. The downside is that it always looks like it needs vacuuming, with everything dropped on it. I would have gone with my second choice, Marmoleum, if we had animals.

hugs,
Charlotte

My area is in our basement althought I do have a large egress window but only have sunlight in the early morning from it. I had overhead fluorescent lights for drop ceilings with 4 bulbs in each (think they're t12) installed. I had two units over my cutting island, one over my sewing cabinet, and three over my long arm. I have a bar or kitchen area to the side with a 6 ft island that I have pendents over and lights in the ceiling between the back wall of cabinets and the island. I also had one installed over the sitting area so I can do hand work there while I watch TV. My outlets are 2ft off the floor. The support poles have been finished and I also have outlets in them. DH put in a subfloor over the concrete and I have carpet - I know I'm in the minority on that. Also, our basement has nine foot walls and it's a wood basement so there isn't a humidity problem. It's as warm as the upstairs. I also have a storage room with a door by the longarm. DH built two units with adjustable shelves out of the white laminate boards. All my material, books, ect, is in there. I can't tell you how bright my work area is but it's great. By planning it out, I don't have shadows to deal with.

I would add mirrors or old windows with the glass panes replaced by mirrors. I can not stand rooms with no windows. Adding the mirrors and some pictures with outdoor greenery plants that reflect in the mirrors might help give it space and reflect light. Have fun and enjoy! I have my own space and love it everyday.

I also have a new sewing space although not as large as yours. I didn't start from scratch; it had been a bedroom previously. But I do have two windows and plenty of natural light during the daytime. Night time is the challenge. I use compact fluorescent bulbs in 5000 or 6000 color temperature. I have seven bulbs between 60 and 75 equivalent watts each to use at night, but I find that it's still not enough. What I have decided to do is install track lighting all the way around the room. This way I can move the lights over each station in the exact amount I need. The type of bulb is really a personal choice. The key is brightness and near daylight color temperature. I personally need limited task lighting because of the brightness of the lights on my sewing machines. But if your machines don't have very bright light you may also need task lighting at each machine. Hope you find the perfect combination for you!

Lots of great ideas here. I would add that a design wall is one of the most important things for me in my little quilting studio. Mine is positioned on the wall I see when I enter the room so I can see it from the hall at a distance as well as up close. That makes all the difference when I'm deciding whether or not everything is just right before I start sewing.
Have fun with your new room!

We just finished the attic for my DH for his train table and work area. We put down a vinyl flooring we got from Home Depot. It looks like wood and is laid down like wood. Easy to clean, lots of choices in colors and water proof.