Clean Slate Questions
 

So, a little back story first:

I have a bad back, two bad hips and and even a bad leg, so climbing stairs is not always easy for me by the end of the night. Currently my sewing room is downstairs on the first floor and my bedroom is on the second floor. Because I sew in the morning, DH and I agreed that we should move the bedroom downstairs and the sewing room upstairs. We had already started planning a full house remodel, so this decision came at a good time. Soooooo, that means that I have a fully clean slate. There are two rooms in the upstairs front of our house (the bedrooms are in the back of the upstairs). Now that our two daughters are in middle school and we really don't need a full school room or a toy room (we homeschool), those two upper front rooms have no current purpose, so that will be my new sewing quarters since the natural lighting is better. We've gutted the rooms and even knocked down the wall between them, so I have a LOT of space in there.

Here's the question part of this: I have a fully clean slate. I can design this room any way I'd like. DH and I are doing the bulk of the work with my brother, FIL and own father are helping with the things we don't know how to do (both of our fathers are contractors). So, I'd like to take full advantage of this clean slate. I want to take advantage of any space saving tips that you might have or any other things you'd like to do if you had a clean slate.

I do plan to take the interior wall (that also is the hallway wall) and put built in shelves between the wall studs. That will give great space for patterns and such since interior walls do not need insulation.

Congratulations! Wow, how exciting! I think getting your room to fit YOU and make you feel comfortable when using it, like getting the right height for your cutting table/ironing station. Storage under it. I love scrappy quilts, so having a scrap storage system would be great. Do you have a huge stash? built-ins for folded stash fabric with glass doors to keep the dust out. bookcases for books. how many machines do you use? I have 3 that I use all the time, having them in a table/counter flush so quilting is easier, LOTS of plugs and LOTS of lighting. I am a collector of Unfinished projects, so having a file/drawer for just projects to be done later, nice. Design wall? Wood floors so chair can roll across. Of course an area where you can sit and read the quilting board. :)

Time to Browse Pinterest! There are some Fabulous sewing studios on there, providing some great inspiration for creating your space. Along with built in shelves remember empty wall space for a nice BIG design wall! ��

Consider having your electric plugs placed on the wall above your sewing table instead of below it. It eliminates many bend overs to plug/unplug things. Also keeps so many cords off the floor where they trap dust!

I'd love to have an oversized cutting and ironing table. It will have drawers on both long sides, hook areas for hanging rulers on one end, magazine rack/book shelf or more hooks on the other end. And make that on locking rollers so that if I decide to move it, I can. I totally agree with flush mounted tables for the sewing machines. Cabinets or shelving all the way up to the ceiling for fabric stash. Drawers for anything below waist high for yardage and kits. A view of the outside just in case I want to look up while I am sewing.

Skinny drawers somewhere for all this thread I have accumulated. I can't imagine getting to start from scratch on the sewing room. This is terrific for you.

Happy for you and your new sewing space. For me if you're going to put shelves between the studs on the hallway wall, I would make the shelves far enough apart to have the wire baskets that slide onto the shelf above (these baskets can be as deep as you want or need depending on how deep your shelves are - mine hold charm packs, etc...). The other thing I would love is having some dowels that fit in between the studs (easy in, easy out), for my rolls of trips (I use on quilts and sewing of garments too). I would even see about putting in a board (a number of them), with pegs on the tops to hold my threads (again you would need different heights between to hold the different sized spools - this would also make it easy to know when you're getting low on a color of thread). Enjoy your new sewing space and all of that great light.

Congratulations! Can I borrow them when they are finished?? Be sure to make room for some peg board. Best way to store some of your tools.

I would have all wall space some type of storage all the way to the ceiling and one of the industrial type Library ladders (with railings, for when your Daughters fetch something from the top rows) definitely electric plugs at table level !
I would also want everything that is not built into the walls.....to be on wheels, locking wheels, because the lighting will change with the seasons and to easily change with it would be awesome.

Graph paper and measuring tape. Start with that. Measure so you will know what space you have. You will want some breathing room. Congratulations on the remodel.

Line one wall at least 8'x8', preferably 8'x12' with insulating foam board for a design wall. Cover it with upholstery flannel. This is the BEST thing I ever did in my sewing room, and the only thing I've never wanted or needed to change.