MaryLane

I, personally, am not a fan of peg boards but love my bulletin boards. I have two that are 36" x 30", I think.

I have lots of natural light (sunshine) in my sewing room and live on a gravel road. I like to have the windows open. All that is to say, I am still looking to find the right cabinet for thread. I don't like it to be exposed.

I really wish I had a larger cutting table and I would definitely make it taller so that I didn't have to bend over.

When son number three finishes college and moves out on his own, I am going to take his room that is twice the size of the room I am in now. I think a lot about what I am GOING to do someday.

QuiltE

You could have that higher table now, if you'd like for very little $$.
Just get some bed risers and put under the legs.
I have them under my cutting table ... and oh what a difference they make!

Tothill

Lots of great tips so far.

Just a couple more:

If you are going to use totes or bins, measure them and make sure they fit on your shelves. I lucked out and got a shelving unit that is divided into 15 cubbies from a business that was closing. I found Ikea transparent totes that fit perfectly.

The 12 inch scrapbooking boxes with hinged lids work well for wip. They hold your blocks flat and there is room for extra fabric, thread, pattern etc. They also nest when stacked.

Sapphire_Rae

Shelves where you can put things you've made. I like to see what I've done; pincushions, mug rugs, little, pretties, etc.
An idea board, some where to put inspiration tidbits.
Lighting.
Lots of good ideas here. Have fun.

Alexandra

Wish I had a bigger wall for my design wall. Also, sometimes when I do not want to climb the stairs, wish I had a one story house lol.

redbugsullivan

If you can, use mirrors to shift the light up. We installed a Sola-Tube in a very dark corner. Minimal cutting and an amazing amount of natural light sure made the effort worthwhile.

fleurdelisquilts.com

My hubby built or rebuilt most of the furniture in my sewing studio. The work table is standing height and is actually three table tops: he removed the legs and put the tops on a huge frame he built. We got them at a "garage sale" when two schools closed down in another town. (just got lucky reading the papers one day and saw a closing sale) The legs were wobbly so they were really cheap but the Formica tops were in beautiful condition. Since they match, it appears to be one table. Because it's so big, I can spread whole quilt tops on it for pinning and such. The frame he built for it has one shelf under the top just high enough to slide large plastic bins under. I use the shelves as storage for garment sewing items. Oh, I can walk completely around the worktable, so I set up different stations for different jobs: applique is on one side near the Studio cutter, pressing on another side, cutting on another and the fourth is for dropping down fabrics to audition. The hardest part is cleaning up after a quilt is done.....there's lot of room to put things down!

Since I fidget and move around a lot, (I'm so ADHD) hubs built a sewing table with nothing under it except the legs in the corners.....keeps me from bumping my knees and legs on drawers and such. It's amazing how just that has helped, so don't be afraid to ask for something crazy.

Love my pegboard....only thread goes there! Also love my design wall which is simply a flannel tablecloth tacked to the wall nearest the worktable. It won't hold large heavy pieces, but it comes in handy for putting together blocks.

Just think about what you MUST have, then consider that you'd like, then toy with what you'd do if "money were no object." You'll figure out where to begin. Most importantly, just choose to enjoy what you can manage and hope to upgrade or improve as you go. Nothing in my space is new or fancy, but I love it all the same and appreciate what we have been able to accomplish.

SewFarBehind

I love this idea! My sewing has taken over my dining room! I have no wall space so this is perfect!

no1jan

The best item in my sewing room is a 5 drawer office size filing cabinet. I fold my fabric around a 6 x 24" ruler then fold it in half. I then "file" my fabric by color in the drawers with a little tag on each telling its size. You can get 2 rows of fabric in each drawer. This works for me as I can see at a glance what the fabric looks like and the drawers keep the material dust free.

wytetygeress

I also hate peg boards. They are just so Ugly. I made a version of my own. I just measured where I was going to put everything and drilled holes. Then covered with some pretty fabric that I pieced together. Instant, ( ok well sort of) Pretty peg board.
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This one hold all my rulers and such.
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This one holds all of my cutting tools. And a speaker, which once the walls are finished will find a new home.
I agree though with Quilte, take your time. I have a dedicated space for quilting. I have had the studio for over a year, rearranged things at least 12 times. However I have had the time to really think about how I want it done. Enjoy your space =D