Hey guys! I hope everyone’s holiday season was wonderful, filled with joy, love and beautiful experiences. Ours was lovely, although a bit different than we’d planned. The weather was horrific, which made travel treacherous at best. Many roads were closed, thousands without power, emergency crews exhausted and people stranded everywhere.
Yet, somehow, everything worked out well. We are truly blessed!
Unfortunately Amilah, our three year old granddaughter, had come down with an upper respiratory infection. Erin brought her into the pediatrician and was told she wasn’t contagious and it wasn’t anything serious. So we had our usual family thing-sleep over on Christmas Eve and open presents Christmas morning…and everyone present came down with whatever Amilah had a day or two later.
Scott came down with it before I did, so I’m still in the midst of it. It lasts about three weeks, with coughing, sore throat, fever and all the rest. Then the fever breaks and you begin to breathe a bit better, but the coughing is crazy bad. I figure I have a good week left before I’m finished. This crap hangs on forever!
Scott gave me my new workroom and office downstairs for Christmas. We have moved nearly all my art stuff back home from the storage unit. I think I only have 8 or so large totes filled with books left to move back. I’ve been working on the design for both rooms, have picked up several items from an online auction site for next to nothing, and have decided on my color scheme. Pink, white, gray/greige and rose gold.
Cupboards and closets are all going to be white. Countertops a faux marble Formica. Walls- likely Revere Pewter, which is a greige color recommended by our realtor when we began the renovations. Pink in accessories, some furniture, pillows, and perhaps an accent wall where I’ll photograph my projects. Rose gold for the hardware, table and chair legs, the chandeliers, desk items, and pretty much anything else which will take spray paint.
We talked about what I need in the space for quite a while this morning. Scott came up with the idea of having two sections of closets, rather than just one. He also understands what I would like in the office. Bookshelves on both the east and west walls, with a fireplace on the east wall between bookcases. The north wall will have two overstuffed chairs, a huge ottoman and the largest chandelier. The south wall will have my desk, with a section of cabinets behind it with countertop for my printer and other office essentials. We also decided where the glass sliding barn door will go, the addition of a third bookcase on the west wall and a couple other details regarding electrical stuff.
The space above the firebox and mantle will be wide enough I can hang our family portrait. The one Suzanne and I did after my brother Jeff died. I am quite pleased with the way it turned out and would like to display it properly. It’s not important anyone else sees it. My office is the perfect place.
These spaces are being designed to be multi-functional. By that I mean the work tables Scott is building for me will be able to roll out of the way and into the office when necessary. He’ll be adding a fold-down piece to the front of each which, when opened, will expand the work surface to about 4’ x4’. These two work tables can then be attached together to make a 4’x8’ table if I should ever teach classes in the workroom. We figured out what to do with the space beneath the only window in the workroom. This will be my acrylic painting station. There will be a built in cabinet and countertop, with space above for drying my paintings. The closet beside it will hold my floor and tabletop easels, and possibly a rolling taboret.
We have several sets of bifold closet doors, which will be modified and used as individual closet doors in the workroom. I have a place (where I can photograph my projects) which will have cabinets and countertop. These will hold additional serving pieces, extra dishes and silverware, large warming pans and the coffee pots for large family gatherings. There’s a place for my tool pegboards and an inspiration board. My YouTube filming setup will be fairly easy to accomplish without interfering with the work surface. My rolling carts which hold items for specific art projects; jewelry making, art journaling, sketching and design materials, Bible journaling, sewing and book research, can all be stored in the closets and rolled out when needed. There is ample room for additional carts and the shelves in the closets will all be removable and adjustable for any configuration I might need or want.
Scott replaced all the overhead lights with LED natural light bulbs which have made a huge difference! They don’t seem to have any negative influence on my medical issues, which is a really big deal. The light is bright, consistent and there are almost no shadows. I have two or three chandeliers which will also be added. One above the two overstuffed chairs, one over my desk and one in the small seating area in the workroom. They will all, now, be there simply for their esthetic appeal. Before the change in lights they would have been essential rather than decorative.
The workspace is significantly larger than any space I’ve had before. The office will double as a library. Both rooms can be quickly changed around for a variety of activities or projects. Evan’s old room will once again be a bedroom, but I can also use it for extra storage or drying space if needed.
All in all, I think the planning of the workroom and office has gone well. Scott understands much of what I think I need is just speculation at this point. I have no way of knowing how much space will be needed for my supplies, as they are all stored in large totes and I’m not even sure what I have anymore.
We’re saving the work tables for last, as I want a lot of storage within them. The main work table will hold my essential supplies-those I use in nearly every project I make-but I really need to see exactly what I’ll need in the table after the cabinets, cupboards and closets are finished. The table tops will be a neutral gray, as it’s the best for showing true colors. Which is obviously essential for my artwork.
Purple Whimsie 