Setting Up a Multi-Purpose Design Studio at Home
Have you thought of setting up a design studio at home? It could bring many benefits, whether you’re a designer, stylist, fashion photographer, or another artist.
Primarily, if you have a studio at home, you won’t have to pay extra to rent one outside. Moreover, if you make it a multi-purpose room, you could use the space for other things too – such as meeting clients, staging your work, and even napping when you get tired!
Below, Linger Magazine offers suggestions on how you could set up a multi-purpose design-studio room at home.
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What purposes will you use the room for?
First, figure out what you’d like to use your new design studio for besides work. It’s key to making optimal use of the space as well as knowing what furniture to get. Depending on how much space you have (a small room, a large one, or a couple of conjoined rooms), you could have two or more purposes. Some examples are video conferencing, dining, working out, and sleeping.
Create zones to match your uses
Next, divide up the room to match your purposes. Typically, multi-purpose rooms are designed with a single “central” area (or purpose) with supporting areas alongside. You can start by setting aside the space next to the biggest wall for your studio. Then, create non-obtrusive boundaries for the other zones with rugs, wallpaper, dividers, and painting parts of the room in different colors. Layered lighting always helps.
Consider using neutral wall colors
With multi-purpose rooms, space is at a premium. Using neutral wall colors can make the space look (and feel) more expansive. You can paint every zone in a different neutral (but complementary) neutral color. To make the zones stand out, you can use decoration and furniture with contrasting color accents. PPG Paints provides a free digital visualizer if you’re having trouble making color choices.
Get multi-purpose furniture
Appropriate furniture is key to making the most of your space. If you use multi-purpose furniture, it will serve more than one purpose while taking up the least possible space. Some examples from Homify are closet beds, folding wall desks, kitchen islands, and bunk beds with seating.
Don’t be stingy with the storage
Having plenty of storage will help you hide the clutter and keep your design studio looking neat. Just like with the furniture, you may need to get creative with your storage options to save space. Hang items on walls, utilize the space under your tables (and beds), and put up shelves in unused corners. Also, prioritize furniture that has storage space. Home & Texture suggests some other options.
DIY or not to DIY?
You should be able to create a mini studio by yourself if you don’t make structural changes. When there’s custom work involved, such as getting built-in storage, adding a utility sink, knocking down a wall, and so forth, you may need expert input even if you’re an adept DIYer. Don’t hesitate to connect with a pro for tips and advice when in doubt – it will save you time and money in the long run.
Keep it clean
Once your multi-purpose design studio is ready, have some strategies to keep the space happy, productive, and presentable. Multi-purpose rooms typically see a lot of use and get cluttered as well as dirty very quickly. Have a rule to put things back after you’re done using them. Keep some gentle cleaning products handy – they aren’t harmful to your health, meaning you can use them freely while you make use of the room.
Document all your upgrades
If you’re making significant upgrades to your studio – like built-in storage or custom flooring – documenting them will help you get a higher appraisal price if you sell your home later. Digitizing your paper documents using a PDF maker is an effective way to stay organized, save space and easily access your files anytime, anywhere.
Conclusion
You could have a multi-purpose design studio ready with a few thousand dollars (or less). It’s a good idea to create a budget to avoid going overboard with the upgrades. A good multi-purpose room is a worthwhile investment – it can make you more productive, boost the quality of your work, and help you remain healthy and comfortable.
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