Closet Conversion to Art Studio

I met Bob and Mary years ago when they asked for my help with their kitchen in their previous home. So, when I received a call from Mary saying they moved and wanted help with another home-based project, I happily accepted.

Well, one peek into Bob and Mary’s charming new home and I knew there was an opportunity to help them. Mary, a superbly talented artist extraordinaire, longed for a place in which she could unwind with a paint brush. Mary wanted to find a space she could claim as her own. Like many of us, she didn’t have a dedicated space, an “art studio,” or spare room to work in.

So, we looked at the space she did have. It was a small closet in a mostly unused guest bedroom. It was Mary’s idea to convert this closet, she just wanted some guidance. It’s not often that I get asked to design a closet into an artist’s sanctuary. I know, this sounds crazy, but it worked. You don’t have to have a huge walk-in closet, either. Believe it or not, even the smallest closet can be transformed into something useful.

Mary knew she didn’t need a huge, fancy studio. She truly wanted to make art and creativity a part of her life; she wanted to develop a regular practice of painting. Practice makes perfect, right?  She just wanted a place where she didn’t have to put away a half-finished painting from time to time.    

The first step in converting the closet into a secluded, cozy art studio was taking the closet doors off and removing the closet door bottom track. Next, the wall-to-wall carpet in the bedroom and closet was removed and replaced with wood plank flooring. The closet was shallow but that big flat wall was a perfect for a slat board. This is a great way to suspend bins and pin up paint inspirations. Just Counter’s Sam Zwack and Tylor Lefever did an outstanding job installing the dark onyx colored cabinets and slat board. They also repositioned the closet rod to the very near top of the closet. Mary utilized her closet by hanging clothing waaayyyy up high in the empty hard-to-reach places. She uses an extended hook whenever she wants to reach any seldom worn clothes. Fortunately, the hook on the end makes it easy to grab hangers and to bring them down without dropping anything. The artist wouldn’t ever want to drop clothes on a wet masterpiece! Imex Stone installed a beautiful piece of Bianco Antico colored stone remnant.

Organization is the key for any room, but it becomes absolutely vital if you’re working in a small space. I don’t know about you, but searching for art supplies in a cluttered room would kill my creative inspiration in a minute. Because there were so many small tools and paint brushes, Mary needed a system that would provide her with many separate locations: shelves, cubbies, storage bins and drawers. She was looking for the right storage solutions to permanently corral her art life into a designated space.   

An extra bright desk lamps call for—you guessed it—a desk. But, in a space this small, that’s not always easy to accomplish. So, instead, Mary uses a gooseneck reading floor lamp whenever she needs more light. She also keeps an easel right next to her new desk.

Take a peek at the “after” photos of this precious art studio. It will make you want to prop up an easel and get creative. The talented artist is now more efficient, productive, and happier in her own creative space. Best of all? It’s all hers. There you have it, class dismissed.