I am so happy for you that you are getting a studio. I have to agree with Silvamae on the water idea. I currently don't have water to mine but am putting a sink inside with the bucket. I have tried using a sink outside but it isn't convenient at all. Also on the lighting, I currently have flourescent lights in my studio and I hate it. I am planning to add either can lights or trac lighting over my work areas to give more light where I specifically need it when I am working on a project. My studio is 12 by 18 and even though I have lots of natural light in it, I work a lot in the evenings and after dark and working in the dim flourescent lighting frequently causes me to get tired eyes or headaches.

Good luck with the studio and have fun!

~Micki~

Wow congrats!! No help here,my work area is a repurposed bedroom that I share with DH work clothes, and my desk. But it's a big improvemnt from all over the house ;)

I agree with the others on lighting I hate flor L (I have lupess not good )You can not see as well eather.I have anothr tube light or wh ev y c it .I have sink right out the door wish it was in side .If you can run a hose from the sink out side it helps I have a g=ho runing out to some plants I do not put the hard st dowh the drain.
Lots of storege and do not go to a lot of stress with panting ,if you are like me it will fill up fast .I re did our garege I stress ove it all now it is coverd with stuff.
I do recicle a lot wit jars and juese bottles what ever I can.Good luck it will be fun.

Klinger you must be in seventh heaven, getting a real work area all you own. I also agree on the lights. I use a pole light and most times I have all 3 lamps going so I have the light I need. As for color, it's your space, choose some of your favorite colors and paint away. I live in a studio apartment, so have to claim any space I can find for my stuff.

Kat

Sounds so wonderful - FLAG should be chiming in here w/advice. I'm just glad for you. Hey - where is your sidekick? Haven't heard from her lately.

ooooh I have no advice cause I'm burning with jealousy! congrats

Thanks for the imput everyone. I think I'll do a sink inside, draining into a bucket and then a tap outside, mounted up a bit higher than a regular garden tap would be so I can put buckets under it and fill them easily.I wonder about some track lighting over my work table and some florescent in other areas for general lighting. Maybe some halogen lights in the track light. Janie says florescent is the way to go with good quality bulbs.
I took advantage of having an excavator here and had him dig a pond area close to the studio, we changed our patio door in our home and I recycled the old one into the studio, so it'll look over the pond. I'm going to plant some tropical type plants there to give it some ambience.
I have left over melamine paint so thought I'd paint the work table and bench and shelves with the paint.
Cindy

Cindy, Congratulations!! You are going to be so happy with your own studio. Regarding water, YES YES YES to inside water, plus I like the outside idea of a tap too. . And for sinks. I found a great utility sink at Lowes or HD, that is housed in a beadboard look cabinet. Don't know if you remembered my mermaid mosaic I did with my sink , but what' great is that it looks nice but is a deep utility sink.

With lights, all I know is I have a four light ceiling fan with CFL and then I have two table lamps on my worktable. One is one of those lamps that mimic sunshine from Joann's.
Take lots of pix so we can see what's happening. Hopefully Flag will step in since she built a studio to die for..

OK Cindy, here I am...let me stress, do less windows and more shelves..I am puttig up shelves in front of my windows now. The water inside is ok if you have room, but put a hose to the outside. I planned a laundry sink, but decided I would rather have the room so do my grouting and other wet stuff such as sawing on the wet saw outside. Build yourself some shade outside so you can also work out there. I was ever so happy to get back outside to my outside work table just a few weeks ago. My studio is 10 x 20 and I wish it was 20x40, but it will do. I would also suggest a back worktable for your grinder, etc that you can just turn around to use, I use fluorscent light with good daylite bulbs in them and I have a task light mounted on the edge of the worktable that I can put directly where I am working. Track lights and halogen will put off to much heat and use more juice. I also have a ceiling fan over my worktable, it is a life saver as I reverse it in winter to help circulate and in summer to circulate the cool. I think any color that makes you happy use it. Bright in better, I am so thrilled with my crazy colors as they make me happy to go out there to work. Any questions, ask. I am excited for you.

b

Hey Flagtruck, Do you have pics of your studio? I would love to see all of your ideas.

Micki

I'd love to see some pics of studios too, please do post. I'll post a pic tommorow of the wip on mine. I'm just out the door for the day, Thanks you all for these great tips,
Cindy

Hey sounds cool...I agree with the lighting fl ligts just don't cut it. And as for the sink...yeah inside and out is good. We have a 1200 sq ft shop/garage that hubby and I share. He has one side I have the other side. Since were in Alaska I share w/my jeep in the winter. (noscaping and sure nice to have a warm vehicle to get into). The rest of the middle area is fair game for whichever one has a project going on. I have a double sink w/tall curved faucet (easy for buckets) in the bathroom, and tall hose hook up outside for the summer months. We still have some work to do on it as I need more shelves ans cuh but sure is nice...good luck and enjoy!!!

Congrats Klinger on your new workshop/studio...I have a suggestion for your water. Rather than using buckets you can have someone dig a hole, the bigger the better... ours was about two feet diameter and told son to dig it about 4 ft. deep, but he kept going and made it about 6 ft. deep. Filled it with rock and put pvc pipe from hose to drain into the big hole.Covered it with dirt on top... That was for our run off for water softener, but I think it would work great for what you are doing too.

Hi everyone, thanks for all the great suggestions.Emtnest we have one of those drainage pits about 10 feet away from the studio. We had to install it for the evestroughs to go into, Maybe I'll see how difficult it would be to run a pipe out to it for drainage. I think it's pretty big, we had to do it to satisfy the building code here. Here's a picture of it so far. Things will slow down now as we're going to do the siding and electrical ourselves,and we're debating about the drywall. I hate doing dry wall and am not really great at it, I want to hire some one to "make it happen". We're waiting on a roofing guy to come install the skylights and fascia. Flag I love your studio colors and all those shelves. You've really got me rethinking the number of shelves I was going to put in.I don't have nearly the same amount of tess that you do though.

Cindy

I am soooooo jealous. I want one tooo. You will be in 7th heaven when you get to move in. Good for you.

Kat

Oh my! This is a far cry from the mess in my garage that I have to carry into the kitchen or the patio!
I am sooooo green! (with jealousy)

Cindy. I love it, so great and a lot of character already. I know the sheet rock is not easy and very timeconsuming. Good luck. And about the shelves, you will fill up all you have and need more tess or not. Thanks for sharing with us. Keep us posted

Oh, Cindy! It's wonderful! You must be chomping at the bit to get in there and paint, build and create.

Wow!! Cindy! That is fantastic! Oh you are going to have soooo much fun playing in there. I'd LOVE a place like that, I'd never leave!!

How cute is that little cottage. I can just see it all dolled up w/flowers everywhere, and mosaics on the facings, mosaiced pathway, a little white picket fence around it w/mosaiced finials and mosaiced window boxes. You get the picture.

Hi everyone, I can't wait for this to be finished and start using it. I hope this weekend for the siding to go up and the roof guy to come and do his job. He never came last week , arrghghgh.
Slow I do have to totally landscape this area, the excavator tore it all up. I had a pond dug that I can see from the patio door. I planned on the mosaic window boxes and I really like the idea of a picket fence with mosaiced finials. I had thought of making mosaic stepping stones for a path from the steps to the area to the front and patio door. I have interlocking bricks to make a small patio at the sliding door. After Flags suggestion of a covered outdoor workspace I am thinking of adding a small roofed area there too. This whole project can really get out of hand in terms of $ spent. There is so much I'd like to do and have to pace myself. I splashed out on water barrels to save some water to use on the plants I'll put in.
Cindy

TELL me about a black hole of our toys. I am painting my patio, and just the paint alone is exorbitant. 'course Sherwin Wm. is the best paint there is, and that's what I'm using. Besides that, I got sick of moving the ladder so am hiring the ceiling top coat today. Now for the mosaic projects I plan. Black hole!!!!!! OH, YES. You MUST have a covered area for working outside, and for sitting outside when it's raining. I sat outside last night on my patio under a very heavy rain - favorite room in the house.

OH my, a patio off of that sliding glass door is a must!!! It is looking so great! I have a 10x16 that was supposed to be MY workspace, but all the tools and everything has ended up in it and hardly enough room to create... I do most of my creating outside if the weather is nice. We are working on a covered patio now too...I love being outside when it rains...

Wow, what a nice studio! I'll trade you for my basement, LOL. Is that a metal roof? I know quite a few people that have them and they all said they'd never do shingles again. I'll bet you're thrilled, I can't wait to see the inside when it's completed.

Here's a pic of the window boxes I did. This will probably be a wip for years....you'll always be adding things, new ideas, paths, window boxes, pillars, finials....Oh how fun!

Morning all,the sidings not ready to be pu today so we'll see what happens, oh boo hoo. :(
It is a metal roof, we've never had one before, but I've been told you can really hear it when it rains. I chose it cause there are a lot of trees around it and moss on shingle roofs is a problem. This will be low maintenance, and I like the look of it too. The siding is a mocha color, then I will decide what color to paint the front door. It has an eagle on the window part of it. The door could be a sage color like the front door of the house , or I can choose a vivid accent color and go with that. I can't decide till I see what the siding looks like with the roof and fascia which will match the roof.
Shirley I love those planter boxes, I'm going to do something similar I'm sure.That will really set off the building.I'll figure out the door color and then coordinate it.
Cindy

Oh Cindi, I LOVE your new home!! You are going to have so so much fun there creating to your heart's desire. Can't wait to see this all come together. Did you order plans special for this??

I love Slow's ideas with the picket fence, mosaiced pathway etc.. Sounds so wonderful.

I'm green with envy too, so love flag's space too.

I'm excited for you

Hi, Mermaid, no special plans for this I just designed what I wanted myself, drew pics , and so far so good, This is what it's looking like today, I hope the rest of the siding goes up this week, then the wiring and drywall will be next. The concrete stairs and retaining walls are all new also. There were rickety wood stairs and a slope for gardening on. We've installed a sprinkler system and I've replanted all my shrubs and perenials back in, used some good composted soil mix.Should be nice when they take off growing.
I plan on mosaicing the risers of the stairs, the tops were funkied up by using some cement colorant I had around. I also plan on doing something to the terraced walls, maybe adding some mosaic work right down the centre in a colorful band.

I indulged myself and did a concrete carving in my studio. It was raining too much to do much else, I'm going to mosaic her top and maybe her hair, I think I'll name her Janie-Bo, he he.

So much stuff to do, but I'll love it when I'm done,
Cindy

OHMYGOODNESS, KLINGER!!!!!!!!! What a wonderful place the whole thing is. I LOVE the idea of a mosaic band, but have you thought of putting in a water feature? You could build it yourself, and then mosaicing as planned? Oh, those stair risers w/be wonderful mosaiced. Now, pray tell, what did you use for the mold for your concrete sculpture? I LOVE her facial expression, and Jane-Bo w/be a real beauty when you finish. Where you putting her? Really anxious to know what your mold was and what mix your concrete was. I think I could do that kind of thing, if I ever find a stopping place in mosaicing my patio area. How much w/Jane-Bo weigh when finished? I've forgotten if your work is solid or a hypertufa-type light weight concrete.

Hi Slow, it is a huge project to me, and a lot of work. As it get's closer to being done I enjoy it more. I have a pond dug in front of the patio doors on the studio, so thought that would be enough of a water feature. The stair s are what I look out of my family room and see so I can't wait to start the mosaicing process on them. It'll be a big job, I thought I'd put the mosaic on mesh and then put it in place with thinset. Janie-Bo started her life as a waste basket of cement. I use a 1 part portland to three parts mason sand, mixed it up and put it in a waste basket lined with a garbage bag. Let it set for about 5 hours then carefully unmolded her onto a turntable and started to carve.You could do wonderful stuff carving cement if you wanted to.She is solid, and not light, maybe she'll weigh around 40lbs, she'll lighten up a tiny bit as she cures but not much. I think some mosaic on her will look cute, then I'll find a place for her in the yard. Does she remind you of the real Janie-Bo, hehe ? This'll teach her not to come to the mosaics forum more often lol.
Cindy

Oh, Klinger! I hadn't been back to this thread for awhile. What fun! The girl is so cute with her carved hair and surprised expression! I love how you terraced up to the studio. What wonderful gardens those are going to be. And, of course, I can hardly wait to see the mosaics up the stairs too. What a wonderful project!

HEY!!! It sorta does look like me!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Jane, haha you crack me up. I knew there was a likeness, just didn't realize how much.It's about time you're showing your face around here.
Cindy

Klinger I am drooling all over my puter, keyboard, and desk over your studio. When I saw the terraced yard with the steps, a big WOW. Love it. You've come a long way. Janey-Bo is going to be a hit. Yaaaahhhhooo.

Kat

Thanks for the morning smiles, Jane!

Who in the world but you would have thought to pour concrete in a wastebasket? What an imagination! You lucky girl...good idea. I like the carving.

OH, LOL,Ican just see the whole storybook mosaic studio come to life!! How fantastic it is going to be , with the risers and walls mosaics.
Great idea and so cute Janey-Bo is.. DId make me laugh, especially when Jane sent her pix to compare. LOL.

How cool how you made her. That is just a wonderful idea. YOu go girl

Toooooooofunny Jane!!! I'ts nice to see your face, wondered where you was!
Oh Cindy! Your little place is looking fantastic, how fun for you........I'm so envious! Love your sculpture, I'll have to try that someday.

Hey Cindy...Have you done anything new on your wonderful studio? I have been so enjoying watching the progress and learning from what you all are saying. Have been learning so much.

~Micki~

Hi, I'll take a pic tommorow and show the progress. We've slowed down now that we're doing it all our selves. Just a tiny bit of siding left to put up and eves trough and then the outside is all done. The wiring has been roughed in and will be inspected next week. Then the drywall will go up. I need to vanish when that's happening, do not like doing drywall. My camera broke and I just got a new one last night so we'll see if I can get it to work tommorow,
Cindy

Oh Cindy!!!! it looks amazing - I'm so envious

(and that does look like Jane! lol)

Well I think I got my new camera figured out. I've taken a couple of pics of the studio.I've had a couple of planters put on and a couple of hanging ones also. I plan to put some kind of mosaic on the planter fronts eventually. The door I painted a sage green. Now I'm not sure about it. looks kinda bland so it may go to another color. I'm still mulling it over.

I can't wait for it to be done.
Cindy

I love the look of it. Have to agree with you on the door. I think it would really pop with a different color. But I love the planter boxes. You are inspiring me to get into mine and clean and rearrange it. There is so much I would like to do to mine....adding a screened porch...Thank you for keeping us posted on your progress and inspired to keep working on projects.

~Micki~

I'm green with envy here, but am thrilled to death that you have the chance to set up a studio like this.

What a little paradise!!! Door - yeah - since I'm outrageous on color - I'd say it could use a brighter coat. LOVE the planters, and oh, I can sooooooo see the possibilities. I know you must be itching to get to work on the final touches. Beautiful setting too.

Did she mention her skylights??? And check out her gorgeously bare concrete walls in her garden!!!! And her stair risers going up to the studio!!! LUCKY GAL!!!!

It's beautiful!!! Yeh I see many projects that will keep you busy for a lonnggg time!! Very nice....you are lucky!!!

That, my friend, is one pretty sweet looking shop. Your setting there is quite a canvas to play with over time. We'll be watching and having fun with you as it all develops. You must be so excited about beginning to move into the studio!

Way to go Cindy...this is coming along very nicely. I agree the door needs some COLOR..pop it out there. I am really anxious to see what else you do with all your blank canvases....I bet you fixitup good. Love it..

Cindy, this is breathtaking!!!!! You luck girl!!!