I teach art in my house. In my living room, to be exact. Before we moved in, I sketched out the plan of where and how I was going to fit an art space into my living room (I had not yet hatched the plan to teach 4-year olds in that space, ha!). Having an art area to me is as important as having a kitchen. Or a toilet. It’s, like, essential.
My space is now a functioning little classroom, and believe it or not…we also entertain our friends, watch NHL hockey, eat dinner and sit by the fire in this room. It’s true! And it’s all because of my careful planning and layout.
If your next thought is, how can I do this in MY house…well I have the answer!
I get to meet a lot of people through my blog. Mostly we “meet” online, but sometimes there is such an immediate connection it’s an instant friendship. Last year, I began stalking a blogger who was doing something that I had been wanting to do. I emailed her, and lo-and-behold, she emailed back! This is the sign of a good person. Her name is Megan Schiller and she owns a business called The Art Pantry. She’s an art teacher, mom, and blogger. But her main career focus has shifted a bit and now she is an Art Space Planner. How cool is that? You can hire her to make plans, find the furniture and stock the shelves for your very own art room at home (or classroom).
And now for the exciting part, she just wrote a book! It’s an ebook and it’s basically a mini-course on how to set up your own art space at home.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook for free. All opinions are my own.
Here is a passage from Megan’s book that really speaks to me:
“This guide is about setting up a space for creating visual art, but it is within the broad goal of helping children to become self-sufficient makers and innovative thinkers. Art is a means of expression, of working out ideas and emotions. It adds an aesthetic beauty to our world, but it is also an essential instrument of learning. While engaged in the creative process, children are continuously problem solving and coming to new conclusions about the way things work. This is why creativity is essential to innovation and is widely accepted as one of the most important skills in life and in the workplace.”
Megan not only has so many nuggets of wisdom from her years as a Reggio teacher, her book is also filled with concrete, organized and helpful advice on creating an art room in your home. It’s such a fantastic resource for those of you who don’t know how to take the first step.
In fact, there is even more. If you buy Megan’s ebook now, you will get a free bonus ebook called Invitations to Create. It includes 30 days of easy art prompts. Simple ideas for creative play.
But my favorite option of hers is that you can buy her ebook (which is basically an e-course) and get a consultation from her. It’s the “Consultation Package”. Do this one!! If you really don’t know where to begin, I suggest investing in this option. If you’re like me, then spending a little bit extra will make you that much more motivated to actually get it done (right now I’m thinking of my gym membership – argh). And you’ll get to talk to the nicest person and maybe you can become friends! (I am not getting paid for this review and make no money if you hire Megan – I just think it’s a brilliant idea.)
Click below to see all of the purchase options (affiliate link):
And if you are interested in knowing what my favorite supplies are to fill your your new space, I have written two posts that can help you: Top 10 Basic Art Supplies and My 10 Favorite Craft Supplies. If you have any questions about anything on my art shelves, just ask!
xo, Bar
Thank you so much for this post! The timing is perfect, as I’m considering teaching art classes in my home during the summer (I teach high school art the rest of the year). I just started following your blog a couple of weeks ago and I LOVE it!
this is insanely gorgeous. i want to pin every pic!
thank you my friend!! if only i had your california-style outdoor space. i dream of it every day!! xo bar
Oh, wow! I love it! I wish I had space for a room like that! Thanks for sharing it! It’s soooo inspiring!
thank you so much, i’m so happy my space has inspired you!! xo bar
Wow, Bar, your space is so beautiful and inviting! It’s so cool that you can have this kind of creative space right in your living room. Judging from your other posts, you also don’t seem to mind making big messes here, which is really inspiring. Thanks for sharing my guide and all your kind words.
Such a lovely space! I teach children art from home and absolutely love it. We also go into the garden when possible which opens up a whole new creative world. So great to see how other people store and display everything, yours is very attractive and very welcoming, love it x
thank you so much, julie. i love your idea about going into the garden, it gives you an extra “room” to explore their creativity. i don’t have much of a garden, but i do have peonies that are about to burst so i just might try and bring my students outside next class. thanks for leaving a comment! xo bar
Love it!!! May I ask where you got the wall shelves from? Thanks! 🙂
hi emily! thanks for stopping by. the shelves are from IKEA. just cheap, raw wood planks with brackets that i painted white to match the wall color. i hope this helps! xo bar
Thank you so much for answering my question…on an Ikea mission now. 😉
Loved the shelves too!! Found em here for anyone else like me who saw this and wanted to get them: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49290654/
HI Bar!
This space is light, and lovely, and I’m excited to share it with others looking to create ADULT art spaces too!
Thank you.
Amy
thanks so much, amy, for stopping by and leaving a comment. glad to inspire! xo bar
This is so great. I think my guest room needs to take on a second function . . . (ok, a third b/c it is also my spoiled dog’s day lounge!) <3 <3
Doggy day lounge / art room / guest room…sounds kind of perfect to me! xo Bar
Lovely!
What color did you use to paint the chairs?
hi Ana, do you mean the turquoise chairs? I found those on the side of the road in Rhode Island, as is! so I didn’t paint them just cleaned them up 😉
Years later… I’ve found your blog thanks to Pinterest. Any shot you recall where you found the stools for the table??
Hi Parker, yes the green stools are from IKEA. I don’t think they make them anymore, but they have something very similar in red. Glad you found me! xx Bar
What a wonderful creative space! I’m in the process of organizing my own studio space/ family room, which is also a creative space for my young son. I love those floating shelves full of art supplies. I might have to do the same. Thank you for the inspiration!
so happy I’ve inspired you, Kim! having a creative space in the family room is the best idea. you can all be together, but doing your own thing. I love that. xx Bar
Hi! I have a good sized space to create an art room and I want to buy an ideal sized table for my kids (currently 3.5 and 5.5,) to work at. And sometimes to have room for friends or adults to join in too. Do you think 30 x 48 inches surface is a good size? I got so crazy with those tiny tables made for young kids and I want them to have a real space they can work without constantly knocking things over and getting in each other’s way. Thanks for any tips!
Cynthia
hi Cynthia, so happy you are creating an art space! the desk I am writing on right now in my office is 28 x 48. I think it could comfortably fit your two kids on either end if they were doing bigger projects (with bigger paper or cardboard, etc). it would also work for 4 kids (or an adult in there) but with a smaller space to work. still totally do-able, though! and I would suggest 4 stools. they can slide them underneath if they feel like standing instead of sitting. Best of luck!!! xo Bar
hi I love the room I am thinking of making my own art space at my home this summer and this have giving me lots of ideas I love it
XOXO Hind
Can you tell me where you found your table? I want to copy your room! Ha. I am just having a hard time finding the right height table. Is yours meant for kids? My girls are 6 and 8 and I want them to be able to use it for years to come. Thanks for the inspiration!!
Also would love to know table dimensions please!
Thank you!
Hello! Love the space! Just wondering where your table is from? 🙂
hi, it’s from IKEA. but from years ago, not sure if they still have it. I can’t remember what it’s called, but it has a leaf that you can put in the middle. xx bar