Studio Transformation Part 1

For the longest time I’ve wanted to transform my little corner of the basement into something special…(this wasn’t it).

I’ve wanted a space that was completely my own where I could create beautiful things and dream up my next project…

Think along the lines of Miss Mustard Seed – how she has a studio that’s a mix of woods and whites, airy yet grounded, vintage touches all over… it encourages one to dream up a project. I wanted something like that.

As I have an Etsy shop, I knew I also wanted one section of my studio to assist me in packaging orders. This brings us to the first installment of my studio makeover!

The kick in the pants I needed to start happened when I was approached by a company, Garage Royalty, to come up with a creative way to use their products outside of the typical garage setting. At once I knew it would be perfect for my Etsy packing station / workbench. I love the flexibility of the system – it’s so easy to move things around as my needs change and holds all my packing tools nicely! Plus, it is reminiscent of white shiplap which fits in perfectly with my vintage vibe.

And who says it has to just be for tools?! As you can see, I had a lot of fun decorating it with everything from vintage books and plates to my homemade “Market” sign! (I’ll link all the resources at the bottom of this post for you!)

Around the same time, I found this vintage sideboard on Facebook Marketplace to use as my workbench. I’ll be writing a post soon about how I cleaned it up, along with some tips for refurbishing antiques.

For my space to have the desired feel, I really wanted something besides bare cement under my feet. For a while I had a large thrifted rug in this area, but it had seen better days and was adorned by everything from water stains to crayon from my toddler. I wanted something that felt more upscale and that covered from wall to wall.

I thought about simply painting the floor and trying to stencil it, but wasn’t convinced the outcome would be very good – plus, as much as I like DIY projects, my time and energy are definitely worth something! My pregnant body can only handle so much… So one day when I was shopping at Target I stumbled upon these peel and stick tiles – a lovely light bluish-green with a vintage style pattern! I was in love!

Admittedly I’m not finished tiling my whole area yet – I’m about halfway done because there’s so much stuff on the other side to shuffle around. However, these tiles went down very quickly and easily. I made sure to thoroughly sweep & vacuum, mop, then let the cement dry completely before laying them and tapping them down with a rubber mallet. PLEASE NOTE: the company recommends painting the cement with latex paint first. I chose not to do this, at my own risk, but please be sure to read their instructions and decide what is best for your space!

I’m thrilled with how it’s all turning out and I can’t wait to start the next phase of this makeover! Items left to do include:

• Finish installing floor
• Paint and Wallpaper Wooden Display Cabinet for Dish Collection
• Paint Freestanding Work Table & Add Storage Underneath
• Find Comfortable Seating
• Hang Artwork

I hope you’ll join me as I continue this process! We’re also in the midst of redoing our master bedroom, so it’s all the projects all at once!

Resources:

Garage Royalty CrownWall System

Peel and Stick Floor Tiles

Hanging Storage Baskets

Large Storage Baskets (Sold as set online, individually in store.)

Vintage Flowers (I made them into a swag)

Blank Sign Template

Small Faux Plant