Constructing the Perfect Creative Battle Station (ie. Home Office!)

All through college I imagined my perfect future studio as I worked out of my cramped bedroom. I had paint brushes lined up on my bed, and my work up on an easel in the middle of the room. My carpets collected paint as did my clothing, but as a starving art student it was expected. The studio that I imagined was in a loft of an old factory with oversized windows for lots of natural light. Old hardwood floors that creaked with every step. A standing computer desk for emails (for my 1000’s of clients of course), research and references. A desk for drawing/painting as well as an easel set up for oversized canvases. A big comfy couch to take a break and have a cup of tea…

But of course that was all, but a dream.

Not every city has old factories for rent, and if they do, I’m sure it’s not cheap! So in order to create the perfect creative battlestation I have put together a few tips and tricks to help. It may not be the factory loft you imagined, but it will still be your designated creative space that you love.

Find a room or section of the house that is quiet

This is key. It doesn’t matter if you live by yourself or you live with 5 kids, you need to find that space where you can essentially “shut everything out”. An office or a spare bedroom with a door would be ideal, but work with what you’ve got of course. If working in the open concept of your finished basement isn’t working, there are other options like renting a desk in shared office spaces. Having a designated spot in the house where you work without getting interrupted will help you be for efficient and to keep the creative juices flowing.

Know yourself and how you like to work

This is also crucial. If you love to start work at 6:00 AM, then perhaps putting a computer in the brightest room of the house might not be a good idea for the glare. Or if you love to listen to music loudly while you paint, your family would probably appreciate it if you didn’t paint until 3:00 AM in the morning. So the better you know yourself and your work patterns, it becomes much easier to start designing your studio/office. For example, if you are a graphic designer you won't need as much space as a large oil painter may need. So plan accordingly!

Give yourself a budget and work within it

Purchasing a desk, a chair, an easel, printer, office supplies, paint supplies, and other various furniture can all add up and become very expensive. If you were to pick one item to splurge on, I would highly recommend picking the chair. You will be spending almost 8 hours of your day sitting, and you certainly don’t want to be spending that time on a stool. Your back will thank you, trust me. So will your wallet! Saving your money will help your business grow in the future.

Put everything together give it a monthly trial

When I set up my office for the first time, 3 weeks in I couldn’t stand it anymore. I thought maybe I would have to move down to the basement or maybe take up a section of the living room. But instead I sat down in the middle of the office and picked out what was working and what wasn’t. I spend the rest of that Sunday afternoon reorganizing everything to improve the flow. Things like changing the location of the printer, switching drawers from being files to pens and even changing which way I was facing the window. After that, I’ve loved my office ever since. So don’t feel like you’ve failed if you don’t like your office after all your hard work. Give it a second chance and try reorganizing.

Enjoy your new creative battle station...now get to work!