“At some point, you have to be willing to take yourself seriously. As an artist, and as an individual.” Mona has lived in the same house for 30 years and is unwilling to move now. But the Newton home didn’t have the space to accommodate what Mona’s creative spirit demanded: a spacious, bright room in which to paint large canvases. “I’m at the point in life where if this work is going to be done, I better start doing it now. That’s what made me finally say yes to building the home studio.”
Home Additions for Creatives: What You Need to Know
Everyone is unique, but artists, makers, inventors and creatives are especially so. When you’re having a home addition built in Newton to serve as a studio space, there are some essential elements to making the space perfect for you.
#1: Make sure your home builder knows what you’re intending to use the space for.
The type of art you do can impact the type of home studio space you need. For example, in areas where heavy equipment such as a printing press, pug mill, or kiln will be installed, the floor may need additional reinforcement. Studio spaces may require extra ventilation, special electric installation and more. Having all of these critical needs will ensure your studio space is functional – giving you everything you need as an artist.
#2: Divide your space into functional zones to minimize stress.
Everyone’s process is different, but in general, it is easier to get serious work done in a space that has some level of functional organization. This means having one area of the home studio serving as storage for materials, another area for prepping materials, the primary creative space, an area for any necessary finishing steps, and, for artists who are actively selling their work, an administrative space and shipping area as needed. This sounds like a lot, but the size of the home addition is really relative to the size of the work you’re doing, and the volume of materials you need to keep on hand.