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Your DIY Guide to Designing a Home Art Studio

Want to make an art studio or craft room in your home? With a little creativity and design inspiration, you can transform any spare room into a large or small art workspace. Check out these home art studio ideas and organizational hacks to get started!

Where to Set Up an Art Studio at Home

You don’t need a massive space to have a functional art studio. Whether you choose an extra bedroom or attic for your creative oasis, you can easily transform unused space with these art studio setup ideas!

Transform a Dining Room

dining room set up with shelves holding craft items photo by Instagram user @artful_play

Photo via @artful_play

Rarely use your dining room? Turn the area into a DIY home art studio. Since this space is meant to fit a dining table, you should have plenty of room for shelving, a sizable drawing table, and places for storing works in progress.

Turn a Bedroom into a Private Studio

An extra bedroom or small flex room has one advantage over other spaces—a door! If you work best in a quiet area, then a room with some privacy is perfect for a DIY art space. Just make sure the windows open for proper ventilation when you’re working with paints or supplies with strong chemical odors.

Utilize an Extra Closet

Transform an extra closet into a cozy home studio! You can move clothing, shoes, and accessories to totes under a bed to clear out enough room for a small art space. When designing your art studio in a closet, look for a compact desk, easel, or fold-down table. And don’t forget to utilize existing shelves for storing art supplies!

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Convert a Shed into a Small Art Studio

Avoid distractions and disruptive noises by building a home art studio in an outdoor shed. This is an excellent spot for artists who are working on grand-scale projects or sculptures. It’s also the ideal DIY art space for larger art supplies like pottery wheels, easels, and shelves for drying out clay projects.

Build a Studio in a Garage

garage ceramics studio with wheel set up and shelves with supplies photo by Instagram user @swellceramics

Photo via @swellceramics

Consider using a garage to build an art workspace! Garage doors allow for ventilation and natural light while cement floors are great for any accidental spills. Install pegboards, drawing tables, or workbenches to create the optimal space for your very own at-home art studio.

Set Up a Studio Under the Stairs

home art studio set up underneath the stairs photo by Instagram user @kellijoyart

Photo via @kellijoyart

The space under the stairs is an excellent spot for a home art studio! Add shelving or wall-mounted easels to save up floor space and proper lighting if the stairs are located in a basement. A small desk can also be added for producing any digital artwork on the computer. Just make sure you check for nearby outlets as you design your DIY art room!

Design a Basement Art Studio

basement art studio with storage and easel in middle of the room photo by Instagram user @mauricegaan

Photo via @mauricegaan

The space under the stairs is an excellent spot for a home art studio! Add shelving or wall-mounted easels to save up floor space and proper lighting if the stairs are located in a basement. A small desk can also be added for producing any digital artwork on the computer. Just make sure you check for nearby outlets as you design your DIY art room!

Make Use of Attic Space

small attic space set up with art space photo by Instagram user @javabere

Photo via @javabere

An attic art studio is perfect for preventing your art space clutter from crossing over into living areas, and it gives you more space for your projects. Be sure there’s adequate heating and cooling in your home studio to avoid damage to your work.

How to Organize an Art Studio at Home

Any home art space will work when you utilize smart storage. There are tons of art studio furniture ideas that include storage, such as desks with drawers, bookshelves, fold-up tables, and more! Many home art studio items can even be made with a little DIY magic.

Choose Your Art Studio Table Wisely

small desk set up in the corner of a art studio space for photo by Instagram user @thehomeofficer

Photo via @thehomeofficer

Whether you’re into painting or graphic design, a desk or table is one of the most important items in your at-home art studio. Make sure you have enough space to draw, sketch, or design, as well as room to either store or set out your tools so you can get to them with ease. Are you trying to set up your DIY art studio in a tiny area? A wall-mounted desk that folds down is ideal for a small studio!

Hide Extra Supplies with a Curtain

art room desk covered up with a curtain to hide extra supplies photo by Instagram user @junqueart

Photo via @junqueart

If you have a desk or table with open space underneath, it’s a good place to store extra art materials. Control any messes in this space by concealing everything with a curtain. This is an easy way to keep your small art studio organized and clutter hidden when guests come over to check out your latest work.

Repurpose an Old Card Catalog

home art studio with old card catalog set up for extra storage photo by Instagram user @bethforenz.art

Photo via @bethforenz.art

Repurposing vintage furniture pieces like a dresser, bookshelves, or a card catalog is an affordable way to add art supply storage, an organizational system, and charm to your home art studio!

Use Wire Shelving Units

Wire shelving units are lightweight and come in all shapes and sizes! Store items from your home art studio loosely on the shelves or use storage baskets for paper, printer cartridges, and drawing supplies. Wire shelving units are also perfect for storing and cooling pottery pieces!

Stay Organized with Totes

Keep art supplies organized and accessible by storing them in clear or colorful plastic totes on shelves, in corners, or under tables. Use labels on the containers to manage and locate all paints, extra drop cloths, canvases, or other items with ease.

Take Advantage of Vertical Storage

vertical storage used for more space in an art room at home photo by Instagram user @thewildship

Photo via @thewildship

If your home only allows for a small art studio, go vertical with storage! Floating or corner shelves are perfect for storing sketchbooks while pegboards with wire baskets are great for storing paints or writing utensils. You can also use a few colorful cups and zip ties on a pegboard to make a cute, budget-friendly place to store markers, paintbrushes, and other art supplies.

Reuse Old Mason Jars

old mason jars used as art supply storage photo by Instagram user @melimade

Photo via @melimade

For a cheap and easy way to store art tools, collect jars or cans to house small items like pencils, pens, chisels, or brushes. Plastic or glass jars can also be hung on the wall or put on a pegboard for easy access to supplies you might use frequently in your art studio.

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Store Canvases in Wall-Mounted Holders

Art studio stand up storage for large canvases photo by Instagram user @necessaryarts

Photo via @necessaryarts

Canvases are a necessary part of an artist’s studio, but they can be a pain to store. Keep them organized and damage-free in wall-mounted or floor storage racks. This simple DIY project can show you how to make your own drying rack for canvases of all sizes.

Hang Pictures with Clothespins

photos hung up on the wall using clothespins and string photo by Instagram user @chrissyboxful

Photo via @chrissyboxful

With a durable wire and some clothespins, you can hang pictures, drawings, or sketches on the wall of your home art studio without making any holes. You’ll also be able to save space on tables, easily dry paintings, put finished work on display, or frequently change out projects.

Use Rolling Carts for Supplies

rolling cart holding art supplies that can move around photo by Instagram user @calleygirl80

Photo via @calleygirl80

Store jars with brushes, construction paper, or glue sticks on a rolling storage cart to organize your art room. This studio storage idea not only keeps all of your materials organized, but it also allows to you easily move art supplies around the room and have a mini workshop that can be transported around the house.

Store Supplies with Magnets

art supply canisters fixed to the wall using magnets photo by Instagram user @millie.moth

Photo via @millie.moth

Using magnets to store art supplies is a great way to free up any desk or shelf space. All you need is household items like a cookie sheet, glue gun, and small magnets for this awesome DIY hack!

Repurpose a Wine Rack

old wine racks used for art supply storage photo by Instagram user @ariesartnw

Photo via @ariesartnw

For a creative way to store art materials and craft supplies in your home art space, use a countertop wine rack to hold loose items or color coordinate any markers, pen, or colored pencils. Wooden racks can also be painted to match the decor of your studio and can easily be moved throughout the space!

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Whether you’re storing extra items to create an art studio at home or expanding your hobby into a small business, we have residential and commercial storage units for rent. Extra Space Storage has convenient self storage facilities located throughout the U.S. Find self storage near you!

Design a Home Art Studio