There’s a reason new-age office buildings look like college student unions. CLIF, the company behind delicious energy bars, has a climbing wall. Google has air hockey tables and yoga ball chairs. Pixar has several movie theaters inside its headquarters. Ideally, they want to inspire their workers and keep them happy. Looking at their innovative products and huge profits, I’d say it’s working.
As makers, we can apply this same thinking to our studio. After all, it’s where we spend the majority of our time!
A drool-worthy studio from Decoist.
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to what you studio should look like but there are definitely a few things that most people like to have in theirs.
- Great lighting! As an artist, I thrive on natural lighting to save my eyes (and brain) from the glare and hum of electric lights.
- Posters and artwork. These are great sources of inspiration and can make your space feel a bit like your childhood/teenage room (though you probably don’t have boy band posters in your studio).
- A shelf of nicknacks. Lots of people love having a space place to display items that get their imagination going. Shells from the beach, cereal box toys, old cameras, etc.
- Pennants or banners. These are great for cheering up a space.
- A big desk. Big enough to spread out and work but not too big that you don’t remember to clean it at the end of every day.
- A nice rug. I know this sounds silly but nothing cheers up a place like a nice rug. Also, if you have a studio ‘assistant’ who happens to be furry, they may also appreciate a rug.
Your studio will naturally match your brand and aesthetic.
For me, that means lots of clean white and black furniture with pops of color. Also, I have a ton of silly pieces of artwork that make me smile every time I see them. My studio is me in a tiny nutshell.
When your space matches your brand, you’ll feel more comfortable in that space. You’ll feel safe to create outside the box. You’ll have more ideas!
Since I’ll be moving in the next few months, I’ve actually started a Pinterest board for ‘studio inspiration’. I’m invisioning white chalkboard walls, bright orange lamps, and a big antique map (the one with monsters and badly drawn continents on it).
