Crafting Cabinets: Creating A Compact Crafting Corner

	A compact crafting corner. Photo courtesy of the American Hardwood Information Center.

(HIT)-Tired of crafting on the kitchen table? Is your crafting corner a cluttered mess? If so, take heart. With a little imagination, you can easily create a wonderful, compact crafting corner to nurture creativity and relaxation at home.

"You need to have that little refuge," says Karen Booy, a professional crafter from Vancouver, British Columbia. "If you have that oasis, you're going to connect with your spirit and enjoy your crafting more."

Many homeowners combine hardwood cabinets, drawers and shelves to create beautiful and functional crafting corners and hobby rooms, says Susan Regan of the Hardwood Information Center, at www.hardwoodinfo.com. "You can solve your crafting storage problems and create a look you love," Regan says. "You won't have to shut the door on your crafts and hobbies any more."

Cabinets, shelves, countertops, drawers and interior storage systems originally designed for kitchens and baths can also be used in any room of the house to create a compact crafting corner. "Cabinets are incredibly versatile," says Kim Craig, marketing manager for KraftMaid Cabinetry. "You can customize any space for your crafting needs."

Here are some compact crafting corner design ideas from Craig:

• Store crafting books, magazines, baskets, supplies or collectibles on built-in shelves. Solid hardwood shelves are sturdiest and recommended for heavy loads.
• Keep large, flat items like mats or artwork in "tray dividers" concealed in a cabinet.
• Hold small crafting items like buttons or beads in square "spice drawers" that can be stacked in almost any configuration.
• Save space in your crafting corner with a built-in desktop or create a larger crafting work and storage space with an "island." A hardwood countertop or butcher block table is especially useful as a cutting surface. Make sure the height of each crafting work space is appropriate for the tasks involved.
• Add extra crafting space to your crafting corner, especially in small areas, with slide-out trays.
• Display colorful crafts or collectibles in glass-front bins and cabinets.
• Further maximize storage space in your compact crafting corner with interior organizers like removable drawer dividers, pull-out baskets and spice-rack inserts (perfect for small paint bottles).
• Add moulding, valances and "feet" to create the look of unfitted furniture.
• Store your crafting corner waste basket in an easy-access cabinet to keep it out of the way.

As American homes grow larger, some people are devoting entire rooms to crafting and other hobbies. Many are creating attractive crafting areas in a guest bedroom or home office. Karen Booy—the owner of Ewe & Me Pattern Co., which markets a line of patterns for craft projects—says most people find more time for their crafting and other hobbies if they have a special place for them. "It doesn't have to be a large space," she says. A well laid out compact crafting corner works nicely. "The thing about working at the kitchen table is you have to keep setting up and putting away."

A potting area with a large sink, plenty of counter space and shelves is especially nice in the laundry room, says Karen L. Blissenbach, an interior designer who owns Design Studio B in Rochester, Minn. So is a gift-wrap area that includes paper stored on wall-mounted wooden dowels, she says. "While you're doing the laundry, you could also be working on your crafting projects," she says. "You don't have to spend your time in a dingy, poorly lit basement. You could have a beautiful, well-designed crafting area with a little creativity."

Cabinets are available in virtually any style and finish. Colorful stains can be applied to any hardwood to add a note of playfulness to your crafting corner. More than one wood species can be used in the same room too. "Crafting areas don't have to be serious or formal," Blissenbach says.

Furniture is a nice addition to any crafting space. A hardwood table can provide plenty of work space, and storage units on casters can be kept underneath, Blissenbach says. An armoire can hold a television for viewing how-to videotapes, and it can store many boxes and baskets full of crafting supplies. A chest of drawers can hold fabric or other goods. Any good kitchen or bath designer could help you create space for your hobbies. An interior designer or architect also could help.

For free information about installing and caring for hardwood products at home, contact the Hardwood Information Center, at www.hardwoodinfo.com, a service of the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, an industry trade group.