Any serious crafter will appreciate the pleasure in having a dedicated space devoted entirely to their favourite hobby. Crafting can accumulate a serious amount of ‘stuff’, from equipment and tools to materials and supplies. So craft room ideas that include a well-organised storage system and space to spread out are key.
Whatever the size of your craft room – whether it has taken over your home office idea, or it’s just a craft cupboard – having all the essentials close to hand, and easily visible can make a huge difference. Kitting out the space with shelves, cubbies, racks and pegboards will help keep supplies and craft projects in check. And there are lots of mini makes and easy DIY storage ideas that will come in useful for storing smaller odds and ends like buttons, cotton reels and ribbons.
Craft room ideas
While a craft room is often a hive of activity, it’s important that it’s a space that sparks creativity too. Decorating the room in colour-happy shades will have an uplifting effect to boost creativity. Plus, having supplies and materials in colourful stacks and well-ordered displays is visually pleasing and will spark joy.
Including a large pinboard or display area is a must. It provides a spot to pin up samples, materials and mood boards and be a source of inspiration while you work.
1. Start with your work table
Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole
When it comes to your desk or crafting table, choose one that will suit the activities you’ll be using it for. A smaller desk with lots of storage space works best if you do lots of small-scale crafts. A larger table with plenty of surface space is more practical for spreading out materials for cutting or sewing projects.
A height-adjustable table is a good option that works well for a range of different crafting activities. Look for desktops that can be raised or lowered for sitting or standing. Tilting options that are useful for sketching and drafting are also available. Having a desk at the right height is essential if you do lots of crafting work to prevent neck and back strain.
Opt for a slimline set of storage drawers on castors that can be tucked neatly under a desk or table, especially in a small home office idea. Moveable drawers are more practical than fixed as they can be wheeled out of the way if you need the space to work at.
2. Set up a storage system
Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole
Crafting often means having multiples of the same item and stockpiles of different materials and tools. Well-ordered storage will keep everything organised and ensure you can find what you need more easily.
Similar to home office storage ideas, height-adjustable storage in a craft room idea allows shelves to be positioned at different heights. Then you can accommodate items in a range of shapes and sizes, from tall folders, files and bulky boxes, to flat papers and materials or short stacks of fabrics and card.
Group items logically. Store like with like, so that items are easier to locate. Corralling smaller supplies into wire baskets, caddies and clear plastic boxes prevents shelves from looking messy. Plus, it’s easier to grab what you need in one go.
3. Organise a storage wall
Image credit: IKEA
For tight spaces, set up a workstation hub. Keep all the essentials within easy reach of a work surface. A smart storage idea for small spaces is to create a wall of storage. Cover the wall closest to the work table with pegboard panels. Attach an assortment of caddies, racks, hooks and rails to store supplies and equipment.
Having everything visible and arranged en-masse adds a creative vibe and a pegboard offers a more versatile option than fixed storage. Components are moveable and easy to arrange or rearrange should you need to switch the set-up at a later date.
4. Choose a comfy chair
Image credit: Future PLC/David Brittain
Hours spent crafting will mean sitting in a chair for long periods of time. Choose a comfortable chair as a top priority to avoid back pain and neck strain. An ergonomically-shaped backrest will give good lumbar support and should fit the back snugly, following the natural curve of the spine.
Opt for a height-adjustable model. Make sure the seat height is correct for your work table, with castors so it’s easier to move around. Chairs with armrests can get in the way of some crafts. A chair without arms or with flip-up arms can be tucked out of the way.
Upgrade a standard grey office chair by re-covering it with a cheery floral fabric or bold pattern that will add a pop of colour to your craft space.
5. Factor in extra lighting
Image credit: Dunelm
Lots of close-up work can be hard on the eyes. Consider the lighting in any craft space the same way you would consider home office lighting ideas, so you can see what you’re doing without straining your eyes. A large window that lets lots of natural light into the room is ideal, with the addition of a task lamp that can provide extra light over the work surface when needed.
An angled task lamp allows you to adjust the position of the light so that you aren’t working in shadow. If you’re right-handed, make sure light from your task lamp comes from the left, and vice versa if you are left-handed.
6. Make it mobile
Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole
A staple of the crafts room, a trolley comes in super-handy for stashing all manner of supplies. Easier to access than an under-desk filing unit, it can be filled with most-used crafts items and wheeled in and out of play as needed. Organise the interior further by adding plastic tubs and caddies so that everything has a designated spot.
7. Install a DIY roll holder
Image credit: Future PLC/Colin Poole
Large rolls of paper, gift wrap (or even bubble wrap) can be tricky to keep pristine and crease-free. If you have the wall space why not consider making an easy DIY paper roll holder. Much like a kitchen roll holder, rolls of paper slot in and are held neatly in place, allowing you to pull out the length required and trim off with scissors.
To make one like this, all you need are two wooden shelf brackets (try IKEA’s Sandshult brackets), fixed onto a wall. Slot a length of wooden dowel in to hold the rolls of paper. To store multiple rolls of paper, use pairs of smaller U-shaped hooks or brackets. Position them in rows to create a mini wrapping station.
8. Opt for see-through storage
Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore
Storing smaller odds and ends in clear glass jars makes items instantly visible so you can grab them more swiftly. Make use of under-shelf space above a work table with a row of mini glass jars fixed on the under-side.
Secure the jar lids by screwing them into place or you could use strong grab adhesive for storing lighter-weight items. Simply screw the jars on and off when you need them.
9. Store sharps and scissors out of reach
Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Wreford
Be inspired by clever small kitchen storage ideas and keep your desktop area more organised with a magnetic strip mounted on the wall. Ideal for storing scissors and other small metallic items like safety pins and paper clips, it’ll ensure that they’re always to hand but safely out of reach of children.
Use a simple magnetic knife holder for the job (try IKEA’s Kungsfors rack, £15) and pretty it up with a strip of patterned or brightly-coloured washi tape stuck on the surface.
10. Take advantage of door space
Image credit: Container Store
If space is tight, make use of back-of-door space for storing your most-used craft items and essentials. Opt for an over-door-organiser system that comes complete with racks, caddies and pegboard for storing ribbons, tapes, bags and rolls of giftwrap.
Image credit: Future PLC/Andrew Woods
Alternatively, you could create your own set-up using individual components fixed to the back of a door. Short wooden spice racks are perfectly-sized for holding small jars filled with buttons, with a peg rack for holding cotton reels and a couple of mini wall pockets to add assorted odds and ends. Look out for ikea hacks for spice rack inspiration!
11. Add grab-and-go storage
Image credit: Future PLC/Lizzie Orme
Caddies are the crafter’s friend enabling the most-used kit and tools to be easily accessed without them being hidden away in drawers or boxes. Install a simple utensil rail above a desk or work table and add a row of hook-on plastic caddies for storing pens, scissors, glue sticks, tape measures and other essentials.
For a pretty colour-coded display that is practical too, sort sewing cottons and reels into their different colours and store them in clear glass jars on an open shelf. They’ll look lovely and you’ll be able to find the perfect shade of thread in an instant.
12. Display ribbons on a hanger
Image credit: A Place for Everything
Crafters always have endless amounts of ribbon. But if it’s shoved away in a box or drawer they can get tangled and knotted. Frustrating when you need a length in a hurry!
Try this easy hanger-hack that will keep ribbons organised and tangle-free. Use a standard trouser hanger (the kind with multiple lift-up bars) and simply slot your reels of ribbon onto each bar. Just pull out the required length of ribbon and snip off as needed and then when a reel needs replacing it’s easy to slip off each individual bar.
13. Set up a hanging file
Image credit: Future PLC/Rowland Roques-O’Neil
Items that are best stored flat, such as patterns, papers, labels and stickers, often end up crumpled and creased when stored in a drawer. Solve the problem by organising scrapbooking materials into plastic folders and filing them as you would paperwork. Clear plastic lets you see what’s inside at a glance.
If you have a spare cupboard with a rail, set up a hanging file system for easy access. Borrow some wooden trouser clamp hangers from your wardrobe storage ideas to hold the plastic folders and simply hang them from the rail.
14. Organise paper punches
Image credit: Future PLC/Rowland Roques-O’Neil
Got lots of paper punches that need putting in order? Organise a simple storage system by mounting a couple of metal utensil rails positioned on the wall above a work table. Punches can be hooked onto the rails for easy access, with their patterns visible so you can identify the one you’re after more swiftly.
Where do I start when planning a craft room?
The desk is the first consideration when planning a craft room. The size of desk or work table that you choose will depend on the size and layout of your room and how much space there is. Plan carefully to avoid home office design mistakes. An extra-large desk or work surface will come in useful if you tend to work on large-scale projects or need to spread out paper and fabric for cutting. Or consider an L-shaped or corner desk that will allow separate spaces for different functions.
An adjustable table with tiltable top that can be set at different heights is another option. These are useful for sketching and painting or if you prefer to work at standing height.
What should I buy for my craft room?
Aside from a desk or work table, storage will be the main consideration. Depending on how much space you have available, consider a freestanding shelf unit with cubbies. A run of open wall shelves, a portable storage cart or a trolley will all give you open storage so that you can get your hands on your supplies and equipment quickly and easily.
If you struggle to keep things organised and tidy, keeping supplies in a cupboard or a wardrobe is an alternative option. This will allow you to close the doors on everything at the end of the day without worrying about tidying away if you’re in the middle of a crafting project.
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