Dear Matt and Shari, 

I love your show I watch it all the time on the Create channel. I would like
to turn my spare bedroom into a clutter free room and I would like to
decorate it nicely. The room is a mess. Right now the room is being used as
an office/craft room/storage room for extra food in the big cabinet I have. Help
I am lost! How do I go about tackling this major task?

Pamela 

Dear Pamela, 

Well, I have lots of questions, but since I can’t ask them, here’s is what I would do.  The clutter has to go first before any decorating can take place.  Is there somewhere else the extra food can go?  It seems to be the one item that shouldn’t be in a spare bedroom.  Do you need to start by cleaning up clutter in the kitchen?  Could the big cabinet fit in the garage and hold non-perishables out there?  Get the extra food issue solved first.

Next, determine if the room is needed more as an office or for crafting.  If it’s needed more as an office, then most of the crafting supplies will be put in a closet or in the big cabinet and vice versa. 

An office and a craft room both require work space and storage space to function well.  A table or desk can fit both functions. 

If you are short on space, consider wall mounted cabinets or shelving with baskets above a desk or table for storing files, books, papers and miscellaneous office  or craft materials. If there is a closet in the room, equip it with a storage system to fit the needs of both your office and crafts.

All task oriented functions require good lighting.  If you have a center overhead fixture you may want to expand that with some of the great track lighting available today.  Spread the light around the room to light up the walls and visually increase the size of the space.  Make sure you have table lamps with good wattage right at the tasks at hand. 

Decorating follows once the room is functioning well.  A craft room can be bright and cheery but you may not want it to be too busy and filled with patterns on the walls, upholstery or draperies just because you have so much color and texture going on with the crafts you are making.  Or, if you need a serious office atmosphere, try neutrals for their calming effects and textures to make the room interesting but not distracting. 

As you select a color scheme, keep in mind the rooms adjoining or next to the room you are planning. Can you see into this room from other rooms in your home?  If so, make sure the colors you select work well with the surroundings.

I always encourage layering at the windows for the best control of light and privacy.

Accessories happen last, and your crafts just might be the art that gives this room personality.  Even an office can get warmth and personality from your handiwork as long as it doesn’t distract you from getting your office work done!!

Pamela, I hope this gives you some direction and helps you make that most important first step to getting your room functioning well for you and looking the best it can!

Happy decorating, 

Shari

 
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