I love working from a home-based studio, and thought it would be fun to give you a sense of my day-to-day with a little studio tour! I converted the spare bedroom in our home to become my studio. This way, I have a designated place to “go to the office,” and it feels separate from the rest of our house. Full disclosure though – I still check emails from my kitchen counter!
It’s a small room, but it’s full of natural light, since it’s got huge windows on one wall, and another window on the side, too. Throughout the space, I have a ton of elephants, as part of my collection. I’ve been collecting elephant paraphernalia for years, and they’re symbols of good luck, so this was a natural fit for me when I designed my company logo. Having so many of them in this space (from all over the world!) is such a fun, visual reminder of something close to my heart.
I set my drafting table up in front of the huge windows, because that’s where I sit for the longest periods of time, working on calligraphy projects.
Just to the side of this drafting table, I have a rose gold hanging bar my cousin Laura sent me as a gift. Instead of hanging artwork on it, I use it to hang handwritten thank you notes from my incredible clients. I have it hung with a print that says “expect nothing, appreciate everything.” This gratitude wall is a visual reminder of why I love what I do.
I keep my treasured envelope drying cart tucked under the drafting table. It’s on wheels, so I roll it out next to me when I need it. When Adam and I first started dating, he came over to my old house one night to find a floor full of envelopes, set up in rows to dry. Fast forward a few weeks, and as a Hannukah gift, he gave me a handmade, wooden cart with shelves – and slats on the top for a drying rack. It’s one of the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received, and it’s totally practical!
Directly behind the drafting table, on the opposite wall, I set up a really long work table from Ikea (ahem, Adam set it up). Here, I have a wide-open space for alphabetizing, packing orders, and doing all the less-fun-stuff (monthly financials). This is also where I sit to FaceTime or Skype with potential clients during the meet and greet phase of the custom invitations process, and where I work on watercolor paintings so the paint doesn’t run at the angled drafting table. On the wall above this table, I have some framed pieces from calligraphers and artists I love with short phrases. It’s a nice dose of daily inspiration!
Underneath this table, our dog Jack has a huge bed I made for him. When Adam and I had upgraded our mattress to a Casper, we had an old memory foam topper we no longer needed. I cut it into four pieces, stacked them on top of each other, and wrapped them in fleece fabric with the cut-tied edges. It was a no-sew, fun project, and the pup is super spoiled with a memory foam dog bed. Most days, he’s napping on it and keeps me company while I work. I share lots of cute dog stuff on my Instagram stories.
On the side wall, I have a large storage unit that Adam also assembled for me from Ikea. Here, I keep all the elements of invitations as they come in from the printer, samples of past work, shipping materials, my “Best of Weddings” award from TheKnot and my childhood teddy bear, Mr. Snuffles. Opposite this, I have a plant stand – because I’m a crazy plant lady. There’s also a big stack of mirrors I have for mirrored seating charts and mirrored decorative signage. I keep an inventory of rental mirrors, and they’re kept here, for easy access.
It’s a cozy space, but I love working in here. Hope you’ve liked this studio tour! Thanks so much to Casey Brodley for all the fabulous behind scenes photos.