Updating Living room and Spare Bedroom/Craft room

So, one of my top projects for the year was to change up our setup in our Living Room, and in-turn changing up our Spare Bedroom/Craft Room.

 I am so happy to have more organization in my crafting space now!

First off- it all started with the living room. We both wanted a space to put our computers in here, since we kind of live in this room.

This was the Living Room before:

2 large bookcases on either side of our TV stand (with all our Xmas cards we received hanging).

Slightly low view from the couch.

And here is the living room after:

Yes- that is Grey's Anatomy- my HUSBAND's favorite show. (Not mine- I prefer more sci-fi fantasy shows).

Now all the computers have a spot.

More lighting on this side of the room now...

View from my hubs' seat by his computer.

They had the square organization units at Wal-mart for $37.95 each- each unit has 4 squares- so we got 3 units- so roughly $114 for this setup. My hubs just turns the one chair around while he is on his computer (dual screen with the big screen) and I just pull up a chair to my laptop. The old TV table that was in the center, we plan to turn into a mini bar whenever we remake our shed into "the man cave" that my hubs has been begging to do.It's amazing how low bookcases open up a living room. Now to try and find something to put on that bare wall!

We removed our big 2 bookcases from the living room and moved them upstairs into our spare bedroom/my craft room. This gave me a boat-load of more storage space. I also removed my one drawing table that is broken, and shifted the "sewing space" to where my Cricut was on a mini tv cart. The Cricut is now underneath, since I tend to use it on the floor anyways, when I do use it. I removed the metal rack I had in here (its out in the shed now) so the room really has so much more storage. The desk was moved to the corner, and overall re-arrangement of furniture. I also went through a LOT that was in the closet- throwing out 2 huge garbage bags full of junk. Luckily I had picked up a bunch of red bins from the dollar store in my first attempt at fixing this room up and finally got to use them all!

Craft room Before:

Organized Chaos...

Craft Room/Spare Bedroom After:

Don't mind the Chandelier sitting on top of the bookcase. lol. Things are still a little chaoic and mis-matched furniture, but there is SOOO much more room to walk around now.

Now there is much easier access to the sewing machine and other craft equipment.

I know it isn't as super-fab color-coordinated and pretty as those snazzy home decor magazines, but hey- we're on a budget. Until I can afford to buy all matching furniture and stuff, it will do.

So much more organization!

Paper rack and closet-hidden.

Yay for easier access to the tools I ACTUALLY use next to my craft table.

Eventually our queen sized spare bed will go in this room from the other spare bedroom, but not until we end up having a kid (which we are not even going to start trying till earliest the end of the year).

The Futon setup (and I came across a 2 drawing and a caricature I did when I used to work at Dorney Park (the 3 center ones on the wall) and 2 caricature that old co-workers drew of me (the black and white on the left, and the one on the far right).

It's another spare bed or reading chill spot (and display of my nutcracker collection.)

Next on the order of operations for the DIY home projects- turning our shed:

... into a man cave.

*sigh* Heaven help us. We have to a) clean my closet so we can get better access to our attic for storage, b) clean out our coat closet, closet that holds the water heater and spare freezer, clean out above the laundry closet (so 3 closets downstairs to be cleaned out) and d) fix up the mini side shed for the lawn mower and bikes- all before we even START to make the big shed into my husband man cave/bar. But at least it would get all the "bar" stuff out of our dining room- so I can have a pretty dining room again. Also, luckily our friends like hanging out at our place- so they are willing to help and we already have someone lined up to give us a mini fridge and a mini pool table.
My dreams are to continue fixing up the patio to be a more livable chill spot, but hubs is set on the shed fix up first. We shall see what is in our budget- because I refuse to give up our winter trip for a bar shed.
First things first though- the snow needs to melt. Haha.
Anyways, Have a great day!
-M

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Craft room-reorganized all red and white

Ok. By no means is my Craft room/office/spare room done. (Is anything ever really done anyway?) But for the most part, it is ready to be crafted in. I'm still in need of a good chair for here (and not use the dining room chair while sitting), but for the most part, it is ready to roll.
Eventually I want to get a different main table and paint the tv cabinet white (and the metal racking white), but for the most part, here is my craft room. (I know, I'm kind of a cluster of styles, but that's how I am).

 (Wendy just HAD to try out the cleared table. She's cute like that)

 I do adore Marilyn Monroe. The TV is a little bigger than I imaged it being- we aquired it from someone from my husband's work. So it kind of looks really big here. lol. I also decided to include some of my antique hat collection (which if you see my house, they are scattered all over the house).

 The gallery wall- dollar store clipboards and the long shelf my hubs made for my nutcracker collection (which only half is shown- I have to get the box out of the shed of the rest of the collection. haha). Also are my SAI (Sigma Alpha Iota) music fraternity for women, music notes.

 I'm happy to have found a spot for my typewriter. yay!

Gallery wall. My favorite part of the craft room right now.

I love red, so I went with red polka dots all over the place.
I know this craft room isn't the most FABULOUS as some peoples, but it serves its purpose, considering it is a kind of small room and my budget was next to nothing.
I do thank my hubs for putting up my shelves. They worked out nicely I think.

Any of you have craft rooms you'd like to share? I'd love to see everyone's way of crafting- mess, organized, or somewhere in between.
Have a great day all!
-M

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Spare drawer turned into wall mini bookshelf

So after redoing our bedroom dresser upstairs, we had an extra drawer. I had seen somewhere someone making an entire wall of drawers into bookshelves. I decided to add it to our dining room and make it hold cook books. That wall looked so blank to me originally, so I decided to do some fun wall decor by adding the drawer cubby there.

Once we got rid of the big desk drawers that were in that corner, we moved the bar cart also to there. Right now it is all decked out for Valentine's Day, but I know it will match much better when i don't have Red stuff everyone. lol

Basically our Dining room is Brown, Gold and Black mostly. I know the cart matches the kitchen the best, but right now, it fits nicely in that spot of the dining room. Maybe once I add some silver accents through the room it will blend better. (who knows!)
Anyways, we basically drilled this drawer to the wall and tada! Book cubby! Perfect size for our cookbooks. :D

 It was a simple project and I think completes the spot. I hope you enjoyed it! Have a great day all!
-M

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