I’ve been taking a hard look at the room that will become my studio here in Chapala. As I was pondering – and looking at the hole in the middle of the room – I couldn’t help feeling like I was in a bit of a pickle. Make that a Studio Pickle!
What’s the best spot for the sewing machine? Will I be able to set up a decent size work table? Where’s the best place to sit and stitch? I’m thinking that this round room and my square furniture are going to be challenging, to say the least.
The kitchen/studio tower at El Castillo
The studio is on the second floor of this tower of the Castle. The curved staircase going up to the room is just 32” wide, so moving furniture up and down is not easy. (Let’s just say that it requires several strong bodies a few decades younger than I am!)
Space 1: Above the stairs
Looking from the top of the stairs, the studio space is like an oddly shaped donut. To the right, there is a space between the hole and the stairs. (The space behind the brick dividers is a bathroom.)
Space 2: Far side of studio
Across the room, there is a good stretch of wall space, but not a lot of floor space. That will be a good place for storage. Maybe a design wall? We’ll see.
Space 3: In front of the windows
The section of the room with the most floor space is in front of the windows, so that presents another set of challenges. See what I mean about a Studio Pickle?
There are no easy answers in this room. No straight walls. All curves. And that hole in the floor. Hmmm…
A rough studio diagram
After spending a lot of time with a tape measure – and dragging my sweetheart upstairs to give me a hand – I managed to make a rough diagram of the space. If that hole had been in the middle of the floor, the drawing would have been easy. But the architect clearly had other ideas when he designed the house, and this is not a home that is easily remodeled. So I’ll be living with that hole in the studio floor for years to come.
Studio Pickle? Studio Challenge?
I’m certainly not the first person to find herself in a bit of a pickle when it comes to studio space. And really, I have no complaints. El Castillo is a marvelous home and I look forward to spending lots of time here in the years to come. The space is odd – and a bit of a challenge – but what a lovely problem to wrestle with as I decide what to ship down when we return!
Your Turn
So, what about you? What’s your Studio Pickle? What odd space have you carved out for your creative work? Leave a comment below – I’d love to hear your story!
How old is this place?
Hi Rebecca, I believe the Castle was built in 1985 and then modified in 1992. It only LOOKS 100 years old! 😉
An interesting challenge! But what a beautiful home to live in! That in itself must be an inspiration to create.
It really is lovely, Sue. Between the house, the gardens, and all the Talavera ware in the kitchen, it will be a long time before I run out of inspiration.
What is the view from the windows, and what direction do they face?
The house opens onto one acre of tropical gardens. Roses, a profusion of hibiscus, all manner of trees… it’s an oasis in the middle of town.
Have a curved top cut for your sewing table. And work tables….work table can come into room at 10 o’clock on drawing. And for good light. Sewing table near the big window at 12 o’clock. For storage find some typical Mexican cupboards…narrow and line up on long wall near 3 o’clock. But center one the angle next ones to take care of curve in back. I’m not just a sewer and printer but this is house 14 so I have become creative
Curved work surfaces are definitely in order, Sharon. That’s going to be the only way to get close to the walls. We found a marvelous handyman, and I’m confident that he’ll be able to help. 🙂
Since I would worry that my stuff would “disappear” down the center hole, I would make a thin plexiglass shield for inside the circle, behind the railing. Then I would put a thick plexiglass circle on the top of the railing. That way you would still get light in to the room below, but have a surface to work on.
Hmmm… I had not considered making a plexi “work surface” and putting it over the railings. It would be challenging to keep it dusted, (the opening is over 9 feet wide) but that’s an interesting thought!
You could put a glass or plexiglass top on your “hole” and it would be a marvelous cutting table and no longer be unusable space.
I think you and Pam are on the same wavelength!
Maybe you could floor in the round area with thick milky plexiglass (like those old disco dance floors) and take the railing down. That would give the light to the downstairs and be easily replaced if you want to revert in the future. Looks like a great space though.
I’ve considered putting some type of “glass” floor over the opening, Jennifer. The thing that stops me is maintaining air flow, especially in the hot weather. The homes in Chapala have no furnaces and no air conditioners. So much to learn…
What an exciting challenge! What about a series of moveable screens? Bamboo frames with interiors woven from local materials – pliable enough to create curved forms that you could move around in front of windows when you want – less or more light.
How high is your ceiling? with hooks into masonry – you could store – display completed art pieces – suspended from above fabric with grommets to cover and protect. A simple pulley system to raise and low pieces and long hooks to retrieve work. Just a thought… because storage of pieces has always been an issue for me. I roll them on pool “noodles”….. but still have to find a place to store them.
Since the ceiling appears to be quite high, what about a series of design wall surfaces that can be raised and lowered, too! I am thinking about the use of all that space overhead…
I’ve got ceiling space to spare, Elizabeth. Each tower has a huge dome at the top. Your thoughts about using that space are definitely “outside the box.”
Safe journey north – good luck – reducing your possessions for a permanent move down to Chapala!
Thanks! The purging will be quite a challenge…
You could have the furniture built in the room if bringing it up the staircase is limiting what you need but can bring it up.
You’re right, Marlene. Any final assembly could be done inside the room. (Or pieces can be hauled up through the center opening if necessary.) Thankfully, there is no baby grand piano to be moved!