That dream came true when we designed and built from scratch our DREAM STUDIO SPACE in 2015 called the CULTURE BARN. We wanted the space to be our workshop, our lab, our kitchen to cook up any creative project we would possibly come up with next, and that it was! It was our BARN to dream big, store ideas, and develop our creative business beyond what it was up to that point.
Looking back, it was such a beautiful milestone in our business that we will always cherish.
Creating a dream workspace for your creative work can enhance your productivity, creativity, and overall satisfaction! The BARN was that space for us.
When we decided to embark on that project, we hit the PINTEREST mood boards hard and started curating all the things we loved and hoped for. But we also started to write down the things we loved from spaces we enjoyed on our travels over the years.
Many people can put together a pretty mood board, but not everyone can execute that mood board into creating a space that flows effortlessly, makes you feel like you're on holiday, and can be used for multiple purposes like a hosting a family, beautiful events, and creative work, which was our ultimate goal!
There are so many aspects of things to consider when you're creating your ultimate workspace so we will be chatting about this multiple times over the next few weeks, but here are just five things to start with if you're considering building, designing, or curating your dream workspace:
1. Lighting is crucial for any creative space! It's probably the most important thing for us. Make sure your workspace has ample natural light. Lighting can have a significant impact on your mood and your productivity. Aim to incorporate ample natural light or lighting that mimics natural light. Dimmer switches to control the amount of light is always nice and can help to set a mood, which we love in a workspace!
2. Color can have a profound impact on your mood and creativity. Choose colors that inspire and energize you. As photographers, we always lean towards various shades of white because it makes spaces easier to shoot and always creates a blank canvas. I do love a splash of color, but for workspaces, we tend to always lean towards whites and add the interest with textures and other details. We love a calm, clean feeling in a space, it helps to keep us focused.
3. Comfort is essential! You spend long hours working in your workspace, invest in things that create a feeling of comfort, like a great chair, a desk at the right height for you, or a standing desk to give you the option to alternate between sitting and standing. At the Barn, we installed a fireplace in the center of the studio, which was the ultimate luxury for us to be able to light a fire in the cold months and feed it all day long, it helped to set a mood and create a feeling of comfort! Our office had big floor-to-ceiling industrial windows because we hate feeling like we're in a cage. So if you can create a view into the garden or into another space, that would be my first choice! Having enough good storage is always something that makes our workspaces easier to use and more enjoyable and to me is a luxury in a workspace we are always looking for! Keep your workspace organized and clutter-free by incorporating ample storage solutions. Invest in shelves, cabinets, and drawers to store your equipment, props, and materials. I'm a die-hard home editor, being organised makes such a difference for how your space works, lives and makes you feel! GET ORGANISED!
Whatever space you have available, make it the best that it can be. We've worked in our garage, spare room, and home study, and no matter where we are, these principles guide us in creating a happy, productive space that we enjoy walking into every morning. I hope that if you haven't done so already, you will give your workspace the love that it deserves!
