Artist Tips

5 Home Studios to Bring Out Your Inner Artist

Whether you are a professional, working artist or have art-related dreams, a dedicated studio space fuels your creativity. Here are five home studios that may inspire you to dust off your paintbrush or potter’s wheel.

1. A Studio for an Animal-Loving Painter in Oregon

Home Studio 1: Sarah Greenman, (Image: Houzz)

Who works here: Richard Murray, with dogs Tipper & Theo plus Bib the cat
Location: Richland, Oregon
Size: 5,300 square feet (492 square meters), including the studio

Richard Murray and his animals share this live-work space in eastern Oregon, where Murray creates his paintings, largely animal portraits. The artist transitioned from painting landscapes to animals in his 40s, following a lifelong affinity with the animal kingdom. Because he paints most of his work life-size, he needed a lot of workspace as well as display space. This studio fits the bill. The right side of the live-work loft is dedicated to Murray’s artwork, while the left is where he makes his home.

This Episode of Houzz TV Features an Oakland Live-Work Sanctuary

2. A Hardworking Shed for Art and More in California

Home Studio 2: Wyndhamdesign (Image: Houzz)

Home Studio 2: Wyndhamdesign (Image: Houzz)

Who works here: Chris Sewell and Kenny Osehan
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Size: 90 square feet (8.4 square meters), including the porch

What looks like an unassuming shed in Santa Barbara, California, stores and hides trash cans, provides a buffer from the street, and encloses a workspace for two. Chris Sewell and his wife, Kenny Osehan, who own three Southern California inns and a restaurant, use the space to do everything from painting to wrapping presents. The project cost $5,000, split between labor and materials, and took two weeks. Inside, the pegboards and shelving provide storage for project materials, while the deep countertop gives plenty of room for spreading out.

3. Pottery-Making In Massachusetts

Home Studio 3: Rikki Snyder (Image: Houzz)

Have a Live-Work Studio? Save Space With a Loft Bed

Who works here: Lucy Fagella
Location: Greenfield, Massachusetts
Size: 1,700 square feet (158 square meters), including the studio; four bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms

Artist Lucy Fagella worked with a contractor to turn the barn on her 3-acre Massachusetts property into a functional space for making art and teaching classes. She uses the main floor for working and instructing, while the upper level is for storing packing materials and her supply of urns.

4. A New Orleans Shotgun Studio

Home Studio 4:  Kayla Stark (Image: Houzz)

Who works here: Wayne Amedee
Location: Uptown area of New Orleans
Size: 3,000 square feet (279 square meters) for the house; two bedrooms, three bathrooms; 1,500 square feet (139 square meters) for the studio

Artist Wayne Amedee owns an 1886 shotgun-style home — a Southern style of house popular in New Orleans — as well as a second property next to it, which he has turned into his private studio space. He uses the lower level of his studio for creating large sculptures, paintings and collages. He uses the top level for storing and displaying his art.

5. A Texas Garage-Turned-Studio

Home Studio 5: Sarah Greenman (Image: Houzz)

Store Your Art Supplies on Wall Shelves

Who works here: Freelance artist and Houzz contributor Sarah Greenman
Location: Dallas
Size: 361 square feet (34 square meters); 19 by 19 feet

Sarah Greenman and her husband turned their converted two-car garage into an art-making haven — on a strict $300 budget. This meant repurposing furniture from other parts of their home; the total cost of the garage makeover, including 2 gallons of paint and four dining chairs, was $274.23. The studio is where Greenman does both writing and visual art projects. The lampshade pictured here, which displays the words of Pablo Neruda’s Sonnet XVII, is one of Greenman’s creations.

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