From Attic to Atelier: Inside My Creative Design Studio

For years, the unfinished space above our garage sat quietly underutilized — a square of potential framed by dormer windows and good light.

It always felt like it wanted to be something.

So we gave it purpose.

What once functioned as dusty, uninsulated storage now serves as my creative design studio — my own small atelier dedicated to crafting parties, furniture revivals, and design planning.

This isn’t just a studio tour. It’s a story of reclaiming square footage — and creative momentum.

Before: Unclaimed Potential

The dormer windows were always the giveaway. A space with architectural character shouldn’t collect dust — or, in this case, the occasional unfortunate fly.

Although the bones were charming, the extremes made the room unusable. In summer, the heat felt volcanic. In winter, the air bit back.

Clearly, if this space was going to support creativity, it needed a complete transformation.

The Build: From Attic to Working Studio

First, we called in our long-time friend and contractor, Paul Hazzard. Whenever I bring him a slightly wild idea — like installing a system to hoist furniture up from the ground instead of hauling it through the house — he doesn’t flinch. Instead, he asks, “How do we make it work?”

We began with insulation. Because attic spaces fluctuate dramatically in temperature, we installed R19 in the walls and R30 in the ceiling. Immediately, the room shifted from storage zone to viable workspace.

Next, we framed knee walls to define usable vertical space while preserving access behind them for storage and roof maintenance. At the same time, Paul expanded the electrical layout around the room and added recessed lighting. Layered lighting remains non-negotiable in any space I design, even — especially — in a studio.

At the far end, we replaced the existing window with French doors. That decision improved both natural light and functionality. Outside those doors, we built a small balcony. Even more cleverly, Paul designed the railing to detach in sections so furniture can pass through.

Yes. We engineered the architecture around future furniture revivals.

That’s commitment.

The Color Story

After sampling three Farrow & Ball colors, I ultimately created a custom lightened version of Setting Plaster — a soft, architectural pink that shifts beautifully throughout the day.

Rather than break up the many angles in this room, I chose to color-drench it. Walls, ceiling, trim, and doors all wear the same hue. As a result, the architecture reads cohesive instead of fragmented.

When I told our painter, Randy, that I wanted everything the same color, he paused.

“Everything?”

Yes. Everything.

By the end, even he agreed — it was the right call.

The Custom Furniture Lift System

Of course, none of this would matter if I couldn’t get furniture into the studio.

Instead of carrying heavy pieces up steep back stairs, Paul and I designed a custom lift system. After researching commercial options (most of which cost thousands), we engineered our own solution.

A 13-foot I-beam anchors into metal struts bolted securely to the roof structure. Three heavy-duty trolleys allow it to glide smoothly. At the end, a 1200-pound load-capacity electric hoist handles the lifting.

Above the French doors, we installed a small octagon window that aligns with the home’s exterior architecture. When the beam extends outward through that opening, it clears the balcony. From there, I can raise or lower furniture directly to balcony level before rolling it inside.

It’s practical. It’s a little industrial. And it makes the entire studio function.

The Studio Layout

The Wash & Prep Station

In one corner, we installed a deep stainless steel sink with pegboard above it for drying brushes. Below, concealed storage keeps chemicals and rags out of sight.

Eventually, I’ll thrift a larger piece for additional counter space. For now, an old Target cabinet from my apartment days stores my painting clothes — a humble but functional placeholder.

Storage & Supplies

A small thrifted curio neatly displays spray paint, measuring cups, and everyday tools. Meanwhile, a larger black cabinet — sourced from Facebook Marketplace — stores my furniture refinishing supplies, with Annie Sloan chalk paint front and center.

The desk and hutch once lived in my husband’s daughter’s teenage bedroom. After sitting unused for years, they now anchor the crafting corner. It feels good to give them purpose again.

Because I also collect lighting fixtures, art, and frames for future client projects, the dormers now serve as holding space for those finds. Everything has a place — which helps keep the studio from feeling chaotic.

Furniture Revival Zone

Along one wall, Paul built a dedicated painting alcove. With added ventilation and space for my paint tent, I can spray or refinish furniture without overtaking the entire room.

I even repurposed a thrifted umbrella stand (thank you, Anne Kahn) to store wallpaper rolls. The small side table nearby remains a work in progress — fittingly.

Design Planning Table

At the center of the room, a long table functions as workbench, desk, meeting table, and seasonal crafting hub.

It’s currently the only new piece in the space — a practical decision while I wait to discover the perfect industrial drafting table. Ideally, something with adjustable height and metal legs will replace it someday.

For now, it works beautifully.

A Tribute to Creative Legacy

In one corner sits a red and gold painted desk and matching wall curio refinished in the mid-1990s by my husband’s mother, Martha.

She liked to get a little tipsy and a little crafty — her words, not mine.

I keep her pieces here as a quiet tribute to the lineage of women who found both therapy and expression in refinishing furniture long before it was trendy.

Creativity doesn’t begin with us. We simply carry it forward.

This atelier isn’t just a workspace. It’s permission — to experiment, to refine, to revive.

Designing la dolce vita doesn’t happen only in finished rooms. Often, it begins in spaces where paint dries, hardware gets swapped, and ideas take shape before anyone else sees them.

And for the first time, I have a room dedicated entirely to that process.

If you’re ready to reimagine a space of your own, my guide to planning a room makeover will help you move from inspiration to execution with confidence.