I thought it would be fun to start this week with a tour of the studio (sometimes we call it the atelier) at La Cressonnière. Just outside the half bath, at the bottom of the staircase, is the entry way to the studio. Here is the door:
I’m sitting in this room as I type. It is where I spend a good chunk of my day. And when the kids are home from school, if it’s not warm enough to be outside, they are in here too. It’s a wonderful room. The light is gorgeous. I can hear the birds outside and there’s plenty of room to spread out, even if I’m working on a big project. I love being in here.
Come on in!
Straight across from the door, you’ll find the paint bin — tubes of oil color organized in cubbies. On the right side of the paint cubby, is a sink for washing up. On the left side is a statue that looks like it once had a religious life, but has now dedicated itself to painting. : )
Used pallets hang from the ceiling and down the bookshelves.
The bookshelves are packed with art books, art magazines and interesting objects.
Below the bookshelves are cupboards so you can tuck away supplies.
In the center of the room, with plenty of space around it, is an old desk made for four people. I don’t know the history of the desk — it seems too high for a school desk. I wonder if it was used by draftsmen? Whatever the history, it is one of the main gathering places in our house.
Each section of the desk lifts up and inside we keep art and craft supplies, coloring books and other odds and ends. The homeowners had kid-friendly supplies waiting in the desk. So kind!
On one wall, there is a working fireplace. Thank goodness! Because this room can get chilly — I imagine it has something to do with the 2nd door that leads outside, plus 3 large windows — so it’s nice to build a fire and make the space cozy. (This past weekend was so warm, we left the door wide open and the kids ran in and out all day.) Above the fireplace hangs a large mirror. (It’s reflecting the painting I mentioned here.)
Here’s a closeup of some of the pretty objects on the mantel:
Between the outside door and another window, sits the table where I work, and where Ralph makes movies when the computer is free. Below the table, a huge stack of paper is stored.
Sometimes, I’m in here all alone. Other times Ben Blair works next to me at the table. And still other times, the whole family is in the room, drawing or painting or making a watercolor calendar.
June likes to sit on her comfy sheepskin rug and hang out while we work.
And that wraps up the studio tour. How do you like it? Do you think you would you enjoy working in this space as much as I do?
P.S. — You can find more La Cressonnière photo tours here.
I Just love it!
Oh wow! What a space to create and be inspired by! Or just sit and take it all in.. gorgeous.. I’d never want to leave.. unless it got too cold. lol! Your little June bug is so sweet!
The light is perfect for food photos – no more artificial required
Raising 6 children never sounded so relaxing!
beautiful! can you take some visitors?? :)
The worktable in the middle is great. The whole workspace seems like it invites creativity. We have a worktable in the woodworking room of our house that we usually spread projects out on. The bulk of our design work gets done in our home office though.
my dad was a enamel artist/painter/graphic designer of the serious sort:) and I grew up loving the smell of art supplies and paints… it still means home to me!!
This place is a dream. Big enough for the whole family, but cozy enough just for you…perfect. I’m jealous.
This house is so completely amazing, I think it qualifies as truly magical!
I would ADORE a space like this! Somewhere where the whole family can be creative and together. So very special :)
So lovely. The desk looks like something Dickens’s clerks would have worked at, only painted over a few times in the past century or two.
What an amazing space! You must love working in there… I don’t think I’d ever want to leave. (The room, or France.)
I would live in there! What an amazing space to have in your home.
So nice again!
Desks like this were used in monasteries. The monks would write and/or copy manuscripts on these tables.
Wow, I love your working space, so huge. And enough room for the kids to join the fun. Love the antique desk. You should give us a tour of all the gorgeous old books you have up in your bookshelf.
Delightful details! Thanks for the tour . Love the kid’s rooms too!
I absolutely love it!! That’s great the children have the big workspace, too. That must be very inspiring for them. Love it!!
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