Behind the Scenes: Studio Tour

by Tiffany Little

You've heard me bang on about what's going on as far as my thought process over the last couple of posts. So I thought it was time to dish some actual behind the scenes realness with a studio tour.

Tour might be a bit of an overstatement to be fair. Less a tour and more a selection of images. Studio is also an overstatement. Less a studio and more sections of our house I've taken over.

Previously our one up/one down flat was filled with my shit. While our current place holds more of my stuff than my boyfriends, it's three times bigger so it's less noticeable (unless you check under the stairs or the wardrobe).

This time around, I've been a lot smarter about how I use the space available. Maybe something from Austin Kleon's 'Show your Work' (5* highly recommend) finally sunk in as I've created  work areas according to the types of work I'm undertaking.

BUT ENOUGH TALKING! Let the tour commence!

Cosy nook for creating content

So let's start with where I write blog posts. This one does still happen in a technically non work zone (sue me). I tend to grab my laptop and draft posts over my first couple (or 6) cups of tea. It's comfy, cosy and far away from paints, potions and mess. It is in front of the TV, which can be a distraction if switched on but hey, we're all guilty of getting distracted now and then.

Leather craftin' in luxury

I decided to divide my work in a couple of ways. First I split it by fashion and art & craft, then by desk versus workbench. Sounds convoluted but it makes a certain amount of sense. Leather craft (while technically for fashion purposes) takes place at the workbench and this is also where I take my time out to paint with oils. All books, materials and tools relevant to this are stored on a big ole shelf in close proximity. I share this space with my boyfriend as it's where his desk lives, and he's making pretty good use of the shelves as well.

Leather tools live under the workbench! It's chilly in here so Scout likes to keep Jason toasty. Top two shelves: Art supplies plus my memento box // Third shelf: Belongs to the boy and his books // Fourth shelf: Art books and inspirations // Bottom two shelves: Sketchbooks and unfinished works. I reeeeally need to clean this lot up, eek! 

Where I've been spending the most time lately is the 'fashion' orientated space. I have a large desk where I draw out designs and paint leather. It's also where I use my sewing machine (currently rarely but that'll change this year o-ho!).

The design desk, featuring my current work for Future of Retro Jackets

Not as pretty as some other peoples studios maybe, but it's fit for purpose and that's what counts. Getting the work done. Plus, I'm pretty messy so having beautiful things adorn the immediate area would not end well!

In this space I have a desperately-needs-to-be-replaced drawer set where leather paints,  fabric and related supplies live. The overspill takes over the lower shelves of another industrial unit.

My shite plastic storage has all the fabric in the bottom drawers and the top is split between sewing supplies and fabric/leather paints. 

That is where all my finished products live, my books on fashion, design and photography.

The sewing shelves! Top two shelves: Completed products live in their own handmade dustbags alongside photography supplies // Third shelf: relevant books on fashion and photography // Fourth Shelf: Sewing machine and lots of leather // Bottom two shevles: Jackets and bags waiting to be painted. 

What matters most is having the room to manoeuvre, good light and a dedicated place to sit down and get to work. If you're thinking about creating your own little craft nook, here are the things I've realised are the most useful.

  1. Storage! It's important to have it, it's good to have a system for it but don't over complicate it. Especially if - like me - you're prone ignoring the system and making a mess. Keep it simple and revisit it regularly to keep on top of the odd bits and bobs that creep in.
  2. Power supplies! Think about what you need to plug in and use on a regular basis and make sure you always have a couple extra sockets for ad-hoc bits and pieces.
  3. Lighting! Natural light is best and you should try to make sure you have plenty of it. Obviously this isn't always feasible and if you're like me and work late into the night, you need a helping hand. I have a wee Tertial Lamp' from Ikea that I got wall mounted (note it's designed to be desk mounted). It's great because I can pull it around when I need it or push it outta the way to give myself extra space.
  4. Comfy chair! You can work at most flat surfaces so if you're gonna make one investment, make it into a good chair. If you're like me you'll spend a lot of time in it and if - also like me - you have a shit chair, you're gonna ache T^T
  5. Green things! While I am terrible at keeping plants alive, I'm grateful for the good vibes they bring into our home. Greenery makes me feel fresh, more awake and when I don't kill them, it's a great sense of achievement.

Hope you enjoyed the tour, if you wanna see more behind the scenes then come find me on instagram!

Much love,
Tiffany xo