There's something magical about watching my 8 year old, Lindsey, light up as she crafts and makes bracelets for her friends at school. But if I'm being honest, her creative chaos was taking over our already small living space. Pencil shavings, loose paper, bracelet making supplies —they were everywhere! I needed to find a solution that would give her a place to create without driving me crazy.
I am trying to find the balance of having a clean and tidy home, one where it looks like no one lives there, while also creating an environment of fun and creativity and a spot where memories are being made.
This presents a HUGE challenge when you live in a tiny house. But I have come up with the perfect (for now) solution. Creating a small craft room in the basement landing, replacing our seldom-used gym equipment with a cozy crafting corner.
Here's how we transformed this space into a functional, rustic craft room without breaking the bank.
Finding the Right Space
First, we needed to clear out the basement landing which meant relocating the workout gear. Let's be real—outside of the exercise bike, the rest of it was gathering dust. Once we cleared the area, it was time to get inspired. I hit Pinterest to find craft room ideas, but most of what I found was too modern and IKEA-esque. I wanted something that felt rustic and fit with our lake house vibe.
Choosing the Perfect Desk
Next, I needed to find the right desk. It had to be spacious enough for both Lindsey and me to work on projects side by side, and it had to have that rustic feel. After a bit of online hunting, I found a beautiful desk (this Crossing Metals Base Writing Desk) and matching side table on Wayfair for about $1,200. It arrived a few weeks later, and the delivery team set it up for us which was a huge bonus!
Adding Cozy Elements
One thing that needed fixing was the ugly basement floor. Replacing this hideous floor isn’t an option at the moment, so I decided to find a rug that would cover it up and add some warmth to the space. I turned to Amazon, which has a cool feature that lets you visualize the rug in your space using your phone. It was a game-changer. I was able to cross off a lot of rugs based on how they would look in my space.
The rug I purchased cost about $160 and really brought the space together. The bonus is that it's soft, without having a high pile to it or it being prone to shedding.
Storage Solutions
Storage was a top priority especially since the craft area is at the basement landing, which is the main walkway to the rest of the living spaces. I didn't want to trip over craft supplies every time I went downstairs!
We added a small cabinet above the desk to keep craft supplies hidden, and I spray-painted an old storage container to match our rustic theme. It was turquoise, which didn't fit the vibe, but a quick coat of brown spray paint did the trick.
Personal Touches
To give the craft room a personal touch, I added a gallery wall with old frames I had lying around. The painter's tape trick made hanging the frames easy. You just put a strip of tape across the back of the frame, mark where the hooks are, and then use that as a guide to place the nails on the wall. It took no time at all and made a big difference in making the space feel more like ours.
I already have plans to add more photos to the wall. I love the memories each of these photos represents.
Keeping It Budget-Friendly
While the total cost of the transformation was under $1,500, it made a world of difference. We reused as much as possible, like the old storage container and the frames for the gallery wall. We also had paint on hand and didn’t need to purchase more (this is why having a house color palette is beyond amazing. Check out my blog post I wrote on choosing a house color pallet here). This approach not only saved money but also helped create a cohesive and rustic look for our craft room in a small lake house.
The best part? Now Lindsey and I have a space to craft, create, and make memories without cluttering up the rest of the house. Plus, having a dedicated spot for crafting means we can leave our projects out without having to clean up every time we have dinner. A win-win in my book!