On the Move and Creating My New Hobby Space
Recommendations: 12
About the Project
In May of 2025 I needed to find a new place to live after being in a one bedroom apartment for the last twenty years, ten of which I was a caregiver for an elderly friend next door. I also had a one car garage space to store things in and as I am an expert in three dimensional Tetris, that was packed solid. Problem was that while I could store my gaming collection and materials (as well as a bit of Lego) it was very difficult to access anything so I was hoping to get a larger place. As luck would have it I found just that and began moving in to the place in July. As I have been unable to hobby or game I thought I would document my attempts to create a new studio space as well as where I might store games, rules, materials, miniatures, and reference.
Related Genre: General
This Project is Active
Filling the Space
Once I had installed the new rug and cabinets it was time to start bringing in boxes from the garage. I have a ton of books but the studio will house the Miniatures Painting books and reference. Rulebooks will be in the Game Library or guest room as my partner calls it. I chose the glass door design for a number of the sections as I will either display minis or store books in them and while the glass doors look sweet they will great reduce the amount of dusting I need to do.
So many boxes and bins to sort and store.
I'm finding things I forgot I owned so must figure out how to organize them.
While I am keeping what I have dubbed The Pallet Drawer, I am going through the paints to remove any I've not used in ages and add the newer purchases, like the Blanche sets form Army Painter.
I do like the clean look of my new work space.
After using one of these at a convention's painting area I had to pick a Lucent light. It is so versatile and has multiple bulbs and setting. 
Add the new light to my Green Stuff World Arch light and the sunlight from the atrium and I will have plenty of illuminationFurniture Assemble!
It wasn’t instant but it was straight forward and with space to work in I could assembly line parts of the job. I went with a mix of drawers and cabinets topped with glass doors. I want to see much of my collection of books and display minis but I also want to minimize the amount of dusting I need to deal with. I still have the old bookcase in the studio though I may end up sealing like the others. Right now it seems a good spot to display a Lego Batcave…
Go over instructions, dry fit, go over instructions again, assemble first of whatever you're building.
Have a clean, level surface work on and the detail parts went smoothly enough.
Basic grid design.
Finished the cabinet in the alcove. My painting will move onto the wall next to it.
Okay, good beginning of a work space. Needs a few more key items like more lighting and a printer but so far I like it.The New Space
My new residence is a house with a great spot for a painting studio. I immediately started to measure it up for furniture. I really like the IKEA KALLAX design for a work space as it is all 12″ squares and has a number of interchangeable options which appeals to my Lego centric mind. While I figured out what was going to go where I utilized my existing studio pieces. The cabinets will be moved elsewhere but the desk, smaller cabinets, and maybe the bookcase are part of the new plan.
The house is like a one story, square donut with an atrium in the center. Sort of a scale model of a courtyard centered Roman house. The studio is placed between the dining room and hallway with a window looking into said atrium and was designed as a den or office. The hall closet creates an alcove on one side that will need a good storage solution.
Looking from the hallway door toward dining room. 
From the dining room toward the hallway door. 
The desk is one of the pieces that will stay.
Apparently being excited about getting a new rug is a sign one is an adult. Only took me sixty years to get there.
Assembly of IKEA furniture begins.Where It Was to Begin With...
My apartment was a bedroom and a great room one quarter of which was my workspace. It faced the room and tv as well as overlooking the front walk and yard so I always thought of it as the Command Center, especially after teaching school from there during Lock Down, or The Event as the OTT crew call it. I do feel I made the most out of the space I had to work in but there was nowhere to get to anything I built or painted.
The new house has a bigger space for the studio, a bedroom for the game collection and library as well as a garage for storing terrain.
Ah, the old space when I first finished setting it up. So nice and clean, covered in nothing but potential.
Just before I began packing everything up. Productive space but not a lot of horizontal surfaces showing.
