Does Form Help Function?

I’ll admit it…I’m a scrap space tweaker. But trial and hopefully not too much error have gradually gotten me to a work space that allows me to create fairly efficiently and also store my embarrassingly large stash of supplies in a reasonable amount of space. So, it works well…but how does it look?

I’ve always thought it didn’t matter too much how it looked. After all, my entire home is not exactly Architectural Digest. It’s comfortable and lived-in. So why should my scrap space be any different? Function before form is the important thing, right?

Then several things happened. First, as you may have read previously here, I painted my scraproom a lovely shade of green. I was thrilled with how it turned out – and even more thrilled with how the new environment invigorated my creativity. I began to think about actually decorating my space instead of just making it practical. I began to see that just maybe beautifying my environment could help beautify my scrapbook pages.

Then I read the July issue of Scrapbooks, Etc. and saw Polly Maly’s scrap space transformation. Her space’s “before” picture looked a lot like mine. But what really got my attention was the “after” pictures. The room was painted a green somewhat similar to my room’s new color. We use some of the same storage solutions, like ribbon jars and vertical paper storage, in our rooms. But as I looked at the pictures of her room I realized what I liked about it most was the restfulness of it. With almost everything behind the closed doors of cabinets, the room looks peaceful and there are places for the eye to rest. How wonderful would it be to scrap surrounded by that kind of calm, I thought to myself?

So I decided to not only think about practical in my scrap space. I decided to let myself think about pretty. I decided that it wasn’t just a luxury to “decorate” my scrap space, but an effort that could provide as much return in creative rewards as my efforts at practical organizing. With that in mind, I have begun to make some changes to my space that I will be sharing with you soon. I have removed a piece of furniture that wasn’t being used enough to warrant it’s taking up space. I have moved some of the plastic drawers out of sight into the closet and replaced them with photo storage boxes, and other prettier storage. And the best thing? Surprisingly, I think I’ve managed to make my space a bit more workable in the process!

Once I finish with the storage I will start on the walls. I even have some projects planned to decorate them with! I can’t wait to share the results with the scrap world!

Don’t just think practical about your workspace. Your environment can influence your state of mind, and your creativity. Be nice to your environment…you might just find it beautifies your scrapbook pages too!