Wherever we live, I need a sewing room :),  a place to cut out fabric and leave my machine up all the time.  It should be a place out of the direct path of traffic, since I am a bit of a mess.  A lot of my sewing students just don't have an extra room to dedicate to sewing, and I'm so pleased to find some alternatives.

Below is a photo from Martha Stewart.  They converted a pair of bookcases to a craft studio with a set of castors and hinges.  This could easily be adapted to a sewing studio.  Notice the use of a pegboard, painted to match the rest of the area.  Shelves were deliberately placed to allow the unit to close completely and still leave an overhang at which to work.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/bookcase-armoire-how-to?&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/25-bedroom-organizers#slide_19

The same idea can be adapted to use an extra closet.  The picture below is from Steven and Chris:  http://www.cbc.ca/stevenandchris/2009/06/decor_on_a_dime_home_office_1.html

I love how they used the doors for extra storage space with pegboards on the bottom half and cork board on the top. Replace the computer with a sewing machine and the office supplies with craft tools and you have an instant sewing room that you can shut the door and hide. I love how the mirror makes it feel less closed in, almost like a window.

In these photos and the photo in the post about closet curtains I noticed that I loved the look because of all the work the designer put into choosing colors and making the area feel cohesive and coordinated.  I'm going to stretch myself in this area.  I tend to use what is free and available and not worry so much on how it looks.  I can still use the free and available, but a can of spray paint would work wonders to make it all coordinate!

It's not an office closet, but this pantry photo from Martha Stewart is another example.  It's way over the top, but notice how the scissors, funnel, exacto knive, water jug, and bleach bottle all share the same tone and color as the wall and printed stripe on the tablet?  All the pictures on her site (in the organizing section) are similarly monochromatic.  It's a peaceful feeling–clean and organized.  I like it, but is it boring?  Is it possible to achieve in real life?

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/25-kitchen-organizers#slide_13

Here's a link to a jaw dropping beautiful and huge sewing room:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/athomesewing/ Lots of ideas there.

And another link to a list of over 100 different real person sewing rooms: http://www.younge.com/sewing%20rooms.htm

And a final tip: When planning your sewing space pay lots of attention to having plenty of light.