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by debi bryant
Several years ago, artist Laura Lopez realized she was not properly nurturing her artistic nature. At the time, she worked on her choreography in the garage, making do by laying down a few rugs and leaning mirrors against the wall.
But then she had an epiphany: “I really wanted to claim my artistic side. I realized that my creativity was important enough to reflect in the outside world,” she says. So she converted her garage to a dance studio with wooden floors and floor-to-ceiling mirrors.
From full studios to craft corners — and everything in between — homeowners are claiming their creative sides and their creative spaces in ever-larger numbers. In its Home Design Trends Survey for the second quarter of 2005, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) found that 30 percent of the firms surveyed reported an increase in the popularity of hobby/game rooms.
FINDING FOOTAGE
Just about every home has some unused square footage that can be converted into a creative space. A spare bedroom, a nook in the kitchen, the attic, the utility room, even a closet. It may require some ingenuity; for instance, if you choose to redo a guest bedroom, David Linda, president of SpaceMan Home Office Inc., suggests putting in a wall bed. “It doesn’t take up a lot of space and when your in-laws come to visit, they can still be accommodated. It’s a way to have and not have at the same time,” he says.
As happened with Lopez, garages are likely candidates, and Linda is seeing an increase in garage makeovers here in Houston.
“The ’80s were the decade of the kitchen and the ’90s emphasized the master bath. About seven years ago, the spotlight was on the closet. Now it seems like garages are getting the attention. Garages used to represent about 2 percent of our business, but we think they will be our No. 1 area of growth for 2007,” he says.
Ron Hankamer of Closet Factory says an increasing number of his clients want hobby and crafts spaces. “We get quite a few requests for well-organized craft areas,” he says. “People want space where they work at a table and have storage space nearby. We’re also seeing an increasing number of people who want gift-wrapping stations in their homes.”
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RESOURCES
CALIFORNIA CLOSETS
Main Showroom
Decorative Center of Houston
5120 Woodway Drive, Suite 215
713.785.0111
www.calclosets.com
CLOSET FACTORY
2530 Old Louetta Loop, Suite 128
Spring, 281.355.7676
www.closetfactory.com
CLOSETS AND STORAGE CONCEPTS
713.996.0731
www.closetandstorageconcepts.com
CLOSETS BY DESIGN
www.closetsbydesign.com
PBteen
www.pbteen.com
SPACEMAN HOME OFFICE, INC.
3556 West T.C. Jester
713.688.8808
www.spacemanager.com
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