One of my students at last week’s plein air workshop at Sedona Art Center lives in a small space in New York. She wants a home studio but is worried about how to fit it into her apartment. When I first started painting professionally, I worked in a corner in my kitchen.
I recently got an excited video from another workshop student giving me a tour of her new studio in a spare bedroom in her house. I was thrilled because I’ve noticed that my students with a designated painting space—no matter how small—always work more consistently
A home art studio can work in a spare bedroom, a corner of the dining room or even a spot in the basement. Almost any space in a modern home beats the garrets in which some of art’s greatest masterpieces have been made.
Natural light or the next best thing
Natural light is the gold standard for painting, but in its absence there are excellent LED full-spectrum bulbs available today. My last studio had north-facing windows. My current one faces east, but it’s not much of a hardship. I just close the blinds if there’s glare. The vast majority of us don’t live in purpose-built studios, so we work with what we have.
Even with the best natural light, you’ll need supplemental lighting. Fixtures should be positioned so the light falls across your canvas and palette, not creating glare into your eyes.
Your light shouldn’t be too close or it will be uneven. Check that it doesn’t cast shadows across your canvas and palette, and that the light is more or less balanced between the two. Uneven light makes it difficult to judge your painting accurately.
Protect your walls and floors
I’m the messiest painter ever. I had a brand-new laminate floor in my kitchen, so I had a hard plastic floor mat and checked regularly for spills that escaped it.
I also had a small plastic rolling cart next to my easel in which I kept my brushes, paints and supplies. Efficiency mattered more than aesthetics. Everything was within easy reach.
Ventilation
For pastelists, a HEPA filter will keep dust down, which reduces the health risk of powdered pigments. That doesn’t work for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) so oil painters will need an exhaust fan. It doesn’t have to be complicated; your kitchen fan will probably be sufficient. Or, simply crack open a window.
Don’t wash your brushes in the kitchen sink
I’ve had utility sinks in all my houses, and I’ve washed my brushes there. On the road I sometimes wash them in the shower. If you have no choice, be sure to wipe out the sink thoroughly when you’re done, and don’t wash brushes over your dishes.
Choose the right easel
Your easel should hold your work securely and at a comfortable height. I started with this style single-mast easel (the exact model is no longer available) and eventually graduated to this model, which I still use today. If you have a pochade box or plein air easel, you can always use them in the house as well.
The smaller the space, the more organized you have to be
Nothing kills momentum like hunting for tools or supplies. Keep your brushes together in jars or where you can see them. Store paints in a shallow box or drawer so colors are visible at a glance. You don’t need lots of materials. In fact, less is usually more when it comes to art supplies.
Leave room to step back
You must be able to step back to judge your work. Arrange your workspace so you can easily step back six or eight feet away from your canvas. That may mean standing in front of the stove, but you can give the risotto a quick stir while you’re there.
Make it a place you want to work
You don’t need a grand atelier for serious work. What you need is a functional space where painting becomes a habit rather than a logistical challenge. Make it comfortable and inviting and you’re more likely to develop a regular painting habit.
Registration is now open for workshops in 2026! Reserve your spot:
- Advanced Plein Air Painting | Rockport, ME, July 13-17, 2026
- Sea & Sky | Acadia National Park, ME, August 2–7, 2026
- Find your Authentic Voice in Plein Air | Berkshires, MA, August 10-14, 2026
- New! Color Clinic 2026 | Rockport, ME, October 3-4, 2026
- New! Composition Week 2026 | Rockport, ME, October 5-9, 2026
Can’t commit to a full workshop? Work online at your own pace:
Having a space that I didn’t have to stow away after each painting session made a big difference to my work. It was our smallest bedroom, and originally the bed was still in there. I set up my still lifes on a cooler sitting on the bed and used my plein air easel. There was a window I could open and bathroom across the hall with a good fan. Once our son left home and we could take the bed out, I added an old modular desk and lots of cardboard boxes. It was my own space just for painting, and it was great. Now I have a bigger room with a wall of closets, lots of shelves and Ikea drawers and bookcases, and Home Depot shelving. It’s a dream come true!
I didn’t even think of the bathroom exhaust fan… Excellent idea. Thank you!
While I work on the dining room table I have zipper topped, over the shoulder bags……each one for a different media…..acrylic, watercolour, gouache and a plein air back pack for oils….all ready for going out to weekly art class/group. Each comes out when needed and allows me to be versatile in any medium…..and somewhat organized. At the dining room table I have company while I paint and a good critic to help as I stand back to view how far the painting has gotten. In the early days it was my kids while they did homework and I painted……now it is my hubby as we are retired and he enjoys seeing me paint and knows it is good for my soul. I dream of a studio but like the companionship at the dining room table. For Zoom classes I use a spare guest bedroom desk.
When I painted in my kitchen, it gave me an opportunity to engage with my four young children as well!
Thanks! Pretty much everything you said has applications for a good sewing room as well!
True dat, Barb!