Hello sweet friends. I hope you all are well. A few weeks back I mentioned that Sweet Guy is giving up his college campus apartment and moving back home. He has just one short semester left so it made no sense to pay for an entire year’s lodging. The money saved will go towards his upcoming wedding and future newlywed home. This means I need to find a new location for my sewing space within Storybook Cottage. We settled upon the sunroom that is just off of the main living room. It is separated by a pair of French doors. With such upheaval, I decided to have some fun in Planning A 19th Century Creative Space.
The Old Sewing Space
Four years ago I set up a sewing space in a small front bedroom here in our home. I have been so thankful for the luxury of having a designated area in which to create.
When I originally set up the room I used old cast offs and beat up bookcases to create storage and sewing areas. You can see what it all looked like in this old video.
If you wish to view the video in a larger format just click on the black box in the lower left hand corner that says Watch on YouTube.
Emma 2020
The challenge of this new sewing space is that it will be seen by everyone walking through the front door of Storybook Cottage. So pretty storage is a must. I put on my thinking cap and thought about how historical modistes (someone who makes and sells fashionable dresses and hats for women) milliners and habadashers of days gone by would set up their shops. Often it was a small area in their homes or within a larger mercantile that they would display the tools of their trade.
Let’s start with the beginning of the 19th century. The habadasher shop in 2020 film Emma is absolutley enchanting.
Large windows let in amazing light so that customers can see eveything in the best light. I am overjoyed that our sunroom has two lovely and tall windows.
Much of the hard furnishings (cabinets, counters, and display cabinets) are in a light neutral shade. This allows the gorgeous pops of color found in the fabric, tassels and more to shine.
Hooks and baskets help to organize the goods.
Thread and other notions are displayed in clear glass jars.
Cranford
In the 2008 BBC production of Cranford the habadashery is tucked into the corner of the local mercantile.
Everything is compactly but neatly displayed.
It’s a very similar set up in Oleson’s Mercantile that I wrote about a few months ago.
The mercantile also made me think of Mrs. Whipple, the town dressmaker in Walnut Grove, who ran her shop out of her home.
The Sisters Pratt
A truly fabulous shop that doubles as a home belongs to Ruby and Pearl Pratt. They are the dazzling duo of fashion in Larkrise To Candleford.
Again, we see light colored cabinetry on which brightly colored notions are displayed.
They use lovely shelves to display their gorgeous ribbons.
Soft wall colors in pastels shades of rose and plum help to define different areas.
You also see framed dressmaker prints throughout the home.
Small round tables amd chairs are available for the comfort of customers or wayward fathers.
Planning A 19th Century Creative Space
For the past few months we have been repairing our home’s foundation as well as fixing some plumbing issues. I am happy to say that most of the unthrilling prep work is almost finished. As we have had damage to our flooring it has to be replaced and that will happen in the next few weeks. Then I can set up shop!
In preparation for this I have given away all of the plastic storage and old Ikea furntiure I was previously using. My plan was to find free or low cost antiques to fill this space. On Facebook marketplace I set alerts for white, light and pine armoires with a very low price point. Honestly I didn’t think anything would come up. However, after a few weeks this beauty showed up in my feed.
Even more unbelieveable it was being offered for FREE.
I was the second person to respond to the ad and thought disapointedly, “Well that’s that.”
But a week later the owner contacted me and said that the first person failed to measure their ceilings and the piece would not fit in their home. It was mine if I wanted it!
So, Mr. Decor and I set out to bring this massive beauty home. (Yes, this was all before my accident in which I broke my jaw and teeth.)
Part of why the owner was giving it away for free as because the interior doors were covered in stickers.
It took me a few hours to remove them all as well as to give her a good cleaning but just look at that storage!!!
Madame de Garderobe
I call her Madame de Garderobe after the armoire in Beauty and the Beast.
I’m still searching for a work desk and some bookcases that will also give me the look I am after.
This will be a fun journey and I hope you will come along.
Laura
That armoire is so gorgeous! And for free! Wow! I don’t know if you’re familiar with the art work of Paula Vaughan, but she often painted sewing spaces like this, except for darker woods. I like the lighter woods, myself, But otherwise, antique-looking sewing spaces. I always wanted something like that but figured antiques would be too expensive. That was long before eBay and Facebook Marketplace. My sewing space has a lot of plastic and cheap cabinets, but I will enjoy yours vicariously! Maybe someday I’ll transform mine as well.
I hope you are continuing to heal!
Love your site!
Katie
Beautiful Laura….what a find and obviously close by. I can’t wait to see your new space. take care my friend…prayers and blessings during your recovery.
Cannot believe you got such a gorgeous armoire for free! The sewing angels are definitely looking out for you!
Praying for a swift recovery and hope you are feeling better, Laura.
~ carol
I love the look you are going for & can’t wait to see the final results! Madame Garderobe est tres belle!
Wow, Laura, that armoire is beautiful, as is the finish. In the first picture, I thought it was in a movie set. Well, you certainly deserve some good luck. I need to look up when Turkey Red came into use because I was thinking just now, they must have had red that didn’t bleed to make pink. The colors of those women’s clothing is utterly delightful, like violet and mint sherbet. As a woman who is usually wearing jeans and a denim shirt., sleeveless, half sleeve, short-sleeve, long sleeve, I often think that I am really dumb for looking like a rag-a-muffin. I’ve always loved denim and I do a lot of things that get my clothing dirty. I don’t wear it to town, but I’m hardly ever in town. I ordered nice (nicer) looking clothes this spring for working and it didn’t help at all. Last night, Laura, when I’m trying to sleep I thought, “I wonder if Laura is able to sleep with a wired jaw. ” I hope so. . I think I would feel like this: WAKE ME WHEN IT IS OVER. I have been very careful with making sure there is nothing in my pathway since that happened to you. You probably saved a lot of your friends here from something like that happening to them.
Love the new cabinet and ….WOW!!!! Even FREE!!!! Sometimes things are just meant to be!!! I moved and now have my creative space in an office….no closet!!! Boxes were stacked for months. Then I walked into a Habitate Resale Store and came upon the perfect armoire . The color matched the dresser in there AND it was $40.00….delivered!!!! SCORE!!!
Can’t wait to see the completed room…I know it will be lovely.
Hope you are doing well.
Oh Laura, what a fun post. It was so interesting to see the film stills and their ideas and then hear your own. You’re right — if you’re right off the entrance, the old ways won’t work anymore. That armoire is just fabulous and well done getting it home. I can’t wait for the next chapter!
That armoire was an amazing find! I can’t wait to see the finished space. 😀
What an exciting project! I admit being a bit envious. My small apartment doesn’t offer an option for a “sewing area”, so I have to haul my sewing machine and all related sewing equipment out every time I sew, and use my dining table to sew. But I am blessed to at least be able to do that, and I make it work. Your sewing area is going to be gorgeous! I love your 19th century theme idea! And….oh…..that armoire……what a beautiful find…..and for free!! I can’t wait to see it filled with your beautiful trims and sewing accessories. I am so glad you are going to be able to have a beautiful, historically-inspired space where you can create the sweet, precious projects you so lovingly bring to life. I am continuing to pray for your swift and complete recovery from your fall. Sending hugs and love, sweet friend.