Why a space for creative pursuits should be practical and inspiring

Taken up painting? Or perhaps you’ve carved out a nook for knitting. Whatever your craft, it’s important to marry function and feeling in the space dedicated to it. “You want your craft room to have a layout that supports your workflow, where your desk or workbench catches the best light and your core tools are within easy reach,” says Jessica Clayworth, lead designer at Morris & Co.

“Beyond that, it’s about building an environment that feels genuinely inspiring.” For basket weavers Annemarie O’Sullivan and Tom McWalter of Studio Amos, this meant drenching their home workshop in Morris & Co’s paint in Inky Fingers (seen right).

“It’s so wonderfully dark, painterly and atmospheric,” says Annemarie. “We also love the story behind the colour, which was inspired by an observer arriving at William Morris’s studio to find him ‘up to the elbows’ in indigo. You can just imagine the dye ingrained into the creases of his hands and around the nails.”

Soften the industrial look of tools and equipment with rugs and throws. Shelves of chaos can be concealed with cabinet curtains (seen above in the home studio of furniture-makers Sebastian and Brogan Cox), with only the aesthetically pleasing objects on view.

As for lighting? Layer it. “Combine focused lamps at your workstation or crafting table to prevent eye strain, with low-level table or floor lamps to warm up darker corners,” says Jessica.

Looking for home inspiration beyond your craft room? You’ll find some gorgeous pieces for autumn below.

Living room trends: enticing colour pairings for the cosy season