You Don’t Need a Fancy Art Studio (Set Up a Simple Space That Actually Works)

Kerri Dixon Author

Struggling to find space for art? Learn how to create a simple, budget-friendly setup that makes it easy to start—no fancy studio needed.

You Don’t Need a Fancy Studio (Here’s How to Set One Up Anyway)

“I’ll start when I have a proper space.”

If you’ve ever said that to yourself—you’re not alone. I hear it all the time.

But here’s the truth…
Most people don’t have a space problem.
They have a setup problem.

Because if it takes effort to start, you won’t start.

And today I want to show you how to create a simple, practical art space—on a budget, in a small area, without waiting for the “perfect” studio.

Where I Started (Spoiler: Not Fancy 😅)

I didn’t start with a beautiful studio.

I started at my kitchen table.

And if you’ve ever tried to create there, you’ll know—it’s not exactly peaceful. There’s always something happening, something to clean up, someone needing the space.

So I moved out to the garage to get a bit of quiet.

Now… this wasn’t some dreamy converted studio. I was sharing it with the car.

Which meant if I wanted to do art, I had to:

• remember to leave the car outside
• bring it back in later at night
• and deal with the heat if I forgot (because car + garage = sauna 🥵)

My setup?

• A small desk at the end of the garage
• A little shelf on top
• My backing board leaning against it

And here’s my “high-tech solution”…

I hammered two nails into the desk to stop my work from slipping forward.

That was it.

That was my studio.

And you know what? It worked.

Why I Switched Mediums (And What That Taught Me)

At the time, I was working in oil paints.

But honestly? It was slowing me down.

• The setup took time
• Colour mixing took time
• Cleaning up took time

And before I even started, I’d already talked myself out of it.

That feeling of:

“Ugh… I can’t be bothered setting everything up…”

Sound familiar?

So I switched to soft pastels.

And everything changed.

Because suddenly:

• I could sit down and start straight away
• No mixing
• No long setup
• No big clean-up

It removed the friction.

And that’s the real lesson here.

The Real Problem Isn’t Space

It’s not about:

• having a spare room
• having a big desk
• having everything perfect

It’s about this:

👉 Does your setup make it easy to start?

Because if your supplies are:

• packed away
• hard to reach
• or take 10 minutes to set up

You’re going to avoid it.

Every time.

You Don’t Need More Space—You Need a Better System

I’d rather see you creating in a tiny corner
than waiting for a perfect studio that never comes.

Here are a few simple ways to make that happen 👇

Space-Saving Ideas That Actually Work

🧰 Rolling Art Cart (Your Portable Studio)

If you can keep everything in one place—and move it easily—you’ve already won.

• Top: your main supplies
• Middle: tools
• Bottom: paper or extras

You roll it out → you’re ready to go.

No setup drama.

🧺 The “Grab & Go” Art Kit

This is one of the best things you can do if you’re struggling to start.

Grab a basket or container and only include:

• your most-used pencils or pastels
• an eraser
• a sketchbook

That’s it.

Because when it feels simple… you’ll actually do it.

🎨 Pastel Storage (Make It Visible)

If you can’t see your colours, you won’t use them properly.

Something like a Dakota Pastel Box is brilliant because:

• everything is visible
• it’s organised
• it protects your pastels

But if you’re on a budget:

• bead organisers
• tackle boxes
• hardware containers

All work just as well.

🪵 Use Vertical Space

If you’re tight on room—go up, not out.

• Cube shelves
• Stackable storage
• Baskets to keep things tidy

It doesn’t need to be Pinterest-perfect.
It just needs to function.

🖼️ Easels (Small Upgrade, Big Difference)

Even a simple adjustable easel can:

• improve your posture
• give you better control
• make your space feel more “intentional”

And sometimes that little shift is enough to make you take your art more seriously.

💡 Lighting (Don’t Skip This)

Lighting is one of the most overlooked parts of a setup.

You don’t need anything fancy:

• a desk lamp
• a clip-on light
• a daylight bulb

Because bad lighting will have you thinking your art is the problem…
when it’s not.

Keep It Simple (This Is Where Most People Go Wrong)

I see this all the time…

People try to set up:

• every supply
• every option
• everything at once

And it becomes overwhelming.

So they stop.

Instead:

👉 Start with less
👉 Keep it simple
👉 Build as you go

Your Simple Action Plan

If you take nothing else from this, do this today:

1. Pick one spot
A corner, a table, a desk—anything.

2. Gather only your essentials
Not everything. Just what you need to start.

3. Make it easy to access
No digging, no unpacking.

4. Leave it ready for tomorrow

Because if it takes more than 2 minutes to start…
it’s too complicated.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t about creating a beautiful studio.

It’s about creating a space that removes excuses.

Because the artists who improve…

aren’t the ones with the best setups—

They’re the ones who made it easy to show up.

Want Help Getting Started?

If you’re ready to actually use your space—not just think about it—

Inside The Creative Barn, I’ll guide you step-by-step through what to create, how to improve, and how to build a consistent art habit (no matter how small your space is).

👉 You don’t need more time.
👉 You don’t need more space.
👉 You just need a setup that works for you.

And you can start that today... 

RIGHT HERE WITH THE CREATIVE BARN MEMBERSHIP