Visit Alison Laurence's Studio (Auckland, New Zealand)

There are a few advantages of being an “empty nester” and one is that you can take over the space formerly held by the children. I now have the entire rumpus room to call “my studio”. The room is about 10m x 5m but with a sloping roof, so that wall is used for storage.






This particular room is upstairs and because we have street access both to the front and back of our house, I have level access when carrying sewing machines and such paraphernalia to my car.







I use a table tennis table for sewing and cutting – just because it has always been there! – and I love the space it offers

I only have a few drawers for fabric and all the accessories that are collected over the years – I have been quilting for just four or five years so haven’t amassed the quantities - yet. And, I only buy for the project I am working on at the time.

I have a small design wall which I can move around but when working on a larger project I have a portable frame that I can bring out. I also have a table for drawing or designing, a radio and TV (and the piano that never gets played now the children have gone, but where else can you house it!).

But often for me the best place for auditioning is on the floor!

And I use an old courier bag as my rubbish bin - I never empty it until I have completed a project just in case I want to dive back in there for a pattern piece or bit of fabric!

The room is large enough for a seating area when people come to “visit” – my husband might bring a glass of wine at the end of the day One wall is entirely windows with a bi fold door at the end which looks out towards the city.