The Modern Cottage Company

s t o r a g e 

{and i need some advice}

Before I start off this post I wanted to say I was supposed to give myself this day off. I have been working non-stop through the weekends the last few weeks. I can't help myself but work, I enjoy it and I feel obligated. But after this post, answering a ton of work emails, and posting furniture dimensions I am going to not work today {if I say that enough to myself maybe I won't feel guilty for not working}.

Lately I have been having a problem with storing finished projects, custom that I am working on, and pieces for "claim it before I paint it". I have the small studio out back of my home that holds all finished pieces, one or two big pieces that I am either storing or working on, and the rest goes in my basement work area. I have a big basement, it would hold 15 pieces but it isn't a walkout, and you have to turn a corner to get furniture down there. It works ok, but I found myself last week with big pieces of  furniture stored in the middle my living room, and this drives me nuts. It makes me feel overwhelmed when I don't have a place for my everything. 

I bought this huge stacked dresser last week that might end up replacing my stacked dresser on my stairs that is possibly going to my client Jennah, or she might take the new dresser I bought. In the mean time of us sorting it out, I needed a place to put this guy. I looked around and put him in the corner of my family room, and I actually like it there! I don't care for the brown wood {you know how I have a problem with too much brown in a room} but I think once Jennah and I decide on a dresser for her, I have a dresser in mind that I might custom paint for myself and put here. I know I am probably breaking a thousand feng shui rules by putting a dresser in a corner where I can't open all of the drawers with the couches in the way, but I don't care. I like the height of it and when you are in the room it "brings the room in" a bit and makes it cozier for a family room. Did you notice how I am accessorizing more? I am accessorizing so much you can't sit on or couches without throwing off five pillows, but it tones down the brown leather couches that we are stuck with until the kids are older.

Ok, now back to my storage issue. I was thinking that I might get a booth at antique store instead of selling out of my home studio. I would still paint custom pieces out of my studio but in a booth I could have pieces that I chose to paint my way and other fun things like chalkboards, fun lamps, etc. 

I have been hesistant to get a booth because I am not totally sure it fits with the modern cottage style, I would certainly stick out. I would visit once a week to restock and take pictures for ads. But I would have no idea what has or has not sold, I can see how this would frustrate my good clients who don't want to have to drive to the store and see that a piece they want was already sold. My philosophy on the booth would be, if it is at the store, I would let the store answer questions about the pieces. I think I would annoy them by calling them everyday asking if a piece had sold or not. The great thing about a booth is the traffic I would get, there are people who are not interested in coming to my home studio to look at pieces. I do lose some client contact which can be good time saver for me but I also like that part of my job.

I am interested in hearing what you all think about me getting a booth. Would you go to a stuffy antique store to buy my pieces or do you think I should stick with selling out of my home studio?