Our house is small. Ten or eleven squares by the reckoning of the guy who did our home energy audit. Space is at a premium. With two home offices, two small children, books and toys competing for space, our rooms have to work multiple roles.Enter the bean cupboard. I've had this old, little wardrobe for eleven years. It's been painted multiple times, worked as a storage space, an 'entertainment' unit (back when we had a tiny TV), a wardrobe for the kids' clothes, and in its latest incarnation: craft cupboard.
My husband and I painted it with simple non-toxic acrylic paints just before our first child was born, four and a bit years back (he painted the praying mantis). As we painted, we imagined our yet to be born child adding his or her bugs and birds to the bean storks.
So it seems only fitting that the cupboard has lately become a repository for all the scrapbooks, paints, pencils, scissors, salvaged cardboard, coloured paper and raffia that have been cluttering window sills, cupboards, the fridge top, and book shelves. (Of course, as these photos show, the bean cupboard already has new clutter on top, but at least it is creative work-in-progress, and all in one space.)
The cupboard sits in our kitchen, ready to transform our dining table into a creative space.
The impetus for this little transformation came when my son, Nikos, said: 'You know what I like best in the world, Mum? Being creative.' This little phrase made me take my son's creative life more seriously (much more seriously than I have my own, with my pencils and paints hastily stored under the bed!).
I realised that if he was to going to enjoy creating, when he wanted to, then he would need to have things ready to hand. (Nothing disperses the urge to create than having to wait for Dad or me to get them ready.)
Without space for an art room, I could have despaired. Instead, I found Soule Mamma Amanda Blake Soule's excellent book The Creative Family at our local library. Inside its pages I founda very simple solution: a kitchen art & craft cupboard.
And, of course, I had just the cupboard for it, ready to take on its new, kitchen-transforming role.
Such a joy to read about creativity in the young. Aren't you clever, you all to find such a place and space for the things they need, your little ones. A lovely post, Ruth.
ReplyDeleteI don't mean to sound soppy, but this one heartens me, and makes me feel jealous for the ordinary joys of childhood.
Nothing hastened finding this solution than the sudden burst of cold, wet weather!
ReplyDeleteAn ordinary childhood is precisely what I'm aiming for. And in doing so, I know that I'm seeking to give Nikos and Sophia what I took as given: a simple childhood, playing in the garden, making things with pencils, scissors and textas.
what a fabulous idea - I think my better half needs one....we are shipwrecked in creative materials!
ReplyDeleteI'm about to add my craft stash to the cupboard too, GG. I just need to put in an extra shelf. I think it'll be good for me to do the odd (hasty) sketch alongside the kids, and for them to dabble in 'grown-up' tools.
ReplyDeleteWe've inherited an old side board which is currently being transformed into our art cupboard in the dining room with a similar motivation. I really like having our 2 and 4 year olds pottering about while I'm next door in the kitchen - we chat, I pop my head around to check out the art work and they have no interest in the TV in the next room - for a while at least. And here's to an ordinary childhood - lots of mess and creativity.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Christine, about having creating happening in a casual way, close by. It makes it seem so ordinary, something to do everyday. It become natural to turn toilet rolls into cellophane telescopes, and boxes into train platforms.
ReplyDeleteI also like being able to do the dishes and gaze out the window (for me, a very productive thinking time), and then just being able to turn around when the kids need me: when they've had some productive breakthrough (Nikos), or when they've got tired and thrown the crayons in a fit of artistic rage (Sophia).
I loved that idea from the Creative Family, too! And would have totally put it into practice except that our kitchen barely fits the essentials in it.
ReplyDeleteI love the painted cupboard, and especially the idea that your children would add their personal touches to it. Awesome.
I've just bought and painted a second-hand cupboard for this very purpose. I did try various options prior to buying it but materials still ended up everywhere (as you aptly wrote). Now it will all be in one place and within easy reach for the kids (as will mine).
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of painting a picture on it rather than just using a solid paint colour.
Creativity anytime at any age is the motto to live by! Glad to read that you'll have a shelf in the cupborad too - the kids will get much joy from watching you enjoying your creative work.
Thanks for a great post!
Mags (WA)