Hi Oceanna, storage is always a challenge. I feel fortunate to have some space in my laundry room to paint and store my supplies. It makes it nice that there is a sink in there too, so makes it easy to fill my water basin and wash out my brushes. A friend gave me a rotating paint rack recently, but like you, I really have no counter space for it. I currently have it just sitting on the floor beside my chair. I had bought a paint holder that hangs on the wall, but it is not easy to use. My most favorite thing is my turntable on my counter which holds my most often used paints. I also have storage in the cabinets above and below the counter. I have a couple of jars I use to hold my brushes too. I do other crafts, so my sewing machine, thread holder,glue gun, etc. all all in here too. Here's a couple pics so you can see. Luvs

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Luvs
Pleeze come organize me ;O)
Mari

Luvs, you're doing great! Is that black thing on the wall a paint organizer? That gave me the idea that we could sew something I'll bet.

I love your space! But I worry about your poor back in that it looks like you can't get your knees under your counter anywhere. Thanks for the great words and the great pics.

Marika, it only looks organized because I was only working on one project--you should see it when I have two or three going at one time. By the way the glass items on the washer were for making glass totems to go in my flower beds--they are not normally there!

Oceana, no problem with the knees, I just open the bottom cabinet doors and have plenty of knee room. The stool is an old one from the bank so it is pretty cushy and also has a foot rest on it. I bought the paint holder on the wall, but I don't like it. The pockets are too deep and it takes two hands to get the bottles in and out. That's not quick or easy.

At my last house, I was so lucky to have a whole room. Had a painting desk, sewing machine desk and three bookcases in there. The room also had a fireplace and large windows overlooking the golf course. Boy, I sure hated to give that up when we downsized so I could afford to retire!

Now you need to hear about Painting Fool's painting room. She has over 700 bottles of paint and tons of books too. Maybe she will come on here and share more about it.

And I imagine you saw the pics of the studio that Kraftlady has--now that's a painting room! ;o)

I think it was Kathi who took apart one of those revolving grid paint holders and hung the sections on the wall. That made a really good spacesaving way to store paints and they were on the wall but still easy to see and remove. I think her pics are on here in one of the posts from last year.

Oceanna, I think a desk works well, you can store paints and supplies in the drawers and just have your brush holder and brush basin on top. And the straight sided plastic shoe boxes are good for holding extra paint and can be stacked easily too.

Anyone else have any good ideas?

Luvs

Yeah! Everyone here has paint. C'mon folks, how do you store it?

Well, I don't really have a paint room. I paint in my office which is small. I have a collapsible table that I put up when I'm ready to paint. I have a heavy antique dresser that I've married with an antique shelf in the office. I store my paints lying down flat in one of the long shallow drawers (about 47 inches long 4 inches deep). It works really well for me. I have them separated out into same shades so I can find the color I want easily.
I also had a wire spice turntable I was going to get rid of, but I always look at things to see if I can re-purpose them. My paints fit it in perfectly so I can fit about 10 paint bottles in it. When I get ready to start a project, I just load up my turntable with the paints I'll need most. I've really enjoyed having it because when I have to put my project away for the day, I can just set aside my turntable and when I get ready to go back to my project all my paints are still together and ready to go. =) ~Anj

I can relate to Painting Fool. I have limited craft space but I keep 700-800 paints on my craft table at all times. That doesn't include the 8 boxes of extra paint colors I have stored on shelves along with my huge library of books which is very close to the same number as my paints. My table backs up to wall so I utilized a shelf that was already there. The pic shows a partial view - there are more paints stored off to the right. Believe it or not the bottles just stack on top of one another with braces on both sides. The weight of the surrounding bottles holds everything in place without collapsing when you pull a bottle out - it's rather a unique system and has worked well for me for years. The bottles are clearly marked on the caps with names and brand and sorted by color.
I am a book junkie and can't pass up a bargain on books or paint. LOL

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Anj, I can see where having the paints in drawers would make them very visible. It's kind of like storing spices, isn't it? I haven't found a great way to do that yet, but I do use a double-decker plastic lazy susan that I've used for years. In my last house I used two of them, but this house is smaller so I gave one to my son, who was happy to get it. I just saw the single-decker ones at Bed Bath and Beyond if anyone is looking for one.

Donna, dang! Over 700 paints? Thank you for telling us that. I thought I had a lot. Now I don't feel so guilty 'cause you just gave me permission - lol.

I really like your system because it makes the colors so visual right at eye level. It must make it easy to pick out your paints. Now you've got me thinking about hanging a single wooden box on the wall... hey, I'll bet an old orphaned drawer from the thrift store would be perfect!

Looking at the pictures posted by Luv and Donna here makes me want to sit down and start painting!

I can see I'm going to have to put some more thought into this. Thanks for the ideas, folks!

Hi yall, yes I have now more than 700 bottles and I am weeding them out as soon as they start getting yucky. I just got about 12 more bottles - some are the new colors put out by Americana - they were free from the class I took with Margot Clark. Sometimes, I don't take the paint because I have so many. I have a 3'x5' desk that has three drawers on the left and one big and one small on the right. The paint fits perfectly in the drawers and because I am an organizational freak, I have them separated by color with the name of the paint on top. If I have duplicates, which I do, I have a plastic 12 quart plastic container I store them in. I also have my brushes sorted - rounds, angles, specialty, flats, etc., in containers on a wood lazy susan. I never throw away a brush, I separate it from the goods ones and use it for doofer flowers, furs, etc. I save mayo containers or large pickle jars to store the brushes in. Then I put the containers on a large lazy susan so I can see the brushes when I need one. Most of my books are in a 4 drawer file cabinet, the old issues of the Decorative Painter are stored in a plastic file container.

I have three oak armoires that were given to me and I store everything that has to do with painting - blank ornaments, ostrich eggs, wood boxes, etc. I also have a shelf unit that is 8'w x 2' deep x 7' high. I have 12 quart plastic containers - two to a shelf - and I store my accessories and patterns on it.

I also have a wardrobe type cabinet I purchased at Walmart which is about 4'w x 2' deep x 6' high. It holds all my material (I love to sew).

Now you would think that would be enough, but the closet holds large rubbermaid containers with furs, flowers, polyfill, wreaths, etc.

The studio is one of the four bedrooms I have in our house. We no longer have children living at home so I took it because it also has its own bath. The room is only about 13'x15' but I keep everything along the walls and the desk overlooks the back yard.

I think if you have room for a desk it is the best item you can purchase (sometimes from the thrift store). Everything is within easy reach and the big drawer holds my taller items like varnish. Since the top is formica it is easy to keep clean.

I also purchase freezer paper from the grocery store to use as a palette for my acrylics. I tape it to the table and is less expensive than the palette paper you buy from the art store. I don't use styro plates because I can't stand the noise when you brush on it and it doesn't break down in the landfill easily.

When I go to a class I take what I need for the class and use a rolling scrapbook tote. The painter's tote was too expensive and I got this one for only $20 at Joann's.

I will take pictures tomorrow - after I vacuum and post it. I don't think the room is anything special but it works for me. One day I may go in and paint the furniture but right now I am too busy painting everything else.

I should add that I have a large assortment of ribbon that I keep in the dresser in the guest room along with an assortment of lace. In that room I also keep my precious embroidered scarves and pillow cases. The closets in the other two rooms are filled with Christmas things.

Wow, I am very talkative tonight!! I have plenty more to say but will wait until tomorrow. Later
Bebe

I've gotta come back and read all these post .Am just skimming thru things today.

Hi Luvs and Anj,long time no see! LOL

Anyway here's haw part of my paints are stored,i need to get another of these rack and do some more.
This is one of those revolving racks from Michaels.I just had DH cut it in 1/2 for me and mount it on the wall.

Kathi

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Hi Kathi~ good to hear from you! What are you up to? ~Anj

Wow Bebe, your setup sounds like painter's and crafter's heaven! I can't wait to see your pictures.

Kathi, thanks for posting that picture! I thought I remembered someone saying they cut their revolving rack in half. I'm glad to see a picture of it. That looks really convenient that way.

I obviously need to establish some better methods here. I'm picking up some great ideas from you all, thanks!

that a great ideas about labeling the paints bottles.