Do you all like to get to peek inside the home studio of a creative? Well, you’re in luck! Today, Hallmark Designer Allyson L. is giving us a tour of her home studio—in her detached garage. This is a place she works in after hours creating some really fun stuff. Enjoy!

My favorite thing in the world to do during my free time is make fun stuff. So, naturally, I need a place to spread out and work.

When I bought my little house in North Kansas City almost four years ago, one of the first big things I wanted to do was create a workshop space. I saw potential in the little crumbly one-car garage out back, and knew I could turn it into just the thing I needed.

So with the help of my handyman dad, I set to work on a project that I optimistically assumed would take us one or two long weekends. I was quite wrong.

After a whole summer spent knocking out the old tar roof, building a new floor, creating a side door, replacing a window, patching up brick and mortar, building shelves, completely wiring the whole garage, installing a fan and lights, and painting every surface, I was finally able to move all my studio stuff in—just in time for winter. I acquired a high-powered space heater and I was set!

I love having this place I can go dink around in, right out my back door, any time I want. I can work to my heart’s content with my dogs at my feet. In the warmer months, it’s so great to have the big garage door opened up to the yard—the neighborhood kids can stop by to visit and work on little art projects of their own, and the pups can come and go. I love being outdoors, so this is a perfect setup.

Once a week, I have an art night in the studio where friends come over with their projects and work together. It’s one of the highlights of my week, and I’m so happy to have a space big enough to share.

Surrounding me in this little garage, alongside my own finished projects, is a growing collection of artwork created by friends and art heroes, as well as thrifted treasures and other found pieces. I love to have all this stuff up around me as I work, making it a fun place to be.

The studio is still a work in progress. I have enough ideas for improving my workspace to keep myself busy for the foreseeable future. But in the meantime, I’ll always have my happy place to create and dream up new ideas.

Tag us on Instagram at @think.make.share to show us your studio! See the rest of our Hallmark home tours here.

Photography by Jane Kortright

— Allyson L.