datura, I'd love to help, but there's no links for you photos.
Do you have a photobucket account? If so you can copy and paste the HTML code into your message and the photo will show up once you preview your message.

And I know why you picked those colors. They were cool in the eighties.

Forgot the pictures.
Oh no, it's not working. will try later

thanks justgotabme, No, I don't have a photobucket account. I tried to a couple years ago but screwed it up. I'm not very computer compatable - I can screw up the easiest task.

my son says our internet is too slow - the freezing weather really takes a toll on surfing the web. I was able to get a pic up here last year.

Is there anyone that I could e-mail two pictures to so they could post them for me.

I can do it for you! I just sent you a message. Let me know if you don't get it!

thank you so much maxsam

Here you are!

You have the same, or similar, cabinets as the ones Punamytsike posted recently. A couple of us suggested she contact someone on the Cooking forum who had the same cabinets and transformed them with paint. Her name is AnnT in case you want to contact her.

would your DH consider painting the cabs? are you looking for wall color? My first thought was a light gray or white. But not too long ago, someone posted something about some bright countertops where the suggestion was to paint the walls to match!! It made the bold counter top color blend in more than you would think and maybe that would work with your cabinets?

Maybe with some more full shots of the room? you might get someone to photoshop some colors for you.

You said you haven't done any sewing for 10 years. Will this still be a sewing room when you are finished? If so, what kind of sewing will you be doing?

First of all, my DH would shoot me if I suggested painted them. He use to teach woodworking and goes nuts when people paint over "nice" wood.
I was a Home Ec teacher and I sewed everything - even a laether suit for DH years ago. I have a huge stock of fabrics - beautiful silks, linens, wools and ultrasuede, etc. I guess I just got so busy with other things especially since DH retired SO the room became "the junk room". Everytime we had company, I'd toss the junk in the kitchen in a box or bag and it would go into the sewing room. After 10 year (NO it's been 15 years) I could hardly move atround in there. Thanks goodness the washer/dryer was on the end by the door. I'm cleaning it out now - most of the boxes of junk have gone in the trash but I still have a lot of work. Not sure if I can or really want to take a picture until I'm finished - which I'm planning to do as soon as I can. I can only go thru so much of that stuff at a time. We end up sitting down for hours looking through the stuff.
So, I'm really excited to get it cleaned and painted. I have a kitchen sink in there and use to use it as a prep and clean up area for parties. I'd use my 4X8 cutting table for food setup and my kitchen would stay nice and clean.
Do you sew dekeoboe
I'll see if I can bring up Punamytsike's old post.

thanks everyone

Oh I almost asked you to email your photos to me. I'm glad you got them posted.
Anyway you wouldn't need to paint over the wood, just the laminate. Not an easy task but doable with the right primer. Though if you can live with this color, it's really not as bad as I expected, I would. If you have a window I'd search your fabric stash for something that would work for curtains and work from there on the wall color.
Good luck organizing. If you need help there be sure to check out the Organizing forum here at the garden web.

Since you aren't able to paint the cabinets, perhaps you could cover the pink laminate with a strippable vinyl wallpaper. There are so many styles and colors available, then if you wanted to change the look later, it isn't permanent like paint or laminate. You are lucky to have a large craft room, so hope you can make it a pleasing place that will inspire your sewing. I haven't sewed in about 30 years, but am getting my machine set up in a closet and looking forward to getting engrossed in the quest for fabric again. Looking forward to the final pictures.

I quilt, and I like to have quilts hanging on the walls in my sewing room. Therefore, I don't want a "color" on the wall because the same color won't work for all quilts.

justgotabeme, thanks for the offer - maybe I'll need you to help some other time. The house is 25 years old so every room need a remake. I just finished making my son's old room into a guest room - took me a year to find what I wanted and I still need something for the wall above each bed. I've never been to the organizing board - I'll check it out.

vampiressrn, not sure if my DH would go with the wallpaper on the cabnets. I have probably more than 25 feet of upper cabnets, a 3 foot wide tall unit plus all the lower units. I think I'd rather try to find a paint color for the walls to tone down the pink color. The only wall surface needing paint would be above the cabnets, between them and on the botton in the corners where the chairs go and one small wall. I have one window on the west side - it is into the three season room. The room would be real dark without it so I hate to put anything over it. I like to be able to go in to find something without turning on a light.

dekeoboe. I did a little quilting years ago. At the botanical gardens that I volunteer at, we have a huge fall flower/quilt show. They are just beautiful. Nancy Zieman usually has one on display. Do you have any pictures of your quilts on any forums here?

thanks for the replies.

Since the room isn't a main living space, I would be inclined to have fun with it and play up the mauve.

Two possible options would be something like the dark magenta or a softer, slightly more yellow, version of the dark sea green on the website below. Clicking on one of the named colors makes it the border color and allows you to see how it would look against your cabinets and counter.

Here is a link that might be useful: Color chart

thanks for the link to the color chart.

I went shopping all day yesterday and spent some time at the paint store. I came up with four colors I thought might work:

grey, burgundy, magenta or green.

We are on the same path.

Your site is perfect to compare them.. thanks so much.

I'm glad that site helped - please post some "after" photos when you are done:-)

People often tend to be somewhat conservative, and understandably so, in their main living areas, so it is nice to have a room where you can go a little more crazy and have some fun. Lucky you to have such a large room for all your sewing :-)

akrogirl,

Thanks again, I loved playing with that site.

My favorite color is the magenta BUT my husband and son both said no. The problem is that the one full wall in the sewing room is right in view from the kitchen island. There are two doors going into it. One is in the kitchen and the other is off the hall. If it was one of the other walls with all the cabinets, the color wouldn't be so bright.

They think I should be conservative and go with a grey. I have lots of cleaning in there so we don't need to decide yet.

Looking at the mauve and grey, I'm thinking Miami and Flamingos. Embrace the color, grasp it firmly and go right over the edge with it.
http://flamingowinds.com/regular.html
http://www.art.com/products/p10046883-sa-i718114/paul-brent-flamingo-paradise-repose.htm

Try the method explained at the link for picking colors: you might end up with a totally unexpected color.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picking Paint Colors

You could remove some of the doors to make open shelving cabinets and store stuff in some pretty baskets just to break up all the cabinets (25' sounds like tons of cabinets to me). Using your sewing skills you could also do a skirting (like they had on old vanities) over some of the cabinets to hide your bolts of material and other sewing supplies.

If DH used to woodwork could he reface the cabinets so they were nice wood instead of laminate? It might be a fun project for him.

If not I agree go for the mauve! Find some fun artwork or some fabric that coordinates with the mauve and pick a color from there. Maybe a tropical print to complement what you have in there already.

Make sure you post some pictures!

Skirt pictures:

http://designholeonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/skirted-under-counter.gif

http://www.veranda.com/cm/veranda/images/estates-greystone-great-house-46-0309_LG-74901181.jpg

A pretty print or stripe with mauve and grey would be nice with grey walls and some willow baskets (you could make matchning fabric liners for some) on on open shelving.

I also would let the pinky cabinets be your lead! You said one wall is viewed from the kitchen, do you not have a door you can shut? Is this room open to the kitchen? If so, may we see picks of the kitchen? Pretty Please?
I am also a quilter and I personally LOVE a happy space to work.....I'll go snap a few pictures and then come back and post a link.
Sue
Ps...I "pretend" listen to my husband when he offers opinion on paint color and usually he could care less!

I hope this works!
Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Sue's Quilting Studio

I'll get some pictures posted but the room is so torn apart - I need to clean it up a little first. Yes, there is a door from the kitchen into the sewing room. It's a pocket door. I've been closing it lately when we have company but I like to use that room as a prep area when I have a party so I really want to start leaving it open.

Sue, your studio is wonderful.. I love it!!!!! That green is my favorite color and all the windows makes the room so inviting. What a fabulous location to work. Love your cabnet where you store your fabric. What did you do with the ceiling? You have great taste!! Thanks for sharing.

Now, lets see some of your quilts!!!

I had to run into the appliance store to pick up something for my new cooktop and I'm thinking I should replace my washer/dryer so I stopped to look. They had a red set and I fell in love with it. I don't think it's really a true RED. I need to go back with one of my doors and see how it looks but I have to go out of town next week for a board meeting and have to do my volunteer stuff so I may not be able to get into town for two weeks. If I end up getting them, then I think I may have to use a grey for the walls.

Sue, is that your room? If so...be honest...is that your entire fabric stash? :oP Come on now....tell the truth....

(If it is don't tell me because I'm afraid my DH might read this thread and think that's reasonable) heh heh

Datura, how about having some fun with your paint? Do a gray wall, but also make it a stripe..say a foot wide stripes done with a gloss sheen and a flat (same paint, just different sheens). You can easily do this by using the flat paint for your base coat on the entire wall, then just tape off the glass stripes and apply one coat of gloss (two of flat, one of gloss over the flat).

I'm designing my sewing room as we speak myself. I think I'll be doing an IKEA white for the furniture and counter tops and the fireplace wall is painted white (where I'll hang work in progress). But the balance of the walls are brick so red is going to have to be my color of choice. Sometimes we work with what we have :)

You know, as I type this I'm thinking that the fireplace wall might make a great rolled fabric storage wall....hummm I gotta think on that one :) Do you store fabric on rolls?

Back the train up igloochic, YOU have a fireplace in your sewing room????????

Red and white sounds so fresh.

I think I'll just going to put my thoughts on hold until I decide if i should get the washer/dryer. I had planned to get an LG but my salesguy (who I have known for years) says don't. They are having so many repair issues with them. This one is a duet. I had wanted a steam one but the more i talk to people, they really don't use that feature. TOO many decisions. It took me a year to decide on my kitchen island appliances, sinks and faucets.

Datura & Igloo, you both are too funny! Yes it's my room and
Ofcourse I have more fabric....about 10 rubbermaids in the basement! These happen to be my current favs!

Datura, we have Duets (love, love, love them) I have friend with LG and her clothes are regularly fried in the drier. Really, really hot. I'm surprised that something hasn't caught fire.....

Igloo, where are the pictures??! We need to see your room too!
Dat, the red washer and dryer could be gorgeous in your room. I love red (and green and pink and orange)
Anyway, I included a link for some quilts I've made.
Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: some of the quilts I've made

LOL Datura...dosen't everyone have a fireplace in their sewing room? :oP

Actually it's just what I said, a fireplace wall :) There used to be a fireplace but it's been bricked up. So what I have is a brick wall that's been painted white that cuts off one corner of the room. It's an old victorian house. There used to be 5 fireplaces in the basement :) Then when it became a private hospital they took a couple out from the basement to have room for private nurses to stay in a suite with patients heated by just one fireplace per suite. We're fireplace heavy here LOL I know of nine more on the main floors (4 are in existance now). I get my fair share of mantel decorating heh heh

Here's the link to my sewing room musings and plans. I posted it on the kitchen forum because I wanted to see if anyone had compared kitchen cabs to IKEA kitchen cabs. My room used to be the coal storage room in the very early days, so the floor isn't level which proposes unique challenges since I don't want to drill into the wall (so no upper cabs in my sewing room).

Sue...I KNEW THERE WAS MORE!!! No self respecting quilter could work with that limited selection LOL (ok I say that to make myself feel better heh heh) I'm seriously considering limiting my fabric intake to only as much as will fit in the sewing room.....crazy huh? heh heh

Here is a link that might be useful: Igloo's sewing room still in her imagination :)

Wow Igloo!
What a beautiful home and sewing area!
My fabric cabinet and the 2 small bookshelves on either side are from Ikea. They have worked perfectly for me and I've been very happy with them. I studied the catalog and found cabinets that would work for my room before we went to Ikea, the closest one is 5 hrs away :(.... AND I basically have only 1 full wall for storage.
I forgot to answer the question about the ceiling in my studio, oops!
It's called Paper Illusions, a faux painted look wall paper that is intended to be torn into pieces and applied randomly. Very easy to do. My local Sherwin Williams store was discontinuing it and it was marked down to $1.00 per roll, I bought it ALL! This room took 3 rolls, so the ceiling cost $3.00! More money for fabric, right?!
I have plans for the other colors I've purchased but now have a hard time tearing myself away form this room for house projects!
Sue

Ladies help me a bit with my room as well? (Since you are experienced sewing room gals LOL)

I'm looking at chairs. Office type to raise or lower at will (since I'll have taller counters for the sewing area I want to be able to raise the chair). There will be foot rests under the desks by the way.

Anyhoo, arms on the chairs or not????? And do you have many cabinet type cabinets (doors verses drawers?) I am trying to remember my sewing teacher's room and I don't remember many door cabinets. It was mostly drawers. So what works for you?

seww,

Had company and haven't had time to come here.

I'll have to research paper illusions. That was a great find for you! And I love your quilts. Do you have an art background. You colors are beautiful together.

Igloo, First of all -

I KNOW YOU _____ from the Let's see your island pictures.
I LOVE YOUR KITCHEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I go back often and just admire it.

And now seeing pictures of your house WOW. Did you do the wall painting in your old sewing room? What a wonderful home and the HISTORY.

The chairs: that's a hard call. I've used both and the older I get, the more I find myself resting my elbows on the arms. If you get them with, make sure the arms won't hit the counter and I think I'd get ones that you can raise and lower. I also like the swivel/rocker ones.

I put mainly banks of drawers. I have two areas for machines with no cabnets under them. I did it in the corners so I'd have lots of counter space for the fabric while sewing with it. But I don't have windows like you do. I have a 4X 8 cutting table in the middle of the room - it's a little tight but I also left a space between a floor to ceiling cabnet and the counter (t still has uppers)SO I can put it perpendicular to the wall. I like it better that way. You can shorten the table and I think I'll take out one leaf so it's down to 6 feet.
I'll take some pictures as soon as it get cleaned out. Right now with the table in the middle and full of stuff, you can't see around it so a picture won't help much.

Have you thought about adding an ironing board in the top drawer next to one of the machines? I was a big one for sew a seam then iron it flat. so I used mine all the time.

I just posted a question about soffits over at the kitchen forum. I'm hoping someone will help me out posting a couple pictures. You can see my new island and granite.

Ohh fun I'll check out the new island :) I love to see people's kitchens evolve.

Thank you for the compliment on mine. I miss that darned kitchen LOL (We don't have one at the victorian). The old sewing room never got further than putting my fabric in it. DS suprised us (how did that happen) when he made himself known (thought I had food poisoning LOL) and my room became his :)

I designed the room but because I broke my arm quite badly during the remodel doing venetian plaster, I had to hire it out to be done. I was really lucky because the artists I hired completely took to the vision I had and then embelished it and made it their own. They had become attached to my little guy durin the time they worked for us (did all of our textured walls in the townhouse) and added a lot of fun suprises while we were on a long hospital stay. He still misses that room....I have GOT to get one going here (it's going to be an alaska train room theme).

I do have some freaking windows don't I LOL Definately a good opportunity to use collected fabrics heh heh

It sounds like your sewing room looks like mine now. There is a reason I couldn't post pics of the window side LOL Boxes and couches...three of them stuffed in there to go to charity as well as several tables and antique sewing machines. It will be fun to see yours come together as I work on mine...want to race LOL

I love the ironing board idea! I'll add one because I'd agree I like that too when I'm quilting. When I crazy quilt I absolutely need to iron each piece down before adding another. Otherwise you get odd puckers...much more so than with a normal quilt.

I do have a 9' dining table and figure for the drapes I'll cut on there...but in the sewing room I want to do about a six by six foot table (two from ikea butted together like in the link on the other thread). I love the idea of it being for ironing and cutting but still...I don't want to get up for every piece. I have a cordless iron to help with that, so the location near the machines would be easy.

DS getting up from nap...shall return!

My new w/d come next week. I took one of the cabnet doors along to the store and when I put it next to the maytag crimson washer, my salesman shook his head. It wasn't good. So I got the Samsung in stainless platinum. My next stop was the BM paint store. The lasy helped me go thru greys.
As soon as I took the sample card out of my purse I knew I made a mistake. It looked blue in the house. I painted part of the wall and it looks terrible. I put a dark mauve swatch next to the countertop and it looked great. I was going to have the grey darkened but now I may change to the dark mauve/ burgandy.

Too many decisions!!!

I have pics of my sewing/laundry room but still don't know how to post them.
maxsam, can you help me out again and post some more pics.

I've spent the last two weeks planning a cruise to Alaska and hopefully will decide on flights today so then I can figure out how to post them myself.

thanks