Day 1 in our new studio is officially in the books! Yesterday was a whirlwind of administrative tasks, moving the last few things, putting the final touches on my office, and finally, welcoming students for the start of the fall session.
Our new space includes my office/studio, Katey’s office/studio, a therapy room, and large group space. Today I’ll give you a look inside my office/studio, since it’s the closest to being “done” in terms of stocking and decorating. I really love how it has shaped up, but it’s definitely going to take some getting used to since it looks and feels so different from my old studio.
Katey and I wanted a uniform look throughout, so we went with all new furnishings — including desks, pianos, shelving, and rugs. I’m keeping my home office intact, so almost everything in the old studio stayed behind. The color scheme in our new space is blue and green with pops of pink (of course).
One of the biggest changes is our new pianos, which will take some getting used to. They are beautiful instruments, but very different from the good ol’ Cable upright I’ve been playing since I was a toddler. My students have so far been pretty excited about this change, especially checking out all the cool features that come with a Clavinova.
Several pieces of student artwork did make it over to my new office, though there is plenty of blank wall space left to fill. I’m reserving my bulletin board for photos of my piano students with their certificates (which I call the “wall of fame”).
Of course, no studio would be complete without a mirror for voice students. Most of them resist singing in front of one at first, but after a few lessons, they not only get used to it, but begin to enjoy observing themselves as they sing. I think it is so important to be aware of your breathing, posture, facial expressions, and overall body language.
My desk is pretty stark at the moment, which is how I like it. I try to keep papers filed or in my planner rather than stacked on my desk, though when life and work get a little crazier, that won’t always be the case.
I’m not one for clutter in general, which is good since my new office/studio is considerably smaller. I love that all of my music therapy instruments now have a dedicated home in the therapy room, which frees up lots of space in here.
I have a feeling this room will look and feel much more “lived in” after a couple of weeks, but for now I am enjoying the extreme organization and newness of it. Stay tuned for part 2 of the new studio tour!
