Some of you might remember that back in January Sherry mentioned grabbing these wood chairs from Target on Instagram Stories for “a side project we’re working on that we’ll share after we complete the bathroom.” The bathroom renovation took a few more months (you can see the finished product and full budget breakdown elsewhere on our site), and in the meantime a big life change came up: we decided to move to Florida. Still, we’ve been enjoying this new room for several months and are finally ready to share the full art-room update and why we chose to convert this space.
This used to be our guest room, which for years sat mostly unused. Guests often chose the bonus room downstairs with the large couch and TV, and when needed we could always combine kids into one room for a night. When we floated the idea of turning the spare bedroom into an art room, the kids were thrilled—so we ran with it.
The timing actually worked out surprisingly well. Shortly after the room was completed, schools closed and the kids were home more, so having a dedicated place for arts and crafts suddenly became invaluable. Converting the room also relieved pressure on our downstairs home office, where the kids had outgrown the small door-turned desk we’d made years earlier.
Their old desks and chairs were tiny—so small that one kid often worked on the floor. Crafts, cardboard castles, and glue projects began to take over. Since we had an empty bedroom upstairs, it made sense to turn it into a hardworking spot instead of leaving it vacant most of the year. We sold the bed and side tables, cleared the room, and created the space you see here. A solid door also lets us shut the room when we want to hide the mess.
Not every family needs a dedicated art room, but our kids spend a lot of time drawing, cutting, gluing, taping, and building. Turning the spare bedroom into a creative hub was an easy sell. Below are the details of how we executed the transformation—choices that prioritized durability, storage, and flexible workspace for two kids to work side by side.
The Oversized Art Desk
The top priority was a larger, well-appointed workspace. For eight years the kids worked at a small desk made from an old door. It had sentimental value, but it was too cramped for two older kids. This time around we wanted a wall-to-wall desk that provided separate work zones, ample surface area, and built-in storage.
We used three ALEX drawer units as the base for a roomy desk surface. The units come on casters and are great for storage, but they were a bit low for standard desk height. We elevated them by swapping the casters for 5″ metal sofa legs, which made the units perfect for use as table bases and compatible with regular chairs.
For the desktop we chose a faux-marble laminate countertop that met three requirements: lightweight (no heavy stone), affordable, and durable. The laminate surface looks surprisingly good in person and wipes clean easily—an important trait for an art desk that sees paint, glue, and markers. We used two six-foot pieces to span the drawer bases and fastened them from underneath to minimize the seam.
We secured the counters by removing some top drawers and screwing up through the drawer bases into the bottom of the counters. That keeps everything tight and includes a seam that’s mostly hidden by supplies—functional and uncomplicated.
The drawer units are ideal for organizing art materials. We added plastic drawer organizers to separate markers, scissors, paper, and more, and used small adhesive strips underneath so organizers don’t shift. A couple of organizers remain removable so kids can take them to the table or floor while working.
The Display Space
A display area for finished work was important. We considered a giant corkboard but instead chose smaller wall-mounted pegboards that are lightweight, easy to move, and kinder to the walls. The pegboards come in a warm cork tone that adds texture and pairs nicely with colorful artwork. We used simple clips to hang finished projects so the kids can proudly display their favorites.
We also repainted the room a lighter color (Behr’s Irish Mist) to match the rest of the house and create a bright backdrop for artwork. The kids helped roll the paint, which made the project faster and more fun.
The Floor Space
We intentionally kept most of the floor free to give the kids room to build box cities and large creations. A simple rug anchors the area and provides a comfortable place to spread out materials. We added two affordable bean bags for reading and lounging, which the kids use constantly. Because nothing is built into the room, everything can move with us when we relocate.
This guest-room-turned-art-room gets daily use now, and it feels great to see the space working so hard for our family. If you’re thinking about switching a seldom-used guest room into a creative hub, prioritize storage, a durable work surface, and flexible floor space. Small changes—like raised drawer units, an easy-to-clean top, and a lightweight display wall—make a big difference for keeping art projects organized and visible.
P.S. We have a whole archive of kid-related projects and plenty of crafting and art ideas if you want more inspiration for designing a creative space at home.
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