Optimizing Your Art Space with Artist/Gallery Owner Ella Nilsson

·42 min·2 clips

Ella says studio design starts with non negotiables, not aesthetics.

1. Not Sorry Art Podcast centers on Sari Shrike and Ella Nilsson discussing studio space, gallery design, and artist workflows. 2. Sari Shrike is the host and creator of Not Sorry Art, and Ella Nilsson is an artist, gallery owner, and former Ikea design manager. 3. The episode asks how artists can maximize a studio, whether it is a dining table, a corner room, or a custom-built space. 4. Ella says she worked at Ikea for 15 years before retiring as a communication interior design manager. 5. She explains that she started at Ikea after buying a Valentine's Day chair in New Jersey and noticing a tool cart. 6. Ella says her work history includes kitchen design, visual merchandising, and interior design management. 7. She connects that background to a focus on problem solving rather than appearance alone. 8. Sari describes her own path from a yoga mat to a backyard studio, with stops at a corner, a baby-gated room, and a spare bedroom. 9. Ella says the first step in studio planning is identifying non negotiables like a large work surface, storage, and drying space. 10. She says multiuse pieces matter, including an easel that can go flat and saw horses that fold up. 11. Ella recommends keeping frequently used supplies out so they are not forgotten. 12. She says her colored pencils are labeled and her paint is sorted by warm, cool, and neutral. 13. Ella advises using a rolling cart for a dining table studio because wheels reduce friction and make it easier to bring supplies in and out. 14. She says adjustable shelf heights make carts more useful because the gaps inside storage often do not match the size of supplies. 15. For a corner room, Ella suggests a folding screen with pegboard on the inside and clean surfaces on the outside. 16. She adds clamp lighting because an artist may switch between an 8 by 10 canvas and a 3 foot by 4 foot canvas. 17. For a spare bedroom, Ella suggests grouping supplies together and hiding less attractive items behind closed doors or roller blinds. 18. She says a custom studio should prioritize outlet placement, windows, natural lighting, and ceiling height for storage. 19. The interview style is conversational and practical, with Sari asking case-study questions and Ella answering in concrete design terms. 20. Artists setting up a home studio and viewers who like functional design will get the most out of this discussion.

As heard by us

Practical studio advice for making awkward rooms work.

Ella Nilsson and Sari Shrike spend the episode on a familiar problem: how to make a space work when the room is awkward or just too small. The best parts stay concrete, with examples like a weird niche, a dining room table setup, and the basic challenge of keeping tools where…

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A smarter way to work with the art room you already have.

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