Studio Setups for Oil Painters: Big Dreams in Small Spaces
The Myth of the Perfect Studio
You don’t need cathedral ceilings or a converted warehouse to make meaningful, powerful art. Most of us begin with a corner—and if you’re lucky, a door. I’ve painted in the corner of a bedroom, on a tiny shipboard table, in apartments where I shared the same six square feet with my brushes and breakfast. Each setup taught me something: you don’t need a lot, you just need a little space—and the courage to claim it.
Today, I paint in the sunny front guest room of our home. It has a south-facing window where the birds visit me every morning, and the light is glorious from sunup to sundown. When I sit at my desk, surrounded by the soft scratch of brushes and the smell of linseed oil, I remember every stage that brought me here. This space feels sacred not because it's fancy—but because I made it mine.
What You Actually Need to Start
Forget what Instagram says! You don’t need a designer drafting table and floor-to-ceiling shelving. Here’s what actually matters:
A flat surface (old desk, folding table, kitchen counter)
A comfortable chair or standing setup
Natural light or a good daylight lamp [Insert affiliate link]
Somewhere to dry your art (shelving, wall clips, even a laundry rack)
Airtight containers for mediums and brush water [Insert affiliate link]
A way to keep your supplies safe from pets/kids/chaos
That’s it. These basics are enough to get you painting consistently—which is what actually makes the art happen.
Studio Teagan’s Studios Over The Years
Corner of the Bedroom: I painted beside my dresser, over old toys and other nonsense. It was messy, and imperfect. Still— I made art often then.
Tiny Apartment: I tucked my painting station between the fridge and a table. A curtain rod held my finished work. Everything smelled like last night’s ramen and gesso. I worked on the earliest stages of Hanalei Bay in this apartment.
Cabin on a Ship
My desk doubled as a table and drying rack. Linseed oil lived hidden under the bed.
The rocking of the ship taught me balance—in brush and life. Creating in such a small space blessed me and my dear roommates with tiny blue stains on so many of our best clothes. Sorry, Phletha! Love you!!
Room 1:
The First Door
This is the first room that I took over for art. Check out the storage bins as tables!
I found this easel on Amazon, and earn a percentage if you use my link. It is remarkably stable and has two wheels for easy relocation. I also use it do dry artworks flat since it can rotate and support at 180°! I love the two of them I have now. I’m planning on 4 of these eventually.
Room 2: Moving Downstairs
This room was a bit larger and had great South-facing light. I loved the cool temperature of being slightly underground.
Here you can see the two easels, set up with four artworks. My art stool, I found two of them at a local supply store closing sale. The desk is used from Walmart I think, back in the day. The pegboards are Ikea, though now I’ve seen more multifunctional pegboards that might work better. These are directional, so I have to hang them horizontally, and it’s not as modular as I thought at first.
Second Living Room
I spread out into the built-in desk, pegboards lining the walls under the shelves. Easels finally rolling & roaming free! A dedicated sewing space! I could leave brushes out without apologizing! I left a lot of coffee cups and water glasses down there. Cup graveyard to the max. Here’s the photo of the space when we moved out. It was never this clean when I was using it. I promise.
The Sunny Studio
I love my new space in our home! It feels sooo good knowing that I can put down roots.
To celebrate the space, I repurposed an old rug and cleaned it up. I also chose the new blue chair so I can sit cross-legged or however I feel like sitting while I paint! I wish I went with the one with wheels.
Perfect natural light. Birds singing on the sill.
The space feels like it breathes.
I’ve begun some of my most meaningful work. I have all of my supplies, an old dresser for a workbench, space for both easels and a desk!
I pulled the closet doors out to create a little cove, and I plan to build-in bookshelves and a tiny guest bed made from a comfy chair. A reading nook, a resting nook, a spot for my mother or friends to stay over.
The All-Important Living Room Confession
I’ll be very honest right now—while my studio room is beautiful and bright, I do a lot of my creative activities downstairs in the living room. There’s something grounding about being in the heart of the home, near the big sliding windows that overlook the backyard. I’ll often put the TV on in the background (hello, Great British Bake Off reruns!), or just listen to the birds outside while I paint, sketch, sew, and practice tattooing.
At any given time, the sewing machine is out. The Cricut might be mid-project. An easel will be tucked near the bookshelves, and the side table is completely buried in mending, sketchbooks, and half-finished notebook ideas. My corner of the room has a way of...expanding. I think it takes up far more space than my husband anticipated when we first got married—but he’s learned to love it. Or at least, tolerate it with a smile!
The truth is, your creative space can move. It can exist wherever you feel most alive, connected, or comfortable. For me, that’s often right in the middle of everything.
No space was perfect. But each one held the same heart: a desk, a brush, and me. Your space doesn’t have to be ideal. It just has to be yours. I’ve already rearranged quite a bit over the years, it’s fun and keeps things fresh!
Tiny Easel in the Living Room
With my candle, my pj pants, and a glass of chocolate milk. And that’s probably Heartland in the background!
Tools That Matter (And the Ones That Don’t)
Matters:
Good lighting (Natural light is best, and any light will work!)
Brushes that you love and that work well for you.
Any old 2” Brushes are great for larger works, and even any sky paintings or water paintings over 16x20.
They are an integral part of Bob Ross’s Landscape methods. And, they’re cheap and easy to find anywhere!
Smaller Brushes
Solvent and a Jar for solvent
If you’re like me and many other artists I know, you have a box of jars somewhere that your partner probably doesn’t understand. Use one of them, any will do. I like a tall-necked, water-tight jar for solvent. I was required to have one of these cleaning jars in art school. DO NOT spend more than $20 on one. Sometimes at Michael’s they’re like 36$ and that is just crazy.
A palette surface you like
Paints
Medium for Painting
Doesn’t Matter Whatsoever:
Branded rolling carts
Really expensive, top of the line natural bristle brushes
Professional quality oil paint
Matching jars for solvent
Fancy paintbrush holders
Thousand dollar easels, taborets, or studio-specific furniture
A studio space that looks good on social media
Maximize a Small or Shared Space
Use wall space! Hang shelves or racks to store tools vertically.
Store paints in a tackle box or clear plastic drawer unit [Insert affiliate link]
Use a wheeled cart if your space needs to stay flexible [Insert affiliate link]
Keep a small bin of drop cloths or rags nearby
I have drop cloths out the wazoo. I use them for everything. I keep one under my workspace.
Store canvases behind furniture or on vertical rails
I struggle with this to this day. As I create solutions, I will share them with you!
Consider collapsible easels or fold-flat tables
Both of my easels are Meeden and they fold flat for working and completely flat for storage. They also have wheels and they’re pretty great!
I’m looking at getting a more serious H-Frame Easel (or two!) for larger works and greater stability.
Small spaces teach you to be intentional and creative! You learn what you actually use—and what’s just collecting dust.
My current, messy, well-loved, studio!
Create a Ritual, Not Just a Room
No matter where you paint, a routine will make it feel intentional:
Light a candle or incense
Put on your studio playlist.
Have a tea or coffee mug that you use on studio days.
I don’t recommend leaving it in the studio itself, again, cup graveyard.
I do Studio Saturdays in my house, unless it’s summer time and then I have way more studio time!
Keep a sketchbook open—even if it’s just for color tests or nonsense ideas or musings!
The goal isn’t perfection. Its presence. Your ritual reminds you: this is sacred work. Even when you only have 30 minutes. That’s one reason I love having palette paper on hand. It is so much easier to use a little instead of having to scrape clean a glass palette every time.
Your Starter Studio Checklist
Surface to paint on (or a good firm watercolor block)
Chair or standing station
Storage for brushes & paint
Good lighting!!
Ventilation (especially for oils!)
Optional: speaker, sketchbook, apron or old shirt [Insert affiliate links where relevant]
Final Thoughts: Your Space Is Already Enough
There’s no perfect studio. Just the one you’re willing to show up in. Whether you have a sunlit room or the end of a hallway, it’s the intention that transforms it.
Make it yours. Fill it with your mess, your dreams, your unfinished work. Art doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from presence. Paint anyway.
