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Workshop Organization + How it Looks Today

Today we’re breaking down the items we used to spruce up the pint-sized workshop off of our Chicago kitchen.

The workshop in our Chicago home has seen a few iterations over the years, but it’s served us well during each phase. It all started with these custom floating shelves (our most popular post ever, btw), then it gained a lot of functionality, then it shrunk a little bit to make room for an expanded bathroom. Through each change, we’ve found ways to prioritize both form and function. But after we completed our kitchen renovation, it was an unholy mess.

Concealing the Chaos

We usually find that whatever our ‘project of the moment’ happens to be, the workshop plays the role of ‘catch-all’. We tend to conceal our messes in there and the functionality of the space suffers to a degree. So after each big project, a reset is in order. This time, we had the idea to bring a bit of beauty to the sometimes-chaos of the open shelving in the form of some curtain panels.

View into the workshop to see the curtains, slightly pulled aside to reveal our floating shelves | Yellow Brick Home
curtains | DIY shelves

We do our best to keep the room tidy, but in reality the door is almost always open, so a pair of curtain panels on an adjustable shower curtain rod – yes, a curtain rod! – was the perfect easy solution.

Simple Installation

The ceilings in this room are nice and tall, and these oyster-colored curtains were the perfect fit. We did our best to match the BM Intense White walls, and they’re such a close match! One panel would cover wall-to-wall fully, but we added two 100″ wide panels to create a full look, even when closed.

The shower curtain rod itself was simple to install. The room is exactly 71″ wide, so this expandable rod with a 72″ max was a great option. It installs simply with pressure alone, but also has an integrated screw-in option that doubles the weight capacity, which we took advantage of.

The View from the Kitchen

As we mentioned earlier, the pocket door to the workshop is open most of the time for easy accessibility. That does, however, leave the open shelving on display from almost every angle of the kitchen. The curtains have significantly improved the view and added some texture and drama to what was an otherwise utilitarian space. We love it.

The added texture almost makes the space feel like a proper extension of the kitchen as opposed to a completely separate space. We’ve always tried to inject some style into the workshop, but this is the icing on the cake.

A peek into the workshop from the kitchen | Yellow Brick Home

The Opposite Side of the Shop

Over on the other side of the shop, the Gearwall system is still an incredibly adaptable solution. The cabinets have received a nice reorganization and we’ve purged all of the small part bins to keep things easily reachable.

Gearwall system in our home workshop with vintage work bench | Yellow Brick Home
gladiator wall panels + wall gearbox

We now have a dedicated basket for caulk and caulk guns, paper towels and trash bags and plant potting accessories. The freshly-oiled workbench will look great for a couple of years to come and continue to provide a cozy indoor space for small projects. This just might be the best version of this space ever!

A straight look onto our Gearwall system | Yellow Brick Home
gladiator wall panels | wall gearbox | accessory kit

Our Favorite Tools and Organizing Systems

We’ve also rounded up all of our favorite accessories that keep our little utilitarian space functional and tidy. Number 5 might be my favorite, since the Gearwall panels allow for so many additional options!

Round up of our favorite workshop organization supplies | Yellow Brick Home

1. durabilt storage container, $95 | 2. gladiator accessory kit, $150 | 3. stanley organizer box, $25 | 4. carhartt gear bag, $55 | 5. gladiator wall panels, $65 | 6. paint jars, $20 | 7. gladiator gear track, $55 | 8. curtain rod, $30 | 9. dewalt 5 tool combo kit, $920 | 10. gladiator wall gearbox, $200 | 11. curtains, $50 | 12. gladiator wire basket, $40 | 13. milwaulkee parts organizer, $75 | 14. paint cans, $20 | 15. pet food storage, $60 | 16. stackable storage bins, $80 | 17. gladiator small bins, $10 | 18. dyson cyclone, $510

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  • Brenda3.10.23 - 6:30 AM

    The curtains are a brilliant idea! I’m amazed at how much warmth and comfort they add to the space. ReplyCancel

  • Ann3.10.23 - 5:22 PM

    Your workshop is a marvel of organization and tidiness.
    I don’t know what you call them, but having fiberglass wands on my curtains was life changing. I can open and close the curtains with the wands, thus avoiding fingerprints on the curtains. They are clear so they don’t call attention to themselves.ReplyCancel

    • Kim3.10.23 - 8:37 PM

      We’re thinking about adding those! We have acrylic ones in Lucy‘s room and they’re a huge help. Thanks for the reminder!ReplyCancel

  • Mariah3.12.23 - 11:59 AM

    Looks both so beautiful and functional! Have you both always been on the same page about keeping an organized space? My husband and I are working to refine the spaces in our home but it has been a bit of a struggle on finding a balance we both feel comfortable with. Is there one of you that started out as the chairmen of the organizational committee that then sort of refined the other, or is that just part of the magic of why you two work so well together?
    Regardless, thanks so much for sharing your home as inspiration! I love being here!ReplyCancel

    • Scott3.12.23 - 3:05 PM

      I think we’ve both always been pretty organized. Our main challenge is staying organized through long projects with tight timelines. We tend to take our time with the work and rush with the cleanup, which often leads to the need for a big refresh like this at the end of a renovation. We find that the more the easier the systems are to use, the more we’ll use them. Another thing that helps is to have a designated area for things that need to be put back. Almost like a library cart for books that need to be put back!ReplyCancel

  • Hannah5.28.23 - 6:29 AM

    Love this! Thank you for sharing! Did you happen to link the curtain rings you used somewhere?ReplyCancel

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We’re Kim + Scott, Chicago based content creators behind the Home + Lifestyle brand Yellow Brick Home.

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