When I moved into my bindery, I didn’t have the luxury of time to set it up.  I had to dive into a job with a tight deadline.  As I started working, I was so pleased to find that it was comfortable and functional, and most importantly, I got the job done. Since then, I haven’t had much time to improve it.  So although it is still very much a work in progress, I thought I would share a few pictures.  As I have time to improve it, I will post progress reports.

The door to my bindery is just off my living room.  The door in the foreground opens to stairs, which take you down a level.  I love that I can be at work in a second, but at the end of the day I can come up the stairs, close the door, and leave the work behind me.

My Kutrimmer (on the left) is probably the most useful piece of equipment I have purchased to date.  It allows me to cut all kinds of paper and board.  The flat files (center) couldn’t fit more perfectly under the stairs.  I store all my decorative and text paper in them.  Matt built a shelf above the files to hold binder’s board.  The next step is to build a shelf above that to hold rolls of cloth and leather.

I have a little red desk (far left) for computer and paperwork.  In the center is my bench, where I do most all of my work.  The toolchest was a fabulous find at a yard sale last summer, only $20!  It is really handy for storing tools and supplies like glue and paste.

I absolutely love my bench!  With the toolchest next to me and my pegboard in front of me, I have everything I need within an arm’s reach.

Adjacent to my bench is another table, which I use for keeping things under weight and storing projects in progress.  My press and Kwikprint are in the corner.  As you can see, with space a valuable commodity, storage under tables is essential.

Here are some closeups of my Kwikprint (left) and my press (right).  The Kwikprint is used to stamp titles onto books and boxes.  At the moment I just have one modest press, but I hope to add a larger press someday.

The space is small, but for one person it is so comfortable.  As long as I keep it clean and organized, everything I need is close by.  Of course, there is a lot I still need and want to do, but I think it is a good start.