Designing the Home Studio

Think you have to spend a fortune to create a home studio that generates
great sales? Think again. These cleverly designed home studios rival any
snazzy retail space, and the owners save a bundle on overhead expense.
STUDIO DESIGN
By Stephanie Boozer
Homework
Springs, Ark. They’d been living in an
Professional, stylish and affordable? Yes, you can!
shops. They were hungry for more living
old house in the historic district of Siloam
apartment and meeting clients in coffee
space, and desperate for a dedicated studio
I
f you’ve read over the PPA Studio Financial
NEW SPACE, NEW OPPORTUNITY
Benchmark Survey, you’ve learned that a
Matt and Meghan Feyerabend
home-based photography business done
Aus10 Photoartists, Siloam Springs, Ark.
because of costs,” says Matt. “We also wanted
right keeps overhead expenses down and
aus10.com
to keep our personal life from spilling into
profits up. The trick is to pull together a
space clients would take seriously.
“We wanted to live where we worked
our business, so we designated the front
home studio that doesn’t feel like a home.
Matt and Meghan Feyerabend were sold the
three rooms of the house for business use
We asked four home-based studio owners
moment they peeked through the front
only.” When people walk in, nothing
to tell us how they’re making it work.
window of the newly renovated, 100-year-
suggests the owners are living there, too.
©Aus10 Photoartists
©Aus10 Photoartists
The grand old floor plan features a spacious
front entrance, which the Feyerabends
fashioned into a reception area, front desk
and all. Presentation and shooting rooms
flank the converted foyer. Doorways leading
to the living area are cleverly concealed from
clients; a door behind the backdrop in the
shooting room leads to the bedroom.
“We’re very clear about making this feel
like a business, not like you’re walking into
someone’s house,” says Matt. “This wasn’t a
step toward having a retail studio, but a true
commitment to live and work in our home.”
The Feyerabends had to make only a few
adjustments to the house, such as replacing
a chandelier with ceiling outlets for strobes,
pulling up carpeting here and there, and
wiring speakers to play music in every room,
even the bathroom.
“We want to catch all of the client’s senses
when he walks in,” says Matt. “We have fresh
flowers everywhere. We never cook for lunch,
to avoid the odor. We really thought about the
psychology of our clients’ seeing and feeling
that we’re fully vested in this working studio.”
Clients do have to walk through the
kitchen and past the laundry room to get to
the bathroom, but the Feyerabends keep the
tone fairly professional with music and
décor. “On one wall is a 40x60 fine-art piece
we took in New York City,” says Meghan.
“On another wall in the kitchen, we painted
©Aus10 Photoartists
a large shape and had our clients sign it at
our open house. It’s a little more personal
back there, but still comfortable.”
The Feyerabends’ commitment and
planning got results fast. “We’d never made
a portrait sale before,” says Matt. “But our
very first session here was with a high school
senior, and we made a $5,000 sale. We
couldn’t believe it. We’ve been averaging
about $2,000 for seniors since then, which
is pretty good in our market. We got quick
affirmation that we’d done the right thing.”
clear about making this feel like a
business, not like you’re walking into someone’s
house. This wasn’t a step toward having a retail
studio, but a true commitment
to live and work in our home.”
“We’re very
—MATT FEYERABEND
April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 75
STUDIO DESIGN
HER OWN BACKYARD
Lisa Maksoudian Photography
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
lisamaksoudian.com
Surveying her property in the fall of 2007,
Lisa Maksoudian studied the drab, outdated
detached building on her property and
envisioned it as a photography studio.
Previously used as rental space, it would
need some cosmetic work. She’d had an eye
on some attractive retail locations downtown,
but as a working mother, Maksoudian
wanted to work close to home without being
in her home. The outbuilding just might
provide the freedom to work uninterrupted,
without the high overhead and commute.
She divided the project into two phases,
All images ©Lisa Maksoudian Photography
“For me, it was
important to
separate my family
living space from the
client space. My family
remain
my family life, and
my business life
life can
can be all business. It’s
perfect
solution.”
been a
—LISA MAKSOUDIAN
the complete overhaul of the building itself,
the move, she’s seen a definite uptick in sales.
then a sprucing up of the landscaping. For
“My sales were at least 35 percent higher the
about $15,000, the first phase included
first year because clients could see that a
pulling out the carpeting and resurfacing the
40x40 canvas isn’t as scary-big as they think.
concrete floors, replacing the windows and
They walk in and immediately have
trim, and completely replacing the bathroom
confidence in what I do.”
fixtures and doing away with the tub.
For furnishings, Maksoudian bought
Maksoudian vowed to pay off the debt within
Ikea office furniture, and filled the rest of
12 months, and she did. The landscaping
the space with found objects and furniture
came next, to the tune of $7,000, which she
that reflects her brand and personality. The
paid off within a year.
effect is a modern vintage look that’s clean,
“I didn’t have a lot of extra income, but
the purpose was that from that point on, I
airy and comfortable.
“For me, it was important to separate my
would have no monthly [rent or mortgage]
family living space from the client space,” she
payments,” says Maksoudian. Currently, the
says. “My family life can remain my family
overhead comes to just $300 a month for
life, and my business life can be all business.
utilities and the security system. And since
It’s been a perfect solution.”
April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 77
STUDIO DESIGN
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
her gallery-styled living room. “Once I got
Jessica Claire Studio
married, I didn’t want to send my husband
space and the business space. It was
Ladera Ranch, Calif.
out of the house so I could meet with a
almost perfect.
jessicaclaire.net
client,” she says. “That could get awkward.”
of separation between the main living
The previous owners had a home office,
Claire had her eye on a neighborhood
but with nubby brown industrial carpeting
For Jessica Claire, of Orange County, Calif.,
zoned for dual residential and commercial
and dated cubicles and shelving that had to
a home studio was always the ideal. Married
use. A suitable place became available,
go. One month and $5,000 later, Claire had
last October, Claire had been working out of
complete with a rear entrance and a bit
her dream studio space. The largest expense
All of the furniture I bought from Ikea and HomeGoods—
the white tables were just $7 each! I wasn’t willing to go into
debt, and I didn’t buy anything that wasn’t on sale.”
“
—JESSICA CLAIRE
All images ©Jessica Claire Studio
was replacing the carpet with laminate
flooring, which is durable and easy to clean.
The rest of the makeover involved lots of
painting and about three days of painstaking installation of custom molding in
the Greek key pattern.
“My great friend Jared Nuzman put it
together,” says Claire. “All of the furniture I
bought from Ikea and HomeGoods—the
white tables were just $7 each! I wasn’t
willing to go into debt, and I didn’t buy
anything that wasn’t on sale.”
Keeping the design minimal, modern
and open was Claire’s target. All of the
furniture can be easily moved to accommodate her needs. For example, clients
typically come in and sit facing what she
calls “the crazy wall,” but if she’s hosting a
workshop, she can easily flip the setup so
that the photographers won’t be looking at
the busy pattern for hours on end. The
patterned wall also makes a fun, funky
backdrop for portraits.
For paint colors, Claire stuck with her
signature green, black and white tones she
uses on her website and printed materials.
“When you create a space, no matter how
small it is, it’s important to reinforce the
look and feel of your brand,” she says.
“It doesn’t have to match the rest of the
house, nothing except what you want
your clients to see.”
Just months into her new space, Claire
can’t yet put a dollar amount on how the
new studio has influenced sales, but she
does see a definite impact on bookings.
“I live in a very competitive area, and it’s
not unusual for a client to meet with four
or five photographers in one day,” she
says. “But people walk in here and know
exactly what I’m about. I do know that
I’ve booked more jobs in a shorter time
than in my old home studio, so this is
definitely my ideal setup.”
April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 79
STUDIO DESIGN
LARGE SALES, SMALL SPACE
Michelle Lindsay Photography
Alexandria, Va.
michellelindsayphotography.com
A 13x12-foot living room in a 900-square-foot
condo just outside of Washington, D.C., would
seem unlikely to house a financial powerhouse,
but Michelle Lindsay makes it work. She’d
once been dependent on Internet commerce,
everything at once,
so I thought about the elements that
would help me make the most money,
and figured it would be a comfortable
space and a good presentation system.
“I couldn’t do
doing everything from sales to presentation
—MICHELLE LINDSAY
online, and meeting with clients in coffee shops.
She gained a new perspective in a PPA Studio
Management Services workshop last fall.
After scrutinizing her surroundings,
Lindsay gave her mismatched college furni-
All images ©Michelle Lindsay Photography
ture and outdated television set the heave-
panel television at an after-Thanksgiving
ho. She invested $1,500 in new furniture,
sale. As she could afford it, she hung large
and a few weeks later scored a 46-inch flat-
canvas prints on the walls and incorporated
well-placed product displays.
“I couldn’t do everything at once, so I
thought about the elements that would help
me make the most money, and figured it
would be a comfortable space and a good
presentation system,” says Lindsay, who had
improvised with her 30-inch Apple display
pre-flat screen arrival. “All in all, my décor
isn’t going to make me more money than
having the 40x60 print on the wall and
giving controlled presentations.”
Though the makeover came at the end of
Lindsay’s big wedding season, she’s already
seen a tremendous impact on her engagement
sales and bookings. “Previously, I might get an
order for a couple of 5x7s after an engagement session. Those sales have more than
doubled, and I sell more wall art,” she says.
“This has changed everything, including the
way that people book packages. I’ve had
couples come in wanting only digital files,
but by the time they leave, they’re convinced
they need to have a wedding album.”
Many of Lindsay’s clients live in condos
similar to hers, so seeing the scale of the
artwork on her walls practically does the
selling for her. Because she can invite a
couple into the comfortable space for an
album design session, she’s also seeing
album upgrades. She can’t wait to see what
happens in the upcoming wedding season.
“It definitely changes my clients’ perception
of me,” she says. “Now they can see how
beautiful a canvas wrap is, which they
couldn’t tell from a little photo online.”
Lindsay plans to add track lighting,
curtains, pillows and more artwork as she
finds the perfect pieces for her style and can
afford them. “I have a very specific idea of
what I want,” she says, “I want it to feel like
my brand, my world, my space.” n
Stephanie Boozer is a freelance writer and
photographer in Charleston, S.C.
stephanieboozer.com.
April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 81
STUDIO DESIGN
HOME STUDIO MAKEOVER
Lessons from a DIY renovation and reality TV
BY BETSY FINN, CR.PHOTOG., CPP
the poured cement walls and exposed overhead joists into a
beautiful new home studio came to about $10,000.
The DIY crew would record the first six days of the project, then
we’d finish up alone. The crew wasn’t allowed to help us at all. They
simply documented the progress and captured the “reality” of a
My husband, Steven, and I have always enjoyed watching reno-
homeowner renovation. It was interesting to see how the videographer
vation shows on television. On a whim, I set out to find a show
posed, lit, and staged the scenes, even though all the stage-
that would be interested in covering the renovation of a home
setting clips and mini-interviews took time away from our project.
studio of photography. Soon we were submitting to a home
We suffered a number of setbacks in those first six days. We
video casting call for DIY Network’s “Renovation Realities.” The
lost power, needed help, and lost our patience. But small
producer loved the idea and thought we’d be a great fit.
disputes aside, we didn’t generate an overabundance of drama
for the show. Despite the holdups, we fitted the entire 900-
Steven and I spent hours considering floorplans, ways to
maximize the ceiling height, and how to create an open, spacious
feel in our basement studio space. We came up with a layout that
would function efficiently as a studio and, if we moved to a retail space
later on, could be turned into a living space without massive overhaul.
Then we tackled the budget. We took the measurements of
the space to a lumberyard, where the staff helped us choose the
materials we’d need. The estimate for the materials to transform
©Betsy Finn
I wanted the consultation room
to have a more family-oriented
setting, so it’s more of a sitting
room than a reception area.
A dressing room is off to the
side, and near the bottom of
the stairs, a doorway leads
into the camera room. The
open layout comes in handy
when I’m working with larger
groups, as I can back the
camera into the office if I
need to. Past the camera
room, through an archway, is
the office/editing room.
square-foot space with rigid foam insulation, installed the
framing, even laid the subfloor, all in just six days.
The TV crew left, and for the next few weekends, Steven and
I ran wiring, placed lights, installed insulation, and hung drywall.
Then we primed and painted the walls, installed a wood
laminate floating floor, and finished the trim and stairs with
natural oak for a clean look. As we finished each stage, we sent
the producer pictures of our progress.
Our episode of “Renovation Realities” aired last December.
I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing in the weeks
beforehand, especially after reading the description of the
episode, with the words, “The setbacks become a recurring
theme as the couple battles scheduling conflicts, unfamiliar
tools, and hunger-fueled blowups throughout the renovation.”
To our amusement, Steven was portrayed as a bagel-
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eating fanatic in need of a snack every five minutes, and me
as an angry photographer who was annoyed to have to
reschedule her “one” client. Friends and clients who saw the
sad! You’re always smiling!” My behind-the-scenes
explanation? The videographer had to keep doing retakes
because I couldn’t stop laughing. In the end, we survived the
TV show, and my clients still like me.
Today, the studio space looks better than ever. I’ve learned
a lot about taking on a big project. Even when you’re
designing on a dime, you might find this advice helpful:
• Know when to compromise the budget. We wanted to
budget about $10,000, but we went $5,000 over because we
took care of some heating and plumbing problems that would have
to be done sometime. In the long run, it was a money saver.
• Some things are worth the cost of hiring out. If you
contract just one task, make it the drywall mudding and
taping. A good mud and tape job can make even shoddily
done drywall look perfect.
• Separate your needs from wants. For instance, we budgeted
for additional HVAC vents because I need my studio to be
warm and cozy when clients come in from those Michigan snowstorms. I wanted glass French doors between the consultation
room from the studio, but at $2,400, I nixed that dream.
• It’s OK to ask for help. Whether it’s advice from your
neighbor or the guy at the hardware shop, or borrowing tools,
all you have to do is ask. And after a long day’s work, there’s
no better way to relax than to provide pizza and cold beverages
for your unpaid labor—believe me, they will thank you.
All in all, my home studio is amazing. I enjoy spending
time there, whether I’m working with clients or alone on the
computer. The space is cozy yet open, and somehow it seems
twice as big as it did before.
Betsy Finn’s portrait studio is in Dexter, Mich.
(betsysphotography.com). Finn shares tips and ideas for
photographers at learnwithbetsy.com.
Professional images by Blair Phillips, blairphillipsphotography.com.
episode would exclaim, “Betsy, I’ve never seen you looking so
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April 2010 • Professional Photographer • 83