It must be admitted that, both in the home and in the space in which we work, the order or disorder that reign reflects the character and personality of each of us. In the case of an artist, the studio is the mirror of his work, a place where the phases of an artistic life come into play between successes, disappointments, efforts and above all, work: it is here that ideas and forms come to life, passing from the embryonic state to their the completeness.

For this reason, often the boundary between studio, the home and finally the museum, becomes very blurred: let's think of the fascinating atmosphere of the Casa Azul in Mexico City (about which we have talked on intOndo in the past): designed in 1904, it was the home where painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) worked and lived until her death with her husband, painter Diego Rivera (1886-1957), and which today has become the museum of the two artists. And what about the house of Carlo Mollino (1905-1973) in Turin? A total work of art, the cross-section of the Turinese designer's eccentricity, the set of many of his photographs, a showcase of his habits and his highly eclectic taste. The studios become second homes, intimate and private environments, and it is in these spaces that designers and artists place, or accumulate, the objects they collect, from furnishings to the works of other artists: a universe in itself, made up of things that offer a reflection on the research, the style of each artist and their attitude even outside of work.

Speaking of accumulation, one cannot fail to refer to the studio of the Irish artist Francis Bacon in Dublin: recently it has been faithfully reconstructed piece by piece in all its chaos, through an infinite layering of sketches, canvases and studies collected in one small space compared to what one would expect, thinking about the size of many of Bacon's works exhibited in the largest museums in the world; yet the space, now recreated at the Dublin City Gallery on Hugh Lane, proves to be in line with the complex and tormented personality of this fantastic painter. Bacon's studio is one of the most extreme examples, a deeply characterized space, as could be the one of René Magritte, who used a small corner of his house as a study. Often, in fact, the places of creativity are airier, generally united by the presence of a source of natural light coming from large windows as in the case of Paul Cézanne's rustic-style studio in Aix en Provence.

Most of the artist studios from the middle of the 20th century to today are, or evoke, an industrial space, from a loft to a garage, while more rarely they retain the flavor of the retro and somewhat dusty interior, like Claude Monet himself (1840 -1926) loved to define the rooms of his house-studio in Giverny, a bright apartment furnished with comfortable capitonnè chaise longues, sofas decorated with fringes and wicker armchairs that coexist in harmony with nearly completed paintings.

Numerous artists' studios lead to the outdoor space, such as that of the English sculptor Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975) who, for the realization of her monumental works had chosen, in her home in St. Ives (now a house-museum), in Cornwall, the spaces adjacent to a greenhouse that overlooked a lush garden, furnished with hundreds of pots of variegated plants and practical outdoor furniture elements, such as wrought iron chairs in the Harry Bertoia style.

Whether order or chaos prevails, comfort during the creative process is one of the first requirements. Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997, in the picture), could not help but have a comfortable leather sofa in his studio, "thrown" in the middle of the room in a completely casual way, on which to lie down whenever, to rest, converse, ramble, free from timetables and conventions. Minimalist artist Frank Stella (1936) even prefers to work comfortably seated on a vintage reclining armchair, also in leather, a material that lends itself to the creative environment because it appears less damaged by external agents and materials, and remains in line with a raw but refined atmosphere, a mood that reigns in certain abandoned factories where the charm of a past experience mixes with contemporary aesthetics.

The vintage market has always provided artists of all generations with a good ally for different needs, a source to draw from without too many hesitations, because it allows to set up a practical studio in line with one's taste in a short time. Among the tips we can give you to create your artist's studio — in addition to an easel and a large work table — the comfort factor given by an armchair or a sofa remains a must. Place movable elements, on wheels, such as a trolley — kitchen trolleys are practical and versatile support surfaces for colors and work tools. Don't forget archive furniture for storing prints and photographs away from light and external agents, to be combined with shelved elements on which to store books to consult, objects to display and less urgent work materials. The professionists recommend a source of natural light coming from the north, but you can equip the place with curtains and lights (better if a balanced mix of hot and cold) in case the room is oriented differently. Those who don't give up on music during the creative process can once again give in to the vintage charm, with a bunch of vinyls and an old turntable.