A Hobby Corner You Can Switch On and Off

Many Maltese living rooms have to work as a creative studio, a dining spot and a place to unwind, often within the same few square metres. With a little planning, a corner of the room can switch between hobby space and tidy living area in minutes.

Give yourself space to create without the clutter

A hobby corner works best when it asks nothing of you except to begin. Fix a length of paper to the wall so there is always a blank surface ready for drawing, painting or sketching, and keep an apron close by so you can start without hesitation. Once the session is over, drawing a curtain across the space tucks everything out of sight and lets the living room settle back into calm. In a compact Maltese apartment or townhouse, this kind of contained corner means creativity does not have to take over the whole room.

MÅLA easel, softwood, 66x48 cmMÅLA paper roll holder with storage, 50x13 cmMÅLA chalks, mixed colours, 9 packMÅLA whiteboard pen, mixed colours, 4 packMÅLA paint, mixed colours, 400 mlMÅLA portable drawing case, red, 35x27 cm

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Keep brushes, paints and finished pieces within reach

A curtain rod fixed low on the wall becomes a simple rail for hanging brushes, aprons and other bits that need to stay close at hand rather than buried in a drawer. IKEA's RÄCKA curtain rod works well for this, holding supplies in plain view and ready to grab. Smaller brushes and paints sit happily in glass jars nearby, while a picture ledge above gives finished artwork, postcards or sketches somewhere proper to be displayed instead of piling up on a table.

RÄCKA / HUGAD double curtain rod combination, black, 210-385 cmRÄCKA curtain rod combination, white, 120-210 cmRÄCKA / HUGAD double curtain rod combination, white, 210-385 cmRÄCKA / HUGAD double curtain rod combination, white, 120-210 cmRÄCKA curtain rod combination, black, 120-210 cmRÄCKA curtain rod, black, 120-210 cm

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Let a drawer unit do double duty in a small room

Furniture that can change role is especially useful in Maltese homes, where space is often tight and rooms rarely get to specialise. A drawer unit on castors, such as IKEA's ALEX, can be wheeled up to act as a desk with proper storage for paper, paints and tools, then rolled away again once the work is done. With the HEKTAR work lamp placed on top, complete with wireless charging for a phone, the same spot doubles as a practical place to plug in and get on with things.

ALEX drawer unit, white, 36x70 cmALEX drawer unit, black-brown, 36x70 cmALEX drawer unit, white stained/oak effect, 36x70 cmALEX storage unit, white, 36x70 cmALEX drawer unit, dark grey, 36x70 cmALEX desk, white, 100x48 cm

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Switch the mood from studio to sitting room

The real advantage of this kind of setup is how easily it steps back from hobby mode. Pushed against the wall, the same ALEX unit becomes a low coffee table, its surface free for a vase of flowers or a stack of books rather than tubes of paint. Paired with a couple of comfortable chairs, the corner reads as part of the living room again, with no sign that a few hours earlier it was a working art station.

LACK coffee table, black-brown, 90x55 cmLACK coffee table, white stained oak effect, 90x55 cmLACK coffee table, white, 90x55 cmVITTSJÖ coffee table, black-brown/glass, 75 cmLACK side table, white stained oak effect, 55x55 cmFJÄLLBO coffee table, black, 90x46 cm

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A flexible hobby corner suits the way Maltese homes are actually lived in, and pieces like these can be ordered through Maltashopper for delivery to addresses across the islands.

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