AR Workshop: Asheville

By now you have probably attended multiple paint nights with friends and are at the point of “what do I do with another canvas of a bunch of flowers or a cute lake theme”, right? You are grateful to wine and paint with your gals yet need something new to do. Well, AR Workshop has you covered!

Located off Sweeten Creek in Arden, just 15 minutes from downtown Asheville, you’ll find this unique boutique DIY studio where you can attend hands-on classes that teach you how to make custom home décor with raw materials. From custom woods signs to pillows, lazy susans to tote bags, the choices are endless! Learn about all their projects here. AR Workshop Asheville is owned by Amber Jenkins who previously was a stay at home mom who crafted on the side yet wanted to start her own business. And guess what, she is killing it!

Curious about what AR Workshop was all about, I cleared my schedule and registered for a class. After taking in all the offerings on their website, of which there are many, I decided on the Plank Workshop. Once you pick a class, you must follow a few more steps before you are ready to attend.

STEP ONE: Select your project type:

Nothing like paint night, there were seven different plank designs to choose from! No more worrying about your whole group of friends liking the same photo. You could choose from frames, a tray or different signs. I decided on the plank wood tray.

STEP TWO: Select your design:

Not only is your project unique, getting to choose your design adds to the personalization. I chose BOHO circle from the 16 designs. Yet, if I had picked the monogram or family signs, I would have even added the personalization element. How awesome is that?

STEP THREE: Design options:

Here is when you can add any custom elements to your design like names or dates. Once you are finished, you’ll enter your information, pay for the class and wait for the date you selected to arrive.

The steps don’t end there, though. When you arrive the day of your class, the team at AR Workshop will be ready and waiting. If you were lucky like me, I was joined by a bachelorette party. Private events are available as well but mingling and making friends added to the experience.

STEP FOUR: Nail your planks together:

For this workshop, we were supplied with precut planks unique to each of our projects. The staff let us know what we needed to do and then handed over a nail gun. Simple, fun and empowering!

STEP FIVE: Pick your stain:

We were given multiple options for stains, colors and techniques. Once we made a choice, we stained our projects, completed a technique if we chose one and then set it to dry.

STEP SIX: Prepare your design:

As our planks dried, we were given our designs in form of a big sticker. The staff then showed us how to prepare it to be transferred to the planks.

STEP SEVEN: Paint

Once I decided on a color from the incredible selection of paints, I transferred my design and began painting. I was feeling extra creative and the staff helped me mix a unique color.

STEP EIGHT: Finish it off and ENJOY!

After the design was painted, I waited for it to dry. Once dry, I peeled off the stickers that helped create my chosen design and took it home to enjoy!

I am already scouring their calendar for the next event to attend. Perhaps I will join Clocks, Ladders and More or the Spring and Easter Mini Wood Signs and Totes Workshop. Either way, I know I will be back! The creative options are endless!

Book your next date night, gals night or in my case solo night out via their website. They even have kids and family events! Planning an event? Check out their private event offerings. How awesome would this be for a baby or wedding shower, a birthday party or any celebration. Be sure to stay up to date with their offerings by following AR Workshop Asheville on Instagram and Facebook.


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