Building an art studio at home...help?!?

[Monique McFarland]

We just purchased a 30 yr old beautiful southern estate home that we are moderately renovating/updating to suit our family. In the midst of our renovation/addition, I am going to be adding an art studio for myself. This room is going to be roughly 25 x 15 with a natural wood vaulted ceiling, one brick wall (keeping exterior brick wall exposed where the addition is being made) and the other three walls will be sheetrocked. I want to put a comfortable floor of some sort. I am planning a wash sink in some sort of cabinet with countertop and bottom doors. Those are the parts that I know......

now, for everything I don't.

I thought I should flood the room with full spectrum lighting to supplement the south facing large window we're putting in (I live on the gulf coast of Alabama and read somewhere that in the south, a southern constant light was the best...this southern light will be filtered by huge live oaks on that side of the property).

is a full spectrum brightly lit room correct? how bright? any tips, guidelines?

is the room supposed to have white walls to not tint the artwork one way or another?

Im reading on here that a darker, grey-type wall color is best. doesn't that cause a drab look in the room? really didn't want a dark closed in room.

What floor would you recommend? I don't want it too hard (back issues)..don't want carpet nor wood so I don't ruin it when I knock over the terp....vinyl of some sort?

I will have filtered light on both the south wall and the east wall. and the brick wall will be the north wall...can't change the layout, this is the only place the addition can be made. (greatfully blessed to be having a studio of any kind!)

I do have a wonderful opportunity to make an outstanding studio and want to make sure I truly do it correct...I want to work out all the kinks but not go overboard with the room. I want to create a perfect environment for me to do what I love.

Please help..we are making final decisions this week before it all begins and are working with a contractor and an architect who are turning to me for all the answers about exactly how I want my studio and just when I thought I had the answers they needed, Im reading I may be all wrong!

anyone? anyone?

thanks so much!