UncategorizedHis and Hers Closets January 26, 2014If you remember from our floor plan, we chose to go with small his and hers closets. We initially planned to do one master closet, but when our contractor was helping us lay everything out, we ran into a dilemma. To get the bed and bath sizes we wanted, that left us with 4×12′ of space for the closets. Obviously, we spend more time in the bed or bath and cared more about them being right. I really didn’t want one closet this size because with it only being 4′ deep, once you added hanging racks and clothes, it would be like you were in this long tunnel. I have been in some like that and it wasn’t appealing to me…not if we had another option. I brought up the idea of his and hers closets. It solved the space issue, but the more I thought about it, I really wanted my own girly space that I could turn into a little dressing room instead of just a closet. Space-wise, it works much better because you can just step in and have clothes and shelving all around you. So, we went with the idea. It was slightly more expensive adding the extra wall and another door, but not near enough to make a huge difference. We are loving it, though, because it gives us each our own private space. Chris stores some of his tools in his closet, so I’m super thankful he has his own little spot for that. But it’s also allowed me to create this little girly dressing area. Here’s how I did it: When we were designing these closets, I was really inspired by these custom built-ins. {via} {via} Totally dream-worthy, right? {via} I mean can you imagine all of that organized and pretty storage? I knew by looking that some of these were beyond our price range, but I thought a simpler, built-in version might be possible. We were planning to build them ourselves, but that would’ve meant going without closet storage for months after moving in because this project was pretty low on the list of what had to get done. So, we got a quote on having them built and installed. Way expensive. Like thousands way expensive. So what was a closet-dreaming girl to do? Improvise. I went to IKEA to look at their wardrobes. They have so many amazing closet options…shoe compartments, jewelry storage, bag hooks…amazing. But they’re still pretty expensive. They run anywhere from $250 to $500 and we needed at least two. So, I was walking around the store all dejected at my lost closet dreams when I came upon their display of Billy Bookshelves. For my closet, I needed one shelf plus an extension. The total rang in at right around $100. Now that, we could swing! The best part about these is that you decide where the shelves go. I knew I wanted a vanity/jewelry storage area, so I left a shelf out around eye-level. We hung a mirror and I filled the shelf with some pretty display and storage for all of my jewelry. I can’t tell you how fun it is to get ready in here now! Just makes you feel a little special. I used some thrift store plates and brass candlesticks to make a little tiered stand…vertical storage is always a good thing. And I love this little dog…makes me smile every time. I used some of the extra shelf supports as hooks for my favorite necklaces. It’s pretty to have my jewels hanging, but also really accessible. As I said above, I bought the extension so that the shelves would go to the ceiling. I hung the top three shelves pretty close together to maximize shoe storage. The clothes racks and upper shelves are closet sets from Home Depot and were really reasonable. On the bottom shelves, I hung two at a normal separation to stack sweaters, but left the bottom shelf pretty tall. I wanted a place for my tall boots and a basket to keep my belts readily available. Nothing like a custom closet with pretty displays to make you feel like a girly girl. And the best part about this is that you don’t need a lot of room. My closet is 4×7. That sounded really, really tiny to me when we were building it, but with this pretty, vertical storage everything has a place and it feels so much bigger than it actually is! And after seeing what I did with my closet, Chris is thankful for his “manly” space where he can put tools next to shoes and nobody cares.
Mary | Lemon Grove Blog says January 26, 2014 at 11:32 pm Perfect solution! I’ve got high hopes for a walk-in like y’all got going on someday. 4×7 seems like the perfect amount of space – not taking away too much from the living area, but still ample enough for lots of storage and a walk-way. Reply
Kristina says January 27, 2014 at 2:51 am Tools next to clothes–that sounds like Kurt’s idea of closet organization. I love that you even managed to make your closet pretty. You’re so awesome. 🙂 Reply
Julia@Cuckoo4Design says January 27, 2014 at 12:20 pm You are one lucky lady with this gorgeous closet. We have his and her walk-in closets too and I couldn’t live without them. So glad that I don’t have to share with my hubby! Reply
Jennifer @ Brave New Home says January 27, 2014 at 4:55 pm Lovely closet! I’d have fun getting ready in there, too ; ] Reply
Kristin @ bliss-athome.com says January 27, 2014 at 4:58 pm Super cute! I can’t wait to have a decent closet up in here! Love how you did yours! xo Kristin Reply
Shavonda@AHomeFullOfColor says January 27, 2014 at 6:32 pm How smart is this! Such a great, inexpensive way to get a custom look. Looks awesome. Reply