Renovated Closet

I can't help but share a few photos of my fabulously renovated walk-in closet! Kevin did an amazing job installing the hardware and shelves and just maximizing every centimeter of space in what was once an awkward little room. Here it is in its "Before" state:

I can't complain too much about the size...at 6 feet deep by 4 feet wide, it's bigger than what a lot of people have. But with a door that opened inward, and with a strange nook in the back, I was at as to how to arrange the shelving. And there were a lot of requirements:

• an area for my shoes to be displayed (not on the floor) for easy viewing and access
• space for shoe boxes
• adjustable shelves for handbags and other accessories
• plus bars to accommodate a large collection of dresses, and a smaller grouping of skirts and tops

So, first things first, the door had to come off. No problem really, and I liked the idea of using a pretty drape to conceal the space as it would add an extra burst of color and pattern to the hallway. As you can see from the top photo, I now have a vibrant Amy Butler print curtain which Kevin's mom so kindly sewed for me. She even added an aqua lining to it, so it would be pretty from the inside too.

Then we went to work laying out the shelves. We decided to run a shelf along both sides of the space, about 12 inches from the ceiling, allowing for two shoe boxes to be stacked at a time. All in all, room for 40 shoe boxes! Then, we used the 30 inch nook in the back for the adjustable shelves. Kevin ran tracks vertically along the space and installed five shelves that I can use for storage boxes, stacks of clutches and sweaters, etc. (They can be seen below...a little messy I know, but I'm getting there.)

For the shoe display dilemma, I used a recommendation from Domino magazine, which suggested bolting over-the-door shoe racks to the wall for an easy and inexpensive shoe storage solution. It ended up working perfectly, and at $15 per rack, it was a bargain. If you don't have room for shoe shelves, or don't have the budget to have them built, this is a great alternative and allows you to get your heels off the floor.

Finally, for the clothes bars, we used the right side of the space and ran a long bar at the top for the dresses and a shorter bar right below their hems for tops and skirts. Plus there's still room on the right for a laundry basket, full-length mirror and hooks for necklaces, belts and various sparkly things. It's such a treat to have one location for everything - a spot where I can see thing out in the open, but can close the curtain to conceal it from the rest of the house. Hooray!