Closet Progress — The Basic Build Is Finished!
I’ve passed the first big hurdle in this walk-in closet project. The basic build is finished! I finished up at 11:00pm last night, and y’all, I’m so tired. 😀 I got all of the build finished, and then got about a quarter of the way finished with covering all of the nail holes and screw holes with wood filler. So my plan is to finish that up today, and then start on the trim and molding tomorrow!
This is only one part of what will be a very long series of posts on my biggest built yet — my walk-in closet and laundry combination. If you missed the previous post, you can find that here: Closet Progress – It’s Starting To Take Shape! (Plus, A Design Change Based On Your Suggestions)
So let me show you how it looks so far. Here’s the view from the foyer just outside the doorway of the closet.
You’ve already seen most of the right side of the room, but it’s now completely built out. I’m still going to remove that shelf on the center section where the wallpaper and mirror will go, and I’m going to replace that with a glass shelf. I’m still working out the design details of that section.
Again, this side is almost all shelf storage, with the exception of the area under the center shelf where I’ll store my necklaces. I’m still working out those details as well.
The left section will be for handbags and clothes that I want to store folded. The center section will be the pretty section with the wallpaper, mirror, sconces, glass-top drawer for earrings and rings, necklace bar, and another shelf. I’ll add that last shelf at the bottom once I get the details of the earring and necklace storage worked out. And the right section will be shoe storage.
And the cabinet on the door wall will be for things that I want stored in a closed cabinet behind a cabinet door.
On the left side of the room, I have the dryer cabinet by the window. The next section will have one hanging bar for dresses, skirts, and pants. The center section will have two hanging bars for shirts — one for long sleeve and one for short sleeve.
And then the section on the left will have one hanging bar for miscellaneous items with the clothes hampers at the bottom.
And then I have another cabinet on that side that will have a door on it for items I want stored in a closed cabinet.
You’ll notice that I did have to make one small change. I had originally planned to have the step ladder stored in a slot next to the clothes hampers like this…
But evidently, I read the dimensions of the step ladder wrong because it won’t fit there. I know I lost an inch of depth on these cabinets when I had to make the design change in how I built them, but the ladder sticks out far more than an inch.
So I had to pivot pretty quickly and find a solution. I decided to make the bottom two shelves in the end cabinet (the one that will have a door on it) shallower than the other three so that I can store the step ladder in that cabinet.
So the step ladder will sit just inside that cabinet in front of those two shelves.
I was disappointed at first, but after I got over my disappointment, I realized that it actually might be handier having it stored in that cabinet.
And here’s the view looking back towards the doorway.
This is definitely the biggest build I’ve ever done in my life, and I’m so excited that this part is finished! I have a whole lot of wood filling, sanding, and caulking in my near future (as in, today), but even if I don’t get finished with all of that today, I will be starting on the trim and molding tomorrow. I only have so much patience, and it’s wearing pretty thin right now. I need to see some pretty stuff very soon! 😀
The A2D Daily:
You can find the next post in this series — my walk-in closet and laundry room combination — here: Walk-In Closet Progress – Adding Trim To The Cabinet Closets
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Your energy, commitment and talent never cease to amaze me. You are truly a great builder. It looks so fabulous now, I can’t wait to see how it will end. I love that Cooper is so faithful to his mommy waiting for you to finish up.
Cheers to you and Matt!
Okay, I stopped having house envy for any house when I moved into my dream house and forever home several years ago. But when I saw the cover photo for this post, I felt a teeny moment of closet envy. I have a walk in closet but nothing like this. This looks great!
This is AMAZING!!! God bless and thank you so much for your amazing detailed coverage!
If I had room for a walk in closet, I would want this one! You make great and thoughtful decisions and your woodworking and building skills are fabulous! So looking forward to the finished room. Or rooms!
You’ve made so much progress! I hope you reach your goal for the weekend and can get to the pretty stuff soon!
I love that you are using the center section cabinet for all things beautiful,
I am curious if you have considered building out your jewelry drawer on top of the existing board there, complete with a hinged glass top of course. That option may allow you to leave the existing shelf if it would give you the look are desiring. And with a stable build perhaps your jewelry would not shift each time you opened and closed a drawer. Just a thought I wanted to share,
Can’t wait to see your finished space. Go Kristy go,
I love seeing it come all together. It will look beautiful when complete. I must have missed how you are hooking up the washer inside the cabinet. Does the top come off?
No, but all of my hoses are long enough (six feet long) that I can hook them up with the washer/dryer sitting just outside the cabinets and then push them into place.
Amazing closet!!! I can’t wait to see the progress and the finished room. In reference to keeping the ladder in the same cabinet you’d originally planned, could you cut a slot out of the back of the cabinet so you could slide the ladder back that extra 2″ (or whatever it is)?
That was my first thought, but that would only gain me one inch of space. Even with the trim on the front, I think it would still stick out a bit.
just a thought, Could you hang your ladder on the inside of the cabinet door? That way you wouldn’t have to move it to access the shelves.
Great idea!
I think your original calculations were correct for your step stool. Once you add the faceframe your ladder wouldn’t have stuck out.
Wow! This is amazing! I’m so impressed and feels like it’s going super fast to me.
Wow! Up to now I’ve been happy for you but thinking I personally don’t need anything this big, but even unfinished this is so gorgeous its hard not to want one for myself.
My hubby, son and me are in a full house build…on a mtn in Idaho. House is enclosed and we are currently working on kitchen cabinets. Still sleeping in the MH in the shop but using the kitchen appliances with temp counters. There is a small space between the fridge and bottom cabinet that’s too small to place a cabinets 5-6 inches. What to do? While looking at how high the top cabinets are and I’m 5.5 and in my upper 60’s I can’t climb up on counters anymore. Well, guess what? Yup…. Looked up your link for the ladder! It’s being delivered tomorrow 🙂 I did check the measurements and it is 1/2” too tall but he’s got that all figured out to make it fit. Thanks for sharing about this adorable step ladder I needed!
Hubby thinks your doing an amazing job !!!!
May I suggest that you cut out a butcher-paper representation of the island you intend to build and place it on the floor now, before you actually start cutting the plywood for that? No matter how exacting your measurements for that island are, there’s no substitute for having an accurately measured version of it in the space so you can experience that space being blocked out, maneuvering around it, before you attempt to build it. That way, you can make any minute adjustments to your measurements before you do anything permanent!
It is going to be perfectly beautiful.
Cooper is such a big help!
Wow Kristi I’ve really enjoyed your previous projects but this is just amazing. Great job! I’m so impressed with your abilities to plan, implement and build all those cabinets in such a short time. Also you are such a great instructor that I almost…ALMOST…think even I could follow your lead and build something too. Well done!! Excited to see the upcoming prettiness too 💖 Love and prayers to you & Matt from NC
A couple of ideas:
I have pullout ‘drawers’ for my onions and potatoes in my kitchen. The cabinet guy just put a short drawer front on it so it’s mostly open. I could see that working for your necklaces and then you could just make the holder like you already have and double row them attached to that ‘drawer bottom’. In the future if necklaces aren’t your thing you can pivot.
Second. I would suggest a shelf between the two shirt rods. The reason? Because sometime a shirt or sweater is longer or has a loose weave and the hangers from below can catch on them easy. Also if something falls from an above hanger it will stop it before getting tangled below. Ask me how I know this!!! Lolololol. It doesn’t have to be full depth but you will not regret it.
This project has been very very fun. 90% of your following are living vicariously thru you!!!!!
Last night when I stood back and looked at the finished build, I actually wondered if I should separate the two short sections for shirts with a shelf. I think I’ll go ahead and do that.
I have a section of my closet with double rods and I have a shelf between them. I like having the shelf there
OMG, you are making such great progress. I love your solution to the ladder issue, think it will work out quite well.
When I had my master closet built years ago, the designer added a valet rod. I wish I had more of them. They are very convenient when putting clothes away, when pulling an outfit together, and when pulling clothes out for travel.
Your ideas and thought process are very interesting and I love seeing it all come together.
I do plan to add at least one valet bar. Those things can be expensive! 😀 The one I want is just over $70! I had no idea. But I do want at least one.
THAT LOOKS AWESOME! That is one gorgeous closet…you must be SO excited that you settled on this idea…You will have so much storage, and hanging space, and probably one of the nicest closets for anyone, but especially you…all exactly what you want and need! It looks wonderful! It will be getting better and better soon, when you are able to start some of the finishing parts. That will be very exciting for you and for all of us.
Congratulations!
Oh my gracious! That is fantastic! You’ll be done in no time and enjoying the heck outta that whole room.
I love your design. I am 5’3″ and the section with the hampers & shirt rod woulfpd be a problem for me. I would put the shirt rod low for the ease of hanging & removing. I know that leaves you with upper cabinets byt I haven’t seen a linen closet so maybe that could be yoyr extra linens in bins? And sit the hampers on the shelf over the washer & dryer. They are pretty hampers. It would be easy to tip them over to put dirties in the washer.
I am continually inspired by your design & decorating ideas and gobsmacked with your building ability. Phenomenal!
This has come together so fast! I know you are going to make it into the prettiest closet we’ve ever seen.
Just wondering if you intentionally left out the dead space in the corners of your build plan? I know it would have been difficult to access and you do already have a ton of storage. I love the idea of hanging the ladder inside the cabinet door. So excited to see this all come together:)
Yes, I intentionally left dead corners. I absolutely hate corner storage. Corner storage, at least for me, is where things go to collect and be forgotten forever.