Closet Reveal

Get ready!!!!!It's time for....OPRAHS FAVOR-ITE THIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

Nah, just kidding. But it is time for...part 1 of closet update!!!

This past Sunday I had about 3 hours of David time so I took full advantage and we went to Lowe's to get started on this closet/3rd bedroom project.

So, what did we decide?

We decided to do a bar across one whole side of the room (about 10.5 feet)--we'd share that and see how that worked space wise. When it comes to DIY, I tend to just do it, and then re-do it later if I hate my first attempt. But when I get an idea, I like to do it right away. (Hence while I rearrange furniture a lot and move things around a lot--sorry DW.)

To begin:

We went to Lowe's and bought a 10ft long iron pole. I thought about copper b/c it was prettier, but I think it's softer, and I wanted something that wouldn't bend. So, iron it was. We needed 10ft 6 inches, so I bought a lot of the little iron coupling and iron nipples (that is what they're called...). Can you imagine iron nipples? Weird. The whole project cost about $40 (about $12 for the 10ft pole, about $10 for each end flange--the flat piece--and about $2-3 for the nipples and coupling).

We put the whole thing together and made sure it fit in the space--and then I wanted to make the plain black pipe look pretty. So how'd I do that? Spray paint of course. It's the only DIY thing I am really good at.

And since I liked the copper color, I went with a gold spray paint (cost: only free dollars because I already had it).

 

Spray painting tip that I'm sure you learned already from YHL, when spray painting, you do several coats from about a foot or so away (to avoid drips). So this was like coat 2 or 3. 

I really started to like the gold color paired with the modern/industrial look of the pipe. When things start looking like this, I get excited.

 

We let it dry (for about 3 minutes b/c I am not patient), and then I got my assistant to help me put that baby in. We made sure to hang it high enough so my longest dresses wouldn't touch the floor (and David's albs too), and we made it far enough from the wall behind it so a coat hanger would have plenty of space (IE wouldn't be bumping the wall at all). The pole ended up being about a foot and half away from the wall.

Sorry for the crooked picture, but here's the current "After". We still have some major work to do in this room like adding a chair or two, installing some shelving, hanging art and probably more hanging space or shelves on the other side of the room. Can you tell where David's clothes end and mine begin? I thought, "I have so much more space for clothes!" Do y'all like the mid-century clock? Probably too small for that space now that I look at the picture...but an awesome clock nonetheless.

Also, if you're wondering, that "doorway" was closed off to make this room a 3rd bedroom--I suspect because we're in a college town and lots of college students cram into houses with all their friends. We debated asking if we could remove the sheet rock that's blocking it off, but we decided to live with it because we're renters. Also, it connects to the kitchen on the other side, so unless we made this room an office or something more suitable to be attached to the kitchen, it really wouldn't work.

I'd also like to get all matching hangers--wood ideally--but that would've made the project more than $40, so we'll just have to do that gradually as we retire plastic hangers. I got David to get rid of all the wire hangers (wire hangers=hate), so that was a start! I don't like plastic ones b/c things slide off, so...better start saving our pennies.

So--for a half room shot--whatcha think? Good idea, no? It's an adjustment to get ready in another room, but its really nice to have less clutter in our bedroom. Especially because hanging up clothes is not my strong suit. Do laundry? Any day. Fold clothes? No problem. Put them away? Like on hangers? I think I'd rather just pick my clean clothes off the sofa from the folded pile. Thanks.

And just for fun because who doesn't love this stuff....

Third Bedroom Pinspiration

David and I rent the cutest house in Columbia, SC. Seriously, we love the house. It is a 1930's bungalow in the Historic Heathwood area with lots of charming details. From talking with neighbors who have lived in the neighborhood forever, they said that David's and my house was the neighborhood builder's house, where he lived with his family. He designed and constructed most of the bungalows on our street, and evidently, ours is the best, because it was his family home. The rest of them are similar on the inside as far as layouts are concerned, but ours is unique, which I thought was cool. While in my opinion, the outside could use a little work (just your basic brick bungalow...nothing too great as far as curb appeal goes), the inside is what drew us in. That, and the backyard, which is perfect for our furry-child, Colonel Mustard.

                         

While I want to do a full house tour eventually, one of the rooms that has been virtually untouched is our "third bedroom/office/junk-room/storage for boxes our parents made us get out of they're houses since we're adults now" room. My parents are probably reading this and thinking, "we got a LOT more you can take if you've got a spare room!" But alas...we've got other plans for that room.

While it did get a coat of paint...that's about all it's gotten. When we moved in (June 2011), Bedroom 3 as we'll call it, was a bright frat-boy Salmon color. It was an obvious "convert this room into a bedroom so we can charge more rent" type space, and we totally bought into it. We'd just come from a NYC apt that was really long and narrow...so space was all we wanted. And a dishwasher.

So whats the plan? A walk-in closet of course! (Carrie Bradshaw...eat your heart out.) Y'all might be thinking...a priest and a social worker/nonprofiteer (not to be confused with Mousketeer fellow children of the 80's) couldn't possibly have enough money to afford enough clothes to need a walk in closet ROOM?! And, you'd be right...but it isn't as much a space thing as a practicality thing.

Most days David and I are on different schedules...particularly Thursday-Sunday...so it's annoying for one of us (i.e. me) to try and get ready for work in the dark or with a dim light so I don't wake him up. And he has the same issue on Sundays especially when we heads to work way before I get up...

The brainstorming went something like this:

Me: Since it's hard for us to get ready in the dark sometimes, I had an idea.
My Inner Thoughts: "I really hope I can use some of those Pinterest Closet ideas I've pinned"
David: What's the idea?
Me: To clear the junk out of the third bedroom and turn it into like a...dressing room. Like a huge closet for BOTH of us...TO SHARE!! We can hang a long rack on one wall or....blah blah blah...
My Inner Thoughts: "please say yes...please say yes...."
David: Yeah, that'd be cool. Sounds like a good idea.
My Inner Thoughts: "THAT WAS EASY...commence pinning"
Me: Awesome! Let's get to Lowes and...blah blah blah...

So, this is what we're working on.

Since I can't find the OFFICIAL before shot...I took this one in the molding to at least show the color it used to be before we painted it (that pinkish color)

 

Guess some spots need to be touched up...eh heh heh...

But we painted it "Grey Squirrel" by Martha Stewart.  It was also the first room we painted...now we've done like 8, so we could have done a little touch up. We're a lot better painters now, I swear. Quit judging...

So here's the room now-and this is "after" the junk was cleared out I mind you.

So we've got a huge space to work with and at this point in my shopping career, I won't fill up this entire room. Yet. But we'll probably add some additional storage that's not permanent since we're renters and we want something we can take with us. We're smart like that.

But check out some of the cool "charming" things besides that amazing thick baseboard molding and the crown molding on top.

 The Transom Windows above all the doors and the crystal/glass doorknobs are just a few sweet touches in this wonderful house of ours...that we rent. Stay tuned for the closet room update. I'm hoping to get some stuff I need either tomorrow b/c we're making a trip to Charlotte and could drop in Ikea...or I'll do some local closet shopping Sunday. Stay tuned.

Some of my closet inspiration to tide you over...(less about the decor, more about the closet units themselves)

                                                        loving the double racks above

Brass/gold bar going straight across with overhead storage

 storage for shoes, bags, sweaters...could be inexpensive if done thoughfully

 again, like the single bar with the overhead storage

this is actually sold as one unit (Martha again), so it's the most convenient.

Ps: If you're reading this blog for the Bible Challenge info--take my advice. Skip Leviticus. Well, don't if you're trying to read it all. Keep going, but just text David your questions.  Lots of laws about cloven animals and which ocean dwellers are acceptable to eat. I'm a vegetarian, so I say...fuhgettaboutit.