Well, the dusty, miserable, un-fun parts of our home improvements project has finally turned a corner, and we’re finally onto The Pretty.
Before these we got our tres-delicious closet system from Ikea, Martin and I had shared a closet.
It was the closet in our former bedroom in our very old house, built in 1908. If you opened the standard-sized door, you’d get the whole scope of it’s smallness, save for an extra, say, 8 inches of space to the left and the right.
With the limited closet space, we’ve learned to be pared-down in our wardrobe, and we store off-season stuff in baskets on the top shelves, and in the basement. Our linens lived in there too.
We’ve lived this way for 13 years. Le sigh.
We moved our bedroom to the front of the house three years ago (necessary when the roof started leaking and we had to get out from under the drip) but we’ve still been dressing out of the former bedroom closet all this time. There are worse things, I know, but I believe this practice made me just a touch mental. THREE YEARS, people!
We claimed the library/nursery off the former living room for ourselves, and we’re effectively turning it into a suite. Yes, the children are sharing a bedroom, but they’re small, and dammit, this is my house – they have the run of the rest of it, you know?
So, that former room? Looked like this:
Now, that room is starting to look like this:
I know. Puuuuuuur…
And the kind of amazing part is, we don’t have all kinds of left over space. For once, our limited wardrobe just has room to breathe. I absolutely love it.
I decided to arrange my stuff mostly by colour – and I measured for a hanging bar just for my little skirts. It looks like dress-up party central down there with the tulle of tutus, and the glimmer of sequins and satin. (There’s something to be said for owning nearly everything in black.)
*skips and claps doing happy dance*
I know. I’m freaking thrilled!! We’ll have linens in the centre closet, and the far two are Martin’s. I think some additional shelves and drawers will help us utilize the space more efficiently, but it’s just terrific to actually SEE all my stuff for a change. I wore my sequin jacket out last night, because I remembered that I owned it – and it’s in my closet with all my other clothes, and not in the hall closet with the coats.
I tell you, it’s almost like having a whole new wardrobe. And I like my closets tidy, yo… they will remain looking like this forever.
What’s in your closet? Been shopping in there lately?!
Alice, I’m thrilled to bits with this system! And yes indeed, that IS an Hermes box – my husband’s other wife (AKA Boss-lady) has been ridiculously generous with us over the years, and that’s a saved box from some dishware she once gave us. At the moment, it’s storing my costume jewelry, but totally works as pat of The Pretty, right? Mmmmmmm… Hermes…
Okay, we just renovated a little walk-in for ourselves but this? And is the a Hermes box I’m spying? *dies* (also, can’t do accents, so pardon lack thereof)
Oh Amanda, your house tour made me CRY because I know how s-l-o-w the renos can be… how is it that money can get burned up so freaking fast? I remember seeing your closet and thinking, “Man… look how much SPACE she has!!” Way jealous, I tell you. Maybe I’ll do a house tour soon… if I can just figure out how that damned camera works… Also? It will take about 20 seconds to film since our place is all on one floor and smallish. Heh.
PS – You have the pole. That’s funny. Get dancin’ girl! (Whoops… vertical is better, I think.) I loved your house, lady. For realz.
Dude, it’s gonna be a whole dressing room! And I think it’s semi-necessary since we only have one bathroom for us all to share… now someone can wander away and finish up in another part of the house, you see? I’m stoked. More to come! (But waiting for Boxing Week sales to buy the rest – I’m not stupid, you know!!)
Thanks Ali! It takes some time to get all the parts figured out, but I think I deserve it too. It’s been a looooooong wait. And I really can’t say enough good things about Ikea stuff. Really. Magical, and affordable – for what it is – and for my mathematical genius, a very smart choice… especially when you consider the cost of custom built-ins. And it’s Ikea – so switch up your drawers or doors or whatever for the rest of your life, because the stuff will ALWAYS be available in the sizes you chose. That rocks pretty hard for my money!!
You have no idea how envious this makes me. Right now our walk-in closet consists of two ladders with a POLE between them as a rod for hanging. It’s nasty. Someday we’ll have something dreamy like this. In the meantime, though, it’s just me and my pole. 🙂
I am so jealous of all the pretty. I can’t wait until we can get a house that has a walk-in closet ALL FOR ME. I also really want a new twirly skirt now. hmmm.
SO PRETTY.
well deserved, lady.
Julie, please DO come by for a playdate!! Promise to wear your best twirling skirt…
when are you inviting us all over for a playdate? say yes to the dress-up 🙂
Thanks so much, Jen! I feel very lucky. It’s been cramped for years… the house isn’t big, so we have to go I’m trying to be as wise about storage as I am about The Pretty wherever possible. I’m in love (with my closet) again!!
WOW! I actually found myself salivating a little reading this and looking at your photos. You are one lucky, lucky lady (with impeccable taste).