Master Closet Makeover - Step 3: Design & Install!

All of the hard work is officially done - organizing, rehanging the clothes, painting, stenciling, and accessory shopping is complete.  Check out Step 1: Organize! and Step 2: Decorate! for further details.

Now it's time for me to kick back and let Laura VanSickle from Closets by Design coordinate the design and installation of the perfect closet system that will meet my husband's and my needs.  Again, we are on a budget here - as much as I would love mirrored doors, spotlights, and drawers with glass pulls like Big and Carrie's closet, we've got to be realistic.

For our initial consultation, Laura looked at our current system and asked what we were using and what was lacking.  She took measurements of the actual room and also measured how much space to allow for each of our shirts, pants, and folded clothes.  Again, this is what we came from - ClosetMaid wire shelves with no utility and wasted space:

Far Wall - BEFORE

Shoe Wall - BEFORE


A week later Laura shows up with a professional design with a room layout and 3 walls complete with shelves, hanging bars, a shoe wall (yay!), belt rack, valet bar, and laundry basket.  With a couple of adjustments, she and I have agreed on the perfect layout that will fit what's left over from our organizing purge a few weeks before.

She shared 20 different color options with me, and knowing the low lighting situation and future green walls, I chose classic white cabinetry to brighten up the space.  I asked that we keep the back of the units open to feature the green paint and stenciling that would be featured on the walls behind the cabinetry.  The only upgrade that we added was crown moulding across the top of the cabinets for $350 to go with our glamorous dressing room design.

We scheduled the install for the morning of December 21st, which was supposed to take approximately 3-4 hours.  Promptly at 9:00 AM the installers from Closets by Design show up ready to work.  After speaking with a friend about her closet installion nightmare from a competing closet company, I was unsure what to expect when they arrived.  However, Victor and his partner are extremely friendly, courteous, and were very prompt in the installation, completing the entire project in 2 1/2 hours.


Far Wall - AFTER Install

My Wall - AFTER Install









Husband's Wall - AFTER Install



Shoe Wall - AFTER Install



Now I just have to load everything back in an organized fashion.  So many options - this closet system is completely interchangeable.....you can move the shelves and hanging bars to wherever or whatever height you want.  And I have a dining room full clothes waiting to be hung in their beautiful new home.....

Our makeshift closet while painting and installation was completed

2 1/2 hours later I have rearranged and fit (with room to spare) everything in an organized fashion back in the new space.  I sit on my newly upholstered ottoman for 5 minutes, relishing in the calmness and beauty of having a perfectly organized and decorated closet.  Oh, ahem, I mean "dressing room". 

 

Far Wall - AFTER



Shoe Wall - AFTER

 

Husband's Wall - AFTER

My Wall - AFTER

When I now walk in my closet, I am no longer stressed by the chaos that had taken over, but am blissfully happy by the fact that everything has its own beautiful place to be stored or displayed.  What a wonderful way to end the year!

Master Closet Makeover: Step 2 - Decorate!

I'm already feeling better.  The process of getting rid of all of my junk that I didn't need and giving it to other families in need is so cleansing!  Missed that part?  Check out Step 1 of our Master Closet Makeover: Organize!

Now it's time to focus on the fun part - decorating!  Yes, I am an interior decorator, and I will decorate my closet.  I think we all remember Carrie's closet in "Sex and the City 2" (available with Spanish subtitles below!) and who wouldn't be inspired by that dream?  My goal was to create a glamorous dressing room but with a much smaller budget and space than Carrie and Big had to work with.

My professional organizers from Simplicity suggested buying new hangers to create a uniform and streamlined look.  Bed, Bath and Beyond offers thin, no-slip hangers from Real Simple in 3 colors: white, black, and "blue", which actually was similar to my future paint color.  I picked up 4 boxes of 50 hangers for $29.99 each (or save $6 each with your 20% off coupon!) for all of the hanging shirts. 

Real Simple no-slip hangers from Bed, Bath and Beyond

For pants, Ikea offers curved wood hangers in packs of 8 for $4.99.  They just expanded their color offerings to include black and white wood hangers in addition to light wood and dark wood.  I bought 7 packs in the white color to match the future closet system.

Bumerang curved hangers in white wood from Ikea

My best decorating tool when on a budget is PAINT.  Paint is an extremely inexpensive way to make a big impact and completely change the look and feel of a room.  There are millions of colors and hundreds of different treatments that your possibilities with paint are endless.  What I chose to do here was match the color of my master bedroom, Halcyon Green by Sherwin Williams, but use a stenciling technique to give the walls some interest and that "glamorous feel".


Far Wall - BEFORE Paint



Far Wall - AFTER Paint




Yes, I said stencil.  I know, I would be scared, too.  However, Cutting Edge Stencils, has a great selection of updated stencils that are far from the 80's and 90's country border stencils that I automatically think of when I hear that word.  They offer large plastic allover stencils that can be taped directly to the wall, and you can paint a large portion of the wall at one time. 

The stencil I used for the closet is called "Casablanca" and is only $39.95 from Cutting Edge. I used Valspar's metallic paint in the color "Silver Patina", which can be found at Lowe's in their "Earth Elements" Brilliant Metals paint line. 


Casablanca Allover Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils



During the stenciling process

The key with stenciling is PATIENCE.  I used a small 4" cabinet door paint roller found at Lowe's or any major hardware store.  Using a level while stenciling is also important - once you've got the stencil positioned level  for the the first placement you should be OK as long as you use your painted pattern to guide your future placements.  Don't assume your floor or ceiling is level - it usually never is!  Here are more stenciling tips online for those interested trying out this painting technique.

One other item that I added to help acheive my dressing room look was a 7 foot tall leaner mirror, found at HomeGoods, for $100 with an antiqued silver frame.  I didn't have a full-length mirror in my closet before and that item is definitely a must-have for a dressing room.

The only other accessory to add (I had to keep reminding myself that this is only a closet) was some sort of step stool for me to use to get up in the top shelves.  I opted to use a small upholstered ottoman, which could also double as a place to sit when putting on shoes.  I found the one below again at HomeGoods for $80, which was the perfect size and style for the space.  It just needed a little facelift, which my upholsterer was happy to oblige.

I chose to have it recovered in Premier Prints "Traditions" cotton linen print in their Eaton Blue/Linen color for only $10.49/yard.



With all of the paint and accessories selected, all that's left to do is wait for our custom closet to be installed by local company Closets By Design.  Read our next entry - Master Closet Makeover: Step 3 - Design and Install! to see the dramatic AFTER pictures and find out about the benefits of having your own custom closet system.

Master Closet Makeover: Step 1 - Organize!

I have a confession to make. As much time, energy, and money I have spent on decorating my home, my poor master closet has lacked the attention it deserves and, over time, I lost control.

Spending 10 years in retail had created quite a collection of clothes, shoes, purses, and accessories that have slowly been mounting in my large walk-in closet over the 5 years we have lived in our house.  And I admit to doing something that we all do - freak out at the last minute when company is coming over and throw various items (from papers, books, small kitchen appliances, etc) in my closet.  So when a friend suggested that I enter a closet makeover contest sponsored by local organizing and closet companies Simplicity and Closets By Design, of course I jumped at the chance!

The images you are about to see may be too graphic for young children.  It had gotten to the point where I was worried to let my 1 1/2 year-old son in our closet for fear that he may end up in Narnia.  Below are the pictures that I sent in with my entry and, I really hate to admit it, they were NOT staged.

Far Wall - BEFORE

Shoe Wall - BEFORE





Top Shelf - BEFORE

 As you can guess, our closet was SO bad, that yes, we won the makeover!  I received the news on my phone while my husband was driving and I squealed so loudly that he almost drove us off the road.  They explained to me that the process would be organize, design, and install.  Our goal was to have it completed by the new year.

OK, Step 1 - ORGANIZE.  That should be easy to do, right?  Well, I guess if it were that easy, I would have done it before we had gotten to the-point-of-no-return.  Enter Simplicity Certified Professional Organizers.  Simplicity quickly sent me an assessment questionnaire and I met with Anne Steppe, a professional organizer, at our home to discuss the project, what my needs were, determine where our current system was lacking and what could be improved.

A few days later Anne shows up promptly with another partner-in-crime, Andrea, ready to help me dig through my mess.  They immediately started pulling everything out of the closet and laying it in designated areas for me to sort through and determine what was Keep, Donate, or Throw Away.  The amount of stuff that was literally stuffed in that closet was unbelievable when it was spread out all over my first floor.  I had 3 whole rows of shoes lined up spanning the length of my foyer which had previously been stacked up on 4 small shelves.

In my purse collection I found change, make-up, lipstick that had been misplaced for years, and a $50 Spa Finder gift card that had not yet expired.  SCORE!  Andrea pulled out all of my husband's t-shirts, shorts, ties, etc, and did an inventory of his things for me.  He had OVER 100 t-shirts piled up on our dining room table once she was done.



Andrea refolded all of my husband's clothes, including over 100 t-shirts!

After 3 hours of sorting, we had accumulated 14 trash bags full of clothes, shoes, and purses that Anne packed up in her Suburban to donate to local charities. 

Packed and ready to go to local charities in Charlotte

The next step that Anne and Andrea assisted with was transferring the clothes that were remaining to the new no-slip Real Simple hangers that I had found at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $29.99 for a box of 50. 

After a mere 4 hours, we had managed to pull everything out of my closet, sort, and organize it back in the closet, all while feeling great about the charitable donations I was making (and the tax write-off I was getting)!

Far Wall - AFTER Simplicity





Shoe Wall - AFTER Simplicity

I certainly could not have done this (and clearly had not done this) without the help from Anne and Andrea from Simplicity.  Below are a few tips that they gave me to help keep myself organized and avoid another out-of-control situation:
 

Organizing Tips



1) If you are starting a large reorganization project, be realistic about how much time it will take and make sure to set aside that amount of time in your schedule.  It took 3 of us each 4 hours to complete the reorganization of my closet, which means it would have taken 12 hours for just me to accomplish this.  If you don't give yourself enough time, it's easy to get frustrated halfway through and lose focus of the end goal.

2) When you buy a new pair of shoes, shirt, or any other item, it must be REPLACING a similar item in your closet. Yes, we all love to have MORE clothes, MORE shoes, and MORE purses, but do we really need everything in our closet?  The average person doesn't wear 70% of what is hanging in their closet at any one moment.  Replacing items versus adding will allow you to maintain a place to put everything, which is the key to keeping organized.



3) Transfering your clothes to one type of hanger will streamline the look of your closet.  It also will help you stick with the idea of using your brand new shirt to replace an old one by allowing yourself to use only the nice matching hangers that you have available.



4) Use small clear plastic bins on shelves to store items such as purses, scarves or other accessories. Clear plastic allows you to see what is inside without having to pull the bin down and the small size keeps it from becoming a bottomless pit that large bins can easily turn into.

More tips are available on Simplicity's blog, with new entries and ideas added weekly to help anyone stay organized!

To read how the paint, closet design, and other fun items were chosen, check out the next entry: Master Closet Makeover: Step 2 - Design!

Island Chic Master Makeover for under $1600!

I recently worked with a client originally from Florida who was desperate to update their "college feel" master bedroom to a retreat that reminded her of the beaches from home.  The trick was also complimenting the look to the trendy Uptown condo that they live in while being budget-conscious.  What we came up with was a hybrid of a glamorous master bedroom but with a beachy feel - something similar to what you might find in a chic island resort.  The best part was that everything you see here came under $1600, which includes my design fee!

BEFORE

The focal point of the room was the bed, which is why it was so important to create the Wow factor here.  We did this with a 5 foot-8 inch tall custom tufted upholstered headboard in a creamy linen fabric. 

Working with the blue paint already on the walls, I found updated but beachy fabrics to give a pop of color against the neutral headboard and ivory Pottery Barn linens.

The side table was a great find for $156 at Sleepy Poet Antique Mall with just a few touch ups of paint needed to get rid of the outdated gold trim and a little bronze spray paint to update the existing pulls.

BEFORE

The finishing touches were a bronze lamp from Big Lots for $35 with a Seagrass Lampshade from Ballard Designs.  The pearlized tile box was another antique find from Sleepy Poet as well as the turquoise Ball Jar "vase".  Some fresh hydrangeas complete the look that is glamorous island living 30 floors up in Uptown Charlotte.

Here's how we got this look for under $1600:
Prices below include design fee and sales tax

Custom Linen 5 foot-8 inch Tufted Headboard - $656
Pottery Barn 300 thread-count ivory duvet, shams, and bedskirt - $240
Two Custom Euro Pillows w/ removable covers - $218
One Custom Decorative Pillow w/ removable cover - $103
Antique Bedside Table with updated paint - $198
Bronze Lamp with Seagrass Lampshade - $98
Accessories - $54
TOTAL = $1567

3 Ruffled Burlap Christmas Trees for $27!

With all of the excitement over burlap this year, I came up with another holiday project using this inexpensive fabric.  Hobby Lobby has the best selection of colored burlap ($4 a yard) including the green used in this project, but Jo-Ann's Fabric also has a good selection for the same price (however I could not find the color green during my visit).  Hancock Fabrics also carries burlap in traditional natural colors and brown at $4 a yard. 

These burlap Christmas trees are easy to make, take little time (approximately 2 hours) and not a lot of money.  If you haven't already seen it, check out our ruffled burlap wreath project using red burlap posted a couple of weeks ago.

Materials:

1 Small 8 7/8" tall green Styrofoam cone - Hobby Lobby or Michaels for $4

1 Medium 11 7/8" tall green Styrofoam cone - $5

1 Large 17 7/8" tall green Styrofoam cone - $7

2 yards of green burlap - Hobby Lobby for $4/yard

Glue gun OR

1 Box of straight pins with pearl ends - Hobby Lobby or any fabric store for $3

Cut your of burlap into strips as directed below using this cutting method that I found online.  All of them should be 2 yards long.
Small tree - cut 4  2" strips
Medium tree - cut 5  2.5" strips
Large tree - cut 7  3" strips

Once you have cut your strips, find a "strand" of burlap in the middle of each strip and pull to gather (similar to the cutting method above) to form a ruffle.

With your 2" wide ruffles, fold the frayed ends under and secure at the top of the small cone with a glue gun or straight pin (I found that straight pins create less mess and are faster - plus if you use the pearl ended ones it resembles mini lights on the trees).

Continue wrapping the ruffle around the tree, pinning every couple of inches and sometimes twisting your ruffled strip to create fullness.  At the end of each ruffle strip, take the next ruffle, fold under the frayed edge and pin on top of the end of the first ruffle.  Continue in this fashion until you have reached the bottom of the tree - it should take all of your 4 ruffles.

Repeat these steps for the medium (2.5" strips) and large trees (3" strips).  For additional color or interest, you could pin miniature bows or jingle bells to the trees while you are pinning your ruffles.  These little trees are perfect as part of a tablescape for your holiday feast or an accent table decoration for the holidays!

See also Ruffled Burlap Wreath for 20!

SPLURGE vs STEAL - Where to Get Your Office Organized with Style

As more and more companies transition to "alternative work schedules", many of us are lucky enough to find themselves working from home these days.  I recently made the decision myself to leave a job where I was required to sit in a cubicle for 40-50 hours per week to the splendor of working out of my own home office.  Nothing is better than being in your own space that is perfectly organized and decorated just to your taste..........wait, your home office isn't exactly up to par?  (Mine isn't yet either - work in progress).  Well, have I got good news for you!

I was shopping at The Container Store yesterday for closet supplies (Before and After of master bedroom closet makeover to be posted soon!) and decided to check out their office supplies, as well.  Was I amazed at the sights, colors, and patterns before me - never have I seen such a vivid and fun display of paper sorters, boxes, file folders, pushpins, or magnets all in one place!

Here's the SPLURGE
The prices on these are not exactly cheap - anywhere from $5.99 to $12.99 for the paper boxes (yes, per box) and magazine files you see above.

In addition to their colored cardboard box assortment, you can also find the fiberboard multi-colored document storage stackers (above left) for $24.99 (again per box).  Their file folders are a reasonable splurge, especially for that visible file rack on top of your desk - $3.99-$5.99 for a package of 6.  (I figured I could use the inexpensive manila folders from Office Depot for the files that are tucked away in drawers.)

They also offer the Mighty Magnetic Strip for your reminders, phone numbers, or notes for $12.99 in the colors black, white or silver.  My favorite, however, was the Mini Magnetic Strip for $4.99 with their additional color options of blue, green, or pink.  If you need the extra space, who's to say you don't just use 2 of the Minis for their color appeal?

Now here's your STEAL  
If you're looking for something similar to perk up your workspace but don't want to pay those prices, I found my magazine files (white, black, green, orange or black/white stripe available) at Ikea for $3.99 for a pack of 2.  They also offer CD boxes ($3.99 for 2), DVD boxes ($5.99 for 2), or large file boxes ($9.99 for 2) in the same color collection.  Now I'm not sure how many of you buy CDs anymore (apparently they haven't caught onto iTunes in Sweden yet), but the box is great smaller size for other supplies.  Ikea has a large selection of other inexpensive office accessories and can help anyone on a budget get organized with style. 

Kasset Magazine File

Kasset CD/Miscellaneous Storage



Now for the actual organization.....here's a great article with 12 steps to getting and keeping your desk organized.  I'll be posting pictures soon of my home office with my Ikea and Container Store finds when it's ready for viewing.....stay tuned! 

Ruffled Burlap Wreath for $20!

After coming home from the Southern Christmas Show, all of the new burlap decorations inspired me to try out making my own wreath in this unlikely holiday decor fabric.  I managed to find quite a few crafty folks out there with the same idea, and quickly figured out how to make one of these for my front door!  All is takes is about $20 in materials and 2 hours of your time.  I found out a from a friend that, apparently, burlap is not easy to find, but Hobby Lobby has a great selection of burlap in multiple colors for only $4 a yard!

Materials:
18" Straw Wreath Form - Hobby Lobby or Michaels for $5 (or $3 with your 40% off coupon!)
3 yards of red burlap - Hobby Lobby for $4 a yard
Glue gun and one extra glue stick
Ribbon - Michaels or Hobby Lobby for $4 a roll
Straight Pins (to attach bow)

Cut 2 strips of burlap, each 3" wide by 3 yards long to wrap around your wreath.  Here is a link to a great burlap cutting method that I found online.  Wrap the two strips around your wreath, securing at the ends with your glue gun.

Next, cut 4 more strips of burlap, 3 1/2" wide each and 3 yards long.  Find a "strand" of burlap in the middle of each strip and pull to gather (similar to the cutting method above) and form a ruffle.

Arrange your ruffled strips like an "S" or a snake on the front of your wreath to create gathered ruffles.  Secure at each turn with your glue gun.



Once you have finished attaching your ruffles, (should take most of your 4 strips), you can make any sort of bow with your selected ribbon.  I used straight pins instead of glue to attach my bow to my wreath in case I decided to change out the ribbon in the future.  You can create a loop with your ribbon as a hanger and attach to any door, mirror, or a mantle with mounting tape (found at Wal-Mart, Target, etc.).  Enjoy!

Southern Christmas Show 2011 - Charlotte, NC

This was my first trip to this annual event, and I was amazed at the amount of people that flock to this Crafter's Bonanza.  The entire floor of the Charlotte Merchandise Mart seemed to be standing room only and after 3 hours of being jostled, nudged, or endless waiting to move down the aisles, my party and I came to the conclusion that we had seen enough.

Outside of the crowds, there were so many interesting booths of small homegrown businesses spanning from Ohio to Georgia.  You could find anything from homemade fudge to 3' tall Collegiate Plastic Santas (painted in your favorite team's colors, of course!) for your front yard.  I was somewhat disappointed in the amount of home decor items, but I did find a few things notable for holiday decorating that I thought were worth sharing.