Ever since we saw an image on bhg.com a few months ago with open shelves and baskets, we started thinking about taking the door off of our bathroom’s linen closet. We realized that a few chic baskets could convert our claustrophobic closet into clean and functional open shelving (by now you know we’re crazy about open living). And then when we crashed Lesley & Jeff’s fabulous home, her doorless bathroom closet sealed the deal:
But first some photographic proof as to why our current closet door situation was so not working for us. Check out the serious door war that regularly occurred between the linen closet door and the bathroom door. Argh! Talk about a design flaw.
So one day while John was sittin’ pretty at work, I took a screwdriver, a hammer and a crowbar to the door and off it came (along with the door jamb so that the opening looked a lot more like a built-in shelving nook than a doorless linen closet).
After we erased any evidence that a door once existed (by caulking the hinge holes and removing the door latch) I extended the bathroom’s soothing tan wall color into the nook (Glidden’s Sand White) and painted the door frame and the shelves a crisp glossy white.
Then I just reused the baskets that already housed our sheets and towels and introduced some other creative storage solutions from a few objects that we had laying around the house (two cheap white Ikea planters for nail polish and toothbrushes). Even the toilet paper looks great in its newly spiffed home.
But the entire project wasn’t entirely free, we did splurge on two bigger baskets (for a few more towels) to stack on the floor of the closet. Luckily we scored ’em at Michael’s for 50% off, so we basically got two large rectangular woven trunks for the price of one (25 measly bucks total). Not bad for the entire bathroom closet project.
So what do you guys think? Could you live with an open linen closet or do you think some things are better left behind closed doors? And don’t worry, we’re totally aware that we’re waaay more into open storage than the average bear. Luckily we’re also waaaay more compulsively neat than the average bear (to a somewhat insane degree) so it’s perfect for us. Whatever works, right?
jenifriend in Kansas says
This is a great idea that I will certainly be keeping in mind for when we move into a new house!! Thank you!!
Elizabeth says
I love your new open shelving! We have all open shelving in our bathroom (with the same black and white tile and a white pedestal sink). It’s been tough to decide what type of storage items to use, so thanks for the ideas.
For some reason I’ve had an aversion to natural baskets (love ’em in photos though), so I’ve been thinking of some combination of glass jars, white lacquer boxes (http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=310&f=4004), metal bins (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/56690800 or http://www.accentarchitecturals.com/48-8225.html), or white canvas bins ( http://www.hableconstruction.com/product.php?productid=16644&cat=314&page=1).
Any recommendations for having your open storage look unified and still functional? Is it best to stick with 1 or 2 types of containers or is it okay to mix types as long as the colors are the same?
ALICE says
This is wonderful! I love you guys’ take on it. Great job!
izabela says
i love the new look! now i wish i had a linen closet in my bathroom!
Kimberly says
I love the idea of open storage because I think it would keep me honest (ie force me to keep my clutter under control!). I think that open storage works if it can be arranged in a visually calm way. The laundry/dog supplies closet will, for the time being, remain under wraps :)
megan says
Looks fabulous! I love the idea; such a clean and minimalist look. I could definitely live with open shelving.
Beth says
This is so cute! I love it. But where will you hang your towels?
Aimee says
I love it! I really like baskets for storage, especially when they are pretty. Our linen closet is in our hallway, so a door is a must for us, but I love open shelving in a bathroom. Well done! :)
Liv says
I’m a huge fan of open storage. My kitchen cabinet doors are gone, and I’m using an expedit bookcase in my bathroom for linen storage.
It looks great!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey everyone,
So glad you’re loving project door be gone! Elizabeth, our tip would be to keep a pretty unified color scheme (ie: all white and tan, all black and white, or even just all white) and try to repeat a few boxes or bins so that not every item is a different size and shape (which might look kind of chaotic). In other words, if you end up going with glass jars and white metal bins, try bringing in a few identical versions of each container for some repetition and order. Hope that helps!
Beth, we still hang our towels on the back of the bathroom door (of course that door will forever STAY!) so in losing the closet door it didn’t effect our cute little monogrammed towel hooks. Whew.
xoxo,
Sherry
lime in the coconut says
Looks fab! Clean and fresh.
Ya know…we have the same set up, and when we redid our bath we needed a bit more storage (4 teens) so we found a 4 drawer lower cabinet and fit it in the bottom, and added some leftover counter on top.We kept the top shelves. Voila a little makeup area…and every kid has their own drawer. We did put a door back on, but a full length mirrored door.It would also look good without a door.
michelle says
i love the transformation! i just found your website last week and i have enjoyed looking at your ideas and all the neat changes you have progressively made in your home. you two are so innovative, creative, and handy and i love what you have done within your home. it’s very inspirational for my own home, so thanks for sharing and all the time you take in writing these posts! :)
Jess says
I love how this project turned out! With a curious cat i’m hesitant to do something like this, but I just love the look. Great post!
amy says
I think I’ll do this with our guest bathroom tomorrow! Thanks for all the great ideas!
EastEnd says
I really like what you’ve done! And also liked lime in the coconut’s idea of the drawers.
Meg says
I love the door removed. I did the same exact project to mine a few months ago. Not only is it visually appealing but it’s practical because you don’t have two doors to fight with. Oddly, my bathroom is nearly identical to yours in the layout (including the placement of the linen closet) except my door swings the other way. :)
mrslimestone says
Love it.
Linen closets are one of the most perfect spots for open shelving. Folded/rolled towels are easy to keep looking neat and little items can be kept in boxes. Best of all, its easy to reach into when your soaking wet and need a towel!
I wish we had in bathroom closets. For some reason, the Victorians didn’t need to store their towels :)
Now keeping kitchen pantries open are a whole other story :)
Mandi says
I just might have to do this. Our linen closet in our bathroom has the same door issue. I wonder how I could make mine look so neat though since I store stockpile of shampoo and stuff in there. Hmm, I’ll have to give this a though.
Lovely work though, it looks really nice!
Gràcia says
I wish I had a linen closet and didn’t have to keep all linens somewhere else. And I wish this wasn’t a rental and we could remove doors. But for now I have to say I just love how yours look, and you just reminded me that I need to go and do something to my molger unit from Ikea. For now, everything is still in a bag (including all the pretty baskets we bought to put things in). I guess I have to keep reminding myself “one room at a time” and go to work.
By the way, I love how you can strip off a door jamb and make it look like it never happened. I’m sure I’d never be able to do such a neat job!
Allison says
I have a deep running love for natural baskets, so I definitely think I could do open storage in your case. It seems to open up the room, too!
cherylp says
While our decorating style is quite opposite of yours(we love tons of color, vintage prints, eclectic Pottery Barn Style) we always love the photos you always provide of your makeovers! This one is no exception. Alas, with a sticky 3 year old boy living in our house, we have had to do away with the open storage and keep doors on any closets we don’t want him to completely rearrange in the 30 second span of time that we aren’t looking! We do still use baskets, though to keep the closets and bookshelves organized.
MaryB in Richmond says
Dang. You two do make it all look so easy!!
Was yours a tiny door? My linen closet in the bathroom has a louvered door that’s less than half the width of a normal door. I keep quilting supplies in there, as I’m the only member of the family who can actually fit a shoulder in there to get anything out!
Doorless might be a great idea, though …. hmmm….
G&D says
I am definitely a “keep it behind closed doors” kinda girl. I even did a post a my blog a couple months ago titled “Open Shelving Is My Nemesis”, lol! But I just love what you’ve done here–it looks great! And is certainly more functional than the door war you had going on before. Love it!
Kaelin from BHG.com says
This looks awesome! You totally capture the look of the inspiration photo!
Shannon says
The first picture has exactly the shape and dimensions of our tricky upstairs bath (we’re also in Richmond – hello neighbor!), and you’ve helped us figure out how we’re going to update our upstairs bath and laundry area to create a chic spa area. It’s oddly shaped (including two dormer windows and slanting ceilings), but we’ve gotten a LOT of inspiration from your blog. Your home is just gorgeous. Before we start the bathroom overhaul, we’ll make sure to take lots of “before” pictures to send in!
Renee says
I love this! Our bathroom was identical to yours – I saw your picture and I just went for it! For a brand new DIYer I’m pretty impressed with myself. My hinges were indented into the door so I had to be a little crafty with replacing the wood where the indent occurred. But my brilliant boyfriend looked at, walked into the kitchen and returned with a paint stirrer – it was the perfect width! We just had to cut it down to fit length wise. We went to Wal Mart and bought some wood glue and wood filler to clean it up, sanded it down to match the frame and painted it! When I was all done I couldn’t believe how easy and good it actually looked! Thanks for the awesome idea. I’m thinking about purchasing a short curtain to put in front of the very bottom shelf – we have cheapy Wal Mart white drawers that fit there perfectly and I don’t want to replace that just yet. I think a little curtain might be cute.
Sam & Jacci says
I think I have your shower curtain! Target? It’s a white waffle-ish weave, rather thick fabric. Wow – I feel so chic :)
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, that’s the one. Great minds think alike… and adore white waffle shower curtains apparently!
xo,
Sherry
Cindy says
I love it! I have the identical bathroom layout, except my shelves are fake woodgrain! Yuck! What were they thinking when they built these bathrooms!
So off to the building supply store to get white shelving, jysk for some baskets and I’m set to go!
Thanks for the great idea! I might just indulge in some new towels too!
Cindy
Lori says
The main bathroom in my house is like this, and the doors banging into each other can get really annoying. I like this idea. My husband and I purchased a house that build in 1985 last May, and have been working on it since. We are in the process of remodeling the bathrooms now, and I am going to have to add this project in.
Crazyboutdawgs says
Hi – WOW! Great minds really DO think alike!!! My husband and I have been working on our 50 year old ranch-style home for the last few years – updating, remodeling (a little) and redecorating. Our main bath had the same exact door/closet door issue. We gutted it, put in a walk-in double shower with 2 seats, new toilet and pedestal sink, ceramic floor, and did the walls and ceiling in knock-down — all in white, shades of white. The look is clean, elegant, modern and classic all at the same time. We did the open-closet concept also and put a glass bead “curtain” up to camouflage the storage. The beads add to the decor without being too noticeable – they’re as much a decoration as they are a curtain. We weren’t sure if the beads were going to be an issue — but have had the bathroom done for almost a year and still love it!
holly says
love the look of the open shelving. i wonder what you’d think about this idea in a hallway linen closet…
we don’t have a closet in the bathroom but have a large one in the hall across from the bathroom. what do you guys think?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Holly,
I think as long as you keep things housed in eye-pleasing baskets and bins it could look really cute!
xo,
s
Rae says
I was actually searching for bedroom closets and found your site. I love the open linen closet, but want to apply the ‘open’ feeling to a very small bedroom closet. Its long and narrow, and accessible only from a door at one end, totally not ideal at all. I want to remove the door as well as the sheet rock all the way across the closet and put up floor to ceiling shelving, a couple of rods on one side and maybe a ‘hi-boy’..I love the decorative basket look and think this idea will make way better use of the closet niche then a closed off space. I just need some ideas on the demolition part..Im so excited to jump in and start, but really need some advice on how to go about it.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rae,
Hmm, demo can be super fun but it definitely requires a bit of research and prep! We encourage you to google demo tips and tricks and maybe even look for a site or resource (maybe a book from the library?) that specializes in closet renovating and demo. Removing the door is easy but the drywall might be another story. Although you might be able to leave the drywall in place and just install your shelving system in front of it. Hope it helps! Good luck…
xo,
Sherry
Elaine says
I recently took one of my doors down. I didn’t tear out the jam…just removed the hinges and the place for the hatch..How do I fill those places in and get a smooth finish before I paint? Please help!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Elaine,
A simple tub of spackle is a great thing to have around the house for projects like these. We like Dap Crack Shot High Performance Spackling Paste from Home Depot. Then just use a spackle knife to fill the recessed hinge holes and hatch hole so that it’s level with the rest of the doorframe. Wait for the spackle to thoroughly dry and reassess it once it does (it might shrink up a little and need a bit more, it might need a bit of sanding to smooth it out, etc). Then once you have it completely smooth and finished looking, get to painting! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Julie says
I am thinking of doing this in my entryway. It is too narrow for a piece of furniture but there is a closet that we don’t really use. Do you think it would look too wierd to convert the closet to open shelves with baskets for storage and a couple of open shelves to toss my purse and my kid’s backpack in?
You site is wonderful, I get so many ideas from it!!
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
I think that’s a perfect idea! Good luck and definitely send us pics. It’s going to be so functional and charming!
xo,
s
Abbie says
I am turning my layoff week (yay!) into a bathroom closet makeover week. Our 1939 bathroom is complete with black and white and green enamel tiles. We have the same door-on-door action as your bathroom, and I’m takin that baby out of there!
My one concern is that our bathroom closet is about 30 inches deep and 8 feet high! I don’t know what to do with those dimensions, since most closet systems are smaller. Was your bathroom closet extra deep or tall? Did you store some baskets or bowls in front of others?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Abbie,
So funny you should say that because our bathroom closet is almost exactly 30″ deep! We do have things moved to the front of the closet for ease of use (while we store other lesser-used items further back in a second tier of baskets and containers) so it’s a great way to have a lot of stuff at arm’s reach while keeping things looking organized. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Laura says
Your bathroom is so cute! Question…I am moving into my first home this friday and we too have only one small bathroom. To make matters worse, there is no storage closet in the bathroom!!! Do you have any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
Go for hanging storage like a medicine cabinet or even a cute shelving system for over the toilet! Using vertical space in a room always maximizes it and you can use cute baskets and bowls- even mugs- to store things like cotton balls and q-tips. Also use any under storage space that you have and hang hooks for towels behind the door. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
jennifer says
I have visited here a few times before & you all have great ideas. I found you today because I am putting a closet in my bathroom & am trying to determine how far apart to put the shelves. Mine will have a door ~ I just prefer that look.
Any suggestions?
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! Ours are 11″ apart except for the 33″ opening at the bottom of the closet where we have those two stacked baskets full of towels. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elle says
Hi Sherry & John,
It’s so great that I found this post, because we just moved into our first home and had open shelving in the (only) full bathroom. I had the same idea as you pictured above – using baskets and white ceramic thingamabobs for storage and organization. So, kudos on that one. I do have a question though- sorry to bring up a somewhat, ahem, less- fun-than-talking-about-pretty-shelves-and-baskets-and-somewhat-embarrassing topic here, but with pedestal sinks, there obviously is nowhere to put that thing that we all have in our bathrooms but hate looking at (i.e., the plunger). What is your suggestion for this if we were to install a pedestal sink, as we currently have a cabinet/sink combo?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Elle,
Good question! We actually keep things like plungers and toilet scrubbers tucked behind the toilet (they’re virtually invisible since our bathrooms are laid out with toilets squished into corners so the far side of the toilet (where we tuck those things) is never seen. We realize that might not be how your bathroom is laid out so some other ideas would be to store them in a linen closet or separate place out of sight or even purchase those stainless ones with covers that look more decorative (the key is that they’re covered so you don’t see the part that goes into the bowl). Hope that makes sense! Good luck!
xo,
s
Katie says
Love your wicker baskets, where did you get them?
YoungHouseLove says
Bed Bath & Beyond, Ikea, and Linens N Things! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Molly says
I’m so excited to do this in our bathroom! We have the exact same layout in our BR. The linen closet had always bugged me and I knew ther was a better solution. THANK YOU for so much inspiration!
Donna says
Just took off my linen closet door for the same reason. Seeing this I think I’m going to try for the open look. I really like yours. The inside “stuff” is getting a big overhaul anyway. Thanks for the idea!
.:karen:. says
We took the doors off the closet in our daughter’s room and used a white shower rod and white tab-top curtains to “close it up.” Allowed us to put the crib right up next to the closet and not lose any functionality (or precious space in her tiny 9×9 room.
Nina says
LOVE the closet without doors! My husband and I just purchased our first home and have kind of the same issue but it’s with the actual master bedroom door. It opens to the right into the vanity so you’d have to close it to get around it to the bathroom – definite flaw! I’m thinking of changing the hinges so it opens out (kind of awkward) or exploring alternatives like a disappearing door (not sure if this is possible with electrical locations) or installing some kind of door on a track so it would roll parallel with the wall. Will post pics – would love your input…it would be a challenge for sure!
Ashlie F says
I LOVE this idea. Open storage really opens a space up, I just wish the rest of my family was as neat as I am so we could actually do this.
Jasmine L says
I’ve lived in my condo to nearly 3 years now and we actually inherited an open closet in our master bedroom. I saw this post and headed straight to Target this weekend to buy some very nice and inexpensive baskets. It makes a world of difference!! The closet just looks way me organized and it’s way easier on the eye.
Gayle says
I have an almost identical closet with no door in my bathroom. (PS: my entire bathroom is very similar to yours). I am repainting my light mossy earth green walls to a medium mossy earth green for more contrast with white, but I am doing the closet inside totally white. I noticed you did your inside the color of the walls.
QUESTION: Do you like the inside of your closet the wall color…or would you reconsider doing it totally white? Does the wall color seem to make the closet seem dark & shadowy…or not an issue??
Thanks much!
Gayle
YoungHouseLove says
We love it the wall color because it makes the room feel larger and more cohesive instead of feeling interrupted. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Alison says
Hi, I love your idea to just take the door completely off. I have the same issue. my linen closet door and powder room door cannot be open at the same time. They are directly across from one another and there is only aproox. 2 1/2 ft of space between the two. I was contemplating doing a bifold louvered door or the double door style to lessen the problem. But that may cost more money than what I want to spend. I noticed your inside shelves didn’t come directly up to the door frame before the remodel, but after they do. (I have this issue with my shelving.) Did you buy different shelving or and shelving?
Thanks for giving me a less expensive option! I love it!!
Alison
YoungHouseLove says
Our shelves were actually just planks of wood held up by 2x4s on the side wall of the closet so we just pushed the boards forward so they looked more flush. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sophia says
I love your website! There are so many great articles, I feel like I can get lost in all of it (lost in a good way, LoL). My question for you is, I love those open woven baskets you use around your house. Where did you buy them? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Michael’s of all places. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Shareen says
totally not related (and I love the doorless closet – if only I could organize/pare down my hair supplied enough to feel I could remove the barrier!), but are those hooks on the back of your door drilled into your door? Or are they sticky hooks? We just put up new interior doors (hollow) and obviously we don’t want to drill hooks into them only to have them ripped out by putting things that are too heavy on them…and your hooks look just perfect. :)
YoungHouseLove says
We drilled them in and used Liquid Nails on the flat part of the back (that sticks to the door) to make them extra strong. So far they’ve been great!
xo,
s
melissa says
Our closet has a drawer in the middle so I am not sure if it would look ok with the doors gone. But I do have the same problem with the doors hitting each other. What do you think?
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely go for it! Just paint the drawer the same color as the shelves so it looks like a nice built-in unit. You can even add decorative drawer pulls to finish it off. Hope it helps!
xo,
s