We started 2008 with a home improvement bang like no other.
We were up at 8:20 am and on the road to Ikea by 9. What would motivate two sleep-deprived twenty-somethings to get up that early on our last day off? How about the thought of gaining not one, but two more bedroom closets?! That’s right, we finally decided that one tiny closet in the master bedroom (which forced John to keep all his clothes in the guest bedroom) was not enough. So on New Years Day we (fittingly) resolved to do something about it.
Here’s the New Years Day play by play:
8:20 am- Up and at em’.
9:00 am- Hit the road for Ikea.
11:00 am- Arrive. Hightail it to the closet department.
12:30 pm- Leave $460 poorer with two giant wardrobes to flank the bed (plus tons of interior fittings).
2:00 pm- Arrive home. Rest.
2:05 pm- Enough sitting around. The wardrobes aren’t going to put themselves together.
2:06 pm- Forget to shoot a “before” photo, but here’s an old pic for reference:
2:15 pm- Move out the side tables and get out the dreaded allen wrench.
3:50 pm- One wardrobe frame done, one to go.
4:30 pm- Build second wardrobe frame. Re-hang curtains on back wall in an attempt to enlarge that tiny window
4:35 pm- Enjoy a victory bowl of cereal after shooting this “during” photo.
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5:25 pm- Quick trip to Lowe’s to get long screws to anchor the behemoths to the wall, which annoyingly Ikea didn’t provide.
6:15 pm- Install six glorious shelves and a hanging bar in Sherry’s wardrobe.
7:30 pm- Install three drawers and a hanging bar in John’s wardrobe (two shelves were also meant to be added, but we realized we bought the wrong size- d’oh)
8:30 pm- Burger King run. We can’t survive on cereal and home improvement endorphins alone.
9:30 pm- Finally get all of our clothes, shoes, bags, and belts into our two fantastic wonderful beautiful new closets (the guest bedroom closet is now empty- amazing).
10:00 pm- Hang matching white curtains on both wardrobes. Step back and HATE them (we thought it would look soft and elegant- it wound up looking like a cheap Trading Spaces project).
10:05 pm- Realize we both like it infinitely more with the curtains pushed to the side (they look more like fancy built ins, and not like a cheapo bookcase swathed in fabric).
The next few days were full of progress. We ran to Home Depot and grabbed 7 inch molding to add to the tops of the wardrobes so that they appear more flush to the ceiling (bridging that 4″ gap that used to be painfully obvious on top of each wardrobe). Our next stop was Linens N’ Things where we picked up a few heavy curtain panels in rich chocolate brown. Back home we extended the wardrobes to the ceiling with the molding, hung the new brown panels around the window, and rehung the curtains in front of each wardrobe flush with the ceiling. Here’s what it all looks like now that we’ve bridged the gap. The wardrobes were definitely looking better with the gap bridged, but we weren’t so crazy about the dark chocolate curtains.
So we returned ’em and went on a curtain shopping spree. In fact you wouldn’t believe us if we told you how much money we spent. But we’re going to tell you anyway- close to $500. Yeesh. That’s a lotta loot. But we realized we needed lots of different curtain choices to make a final decision, so we got oodles of options (from Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens N’ Things, and Target) and then took them home for a little curtain fashion show (don’t worry, we returned every pair except for our favorites).
Here’s Burger sniffing out the competition:
Although we had many (many) curtain panels to choose from, there was immediately a clear winner. The gorgeous khaki chenille-esque curtains with the subtle crosshatched pattern for a little added texture from Bed Bath & Beyond. Bellisimo.
As our curtain crisis came to a close, then came the exciting hunt for plug-in swing-arm lamps for above the bed. Ok, maybe “exciting” isn’t the right word, but I tend to get a little thrill when I can check any project off my list.
After striking out at several places including Lowe’s (no swing-arms), Restoration Hardware (too pricey) we had just about given up on Richmond’s lighting stock. Luckily, we ended up visiting my parents in Northern Virginia and stumbled upon a Lamp Factory Outlet.
There, amongst endless rows of table lamps and chandeliers, we found the perfect option: two brushed nickel, plug-in, swing-arm lamps for only $40 a piece. About $200 dollars cheaper than most of the other options we saw. We snagged ‘em (the last two in stock!) and as of last night they’re officially swinging from our bedroom wall. We couldn’t be happier with the dramatic result:
The room definitely looks more finished and hotel-ish, so we can’t wait to curl up with a good book and order some room service. Ok, wishful thinking.
Here’s a close-up. You can see how we tucked the base behind the curtain and angled the lamp arm around the edge for a more polished look.
But alas, this project wasn’t quite finished. Instead of having two refrigerator sized boxes on either side of the bed, we wanted them to look more finished. So we decided to mount a wide piece of wood to the ceiling that would hang in front of both wardrobes and serve as a header (to make the bed feel like it’s tucked into a built-in nook). I know that sounds confusing, so I’ll just let a few pictures do the talking.
Here’s a photo of the wardrobes before the header:
And here’s a during shot:
Now I’ll ask for a drum roll. After painting the header and re-hanging the curtains, the eight inch plank of wood makes a major difference. And the crown molding is the icing on the cake. Here’s a detail shot so you can get up close and personal with our new master bedroom built-in:
And here’s a shot of the full monty:
Now laying in bed truly feels like you’re tucked into a cozy little nook instead of squeezed between two large, unrelated pieces of furniture. The whole layout looks a lot more deliberate, which is exactly what we were going for.
So that’s the story of two people trying to turn a 12 by 13 foot room into something special. Fifty year old houses don’t have giant master suites with monster closets and attached bathrooms, so you gotta do what you can to make a tiny room (that looks just like the other bedrooms) appear special. So what do you think? Mission accomplished?
***UPDATE: Since a lot of people have requested them, we snapped some photos of how the curtain rod is attached behind the header on the ceiling. You can see below how it’s a cheap-o curtain rod that sits on a bracket we attached to the piece of molding bridging the gap between the wardrobe and ceiling. We had to hang it down a couple of inches from the ceiling so there was enough room to lift the rod off (you can see the two holes above the bracket proving we learned this the hard way!).
Chris says
I love this setup! I gotta totally pumped to do something like this in our bedroom, which is similarly sized. My wife is hesitant, because she thinks it would feel like sleeping inside a cave. I was wondering if you guys feel like that at all?
Keep up the great work. We are doing a lot of stuff to our condo and have drawn some inspiration from your place!
YoungHouseLove says
Good question Chris! We actually remarked that it feels cozier ever since we added the built-ins. It’s less like a cave and more like a snug and inviting little sleeping nook after a long day. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
shopgirl says
Hello, I love your concept! I was wondering where I could find those curtain rods that you got- the u shaped metal. If you can give me a specific store name that would be greatly helpful.
Thanks and keep us the great work.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we don’t have the specific brand or name but you can probably find them at JC Penney or Macy’s or even Bed Bath & Beyond? Maybe asking the sales people there is the best way to track them down (and you can call ahead to save all that driving around). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Julie says
Hi, I love your blog, I have dropped by a couple times in the past few months. I have a question regarding your capiz chandalier. I have been searching for one for our master bedroom for at least a year now. I checked out the West Elm web site as I noticed you said yours was from there….but it doesn’t look the same as the one they show. Yours looks fuller. Home Depot has one that I was considering but you can see directly up underneath it to the light bulb, (not full enough). Is yours perhaps last years version?
Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julie,
West Elm no longer sells ours (it was from two years ago) but we’ve seen similar ones on ebay and at World Market. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
MARGARET says
Your room looks great. Where do you keep your clock/alarm?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Margaret,
We actually keep our bedside stuff (cell phone, alarm clock, jewelry, contact case) inside each of our wardrobes on a shelf that’s around the height of a side table- which is still easily reached from bed. We just slip our hands behind the curtain and grab whatever we need… and it’s easy and clean-looking since it’s all out of sight. Hope it helps!
xoxo,
Sherry
Steve says
Hi, love your site…and from the looks of your DIY designs it seems you two make a great team.
My wife and I are about to move into a new apartment and we have been debating back and forth on whether the same setup would work…so it is fortuitous that I came across this. Thanks for helping me win :) Love the header idea.
Quick question, what did you use to mount the PAX wardrobes to the wall, just a simple toggle bolt or did you actually mount into the stud?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Steve
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Steve,
We did find a stud behind each wardrobe (which was easy to do given how wide they both were) and drilled right in for a tight, secure fit that has held up really well over time. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Regina says
Wow! I love all of your projects! I am getting ready to move into a new home and am excited to try the wall of curtains in my new master bedroom – what a great idea! Thank you so much for all of the inspiration! :) I was also very inspired by the Bower Power site….thanks for the link!
Sarah says
I cannot tell you how much I heart you guys right now!!! I have been desperately trying to think up a solution for the lack of closet space in our master bedroom. My husband also has to keep his stuff in the spare room. This post absolutely made my day. We don’t have a window above our bed, but I’m thinking pale blue velvet curtains all the way across, hanging arm lamps peeking out and a upholstered headboard in between the wardrobes…..maybe a mirror centered above the bed. If I ever get it finished I’ll let you know. Cheers and thanks for the inspiration.
Jill says
Hi Sherry! LOVE this idea and it’s perefct for our 100 year old (and 10-foot wide) rowhouse on Capitol Hill in DC. We’re attempting to do the header/curtain idea this weekend, and my husband wants to make it as safe and sound as possible. We plan on drilling into studs, but you only used extra-long screws to hold the header to the ceiling? And am I correct in assuming you drilled down from the top (in the attic) into the stud and then into the header? In a previous comment you say you drilled in “from behind” but I just want to make sure I’m clear. Thanks so much for all the tips and inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jill,
Yup going from the studs down will totally work. We actually went from a small strip of wood up into the studs from our room (after we were sure of their location) and then mounted the header to that sliver of wood, which was then hidden by crown molding. But if you’re going in from above it should work just as well and eliminate the need for that strip of wood and any crown molding. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sharon says
You guys are so awesome! We just bought a 50’s house and the tiny closets were one of my biggest concerns. This is a great option and it looks so nice! Are the wardrobes two different sizes (widths)?
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, the one on the left is slightly wider because the window above the bed is actually off center so we did our best to cheat everything so it looks more balanced. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
amy says
I think you guys are unbelievably talented and creative, so please don’t feel offended if I tweak your “build-in” with a suggestion. It might be a good idea to paint the inside of the “build-in” facing each side of the bed the same color as the “header” and wall. I think it might create even more of a “build-in” look. What does everyone else think?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amy,
Thanks so much for the suggestion! We actually considered that for a while so we’d love to know what other people think!
xo,
s
js says
I can see the first picture but none of the others. :-(
gen says
Hi guys! I discovered your blog on the Canadian House & Home website… wow! Love it! Been checking it everyday(and sometimes many times a day) since… I think I am your biggest canadian fan!!! Sherry – love how you came up with that solution for the nook in your master bedroom… which got me thinking maybe you would have an idea for a dilemma I’ve been trying to tackle ever since we bought our first house 9 years ago… Our house is heated with electrical baseboard, conveniently located underneath all of our windows… ughh… problem is, I love the look of white linen drapes puddling on the floor… though my hubby thinks they are a fire hasard in the winter once we start cranking up the heat… any ideas on how I could camouflage them? And or keep the long drapes? ùright now, they are painted white, like the trim…
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, this is a very good question indeed. There’s no way to hang the curtains high and wide like we like them so they pool on the floors outside of the baseboard heaters right? I’m assuming even when they’re mounted extra wide they would still hang in front of them? If so, we agree that it’s probably a fire hazard so unless there’s some firesafe fabric you can use for the curtains or some sort of guard you can put to redirect the hot air so it doesn’t blow on the curtains then we’re pretty stumped. Maybe you can grab breezy curtain panels that end about five inches below the base of your window so they’re still soft and airy but not dragging on the floor in front of the heaters? Hope it helps!
xo,
s
p.s. So glad that you found us through Canadian H&H! Welcome!
Julie says
My husband and I love your bedroom set up and it has inspired us to get the pax wardrobes for our own house! we already have the malm bed. We’ll have to send pictures when we are all done.
Kind of an odd question, though, how did you transport the wardrobes home? Ikea is quite a trek for us and we want to be prepared for what vehicle we should take.
Thanks
Julie
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Julie,
We got the Pax wardrobes home by borrowing my sister’s Ford Explorer, which fit them just fine with the backseats folded down. In fact, it’s the same way we plan to get some more Ikea furniture home this weekend (gotta love the ol’ car switcheroo).
Plus, if you know which big items you’ll be getting, Ikea.com shows their packaging dimensions (under the “Package measurement & weight” link towards the bottom of each product page) so you can make sure it fits in your vehicle beforehand. Hope you have a good trip!
-John
julia says
I love this idea. We have a small closet in our masterbedroom (that has sliding mirrored doors on it). Unfortunately, the closet is located on the wall adjacent to where one of the 2 wardrobes would need to be. Any thoughts on how to deal with this issue?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, could you remove the door to the closet and add a curtain to it so you wouldn’t need to account for the door to swing out (which would probably interfere with the wardrobe). But if even a curtained doorway would be blocked by one of the wardrobes we’re not sure what you could do. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mandy says
I really like the look of your wardrobes and would love to do this in my room. The thing is, I have vaulted ceilings that angle up from the head of my bed. Any suggestions on how I could pull this off? Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Mandy,
We think if you added decorative molding to the top of your “built-ins” they would look like cabinetry in a vaulted room often does- polished and lovely. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Paige says
Hi Sherry,
I must say– you two are incredible! I just found your blog and have spent the last two days figuring out what we can do to our 28 year old townhouse in Northern VA that has simliar dilemmas to your home (before you made it look AMAZING that is).
My question is about this added storage and the curtains you hung from it. I know you hated the white curtains when you initially put them up, but what did you do? Did you add more panels or what?
My husband and I are sooo motivated to do this in our room, so please let me know when you can. Thanks a TON!
Paige
YoungHouseLove says
Yup we added more panels so they were more billowy but the real thing that helped was adding the wooden header so everything looked deliberate and built in. And the tan curtains above the bed paired with the swing arm lamps really added dimension and upgraded the whole look. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Valerie says
Dear J&S,
When we moved into our new NYC apartment two months ago, we did a lot of cosmetic updates with the guidance of your awesome blog. We replace all of the outdated light fixtures, and I just had to have your beautiful capiz chandelier in our bedroom as well. We found it at West Elm, as indicated. And after a hell of a time getting it hooked up (they sold us the wrong mounting kit and we had to strip the wires because it was sold with a standard plug-in cord!!!) we stood back and enjoyed the beautiful effect in our bedroom… until a few minutes later when our upstairs neighbor walked across the room and our new light fixture became a musical instrument. Now, our lovely bedroom chandelier turns into a powerful windchime when our upstairs neighbors decide to engage in some vigorous Sunday night sex. Luckily it only lasts 30 seconds.
So John and Sherry, where was that disclaimer for us apartment dwellers?
I kid, I kid. We still love the chandelier despite the occasional musical concerts.
Best,
Val
YoungHouseLove says
Wow Val! That’s definitely nothing we could have ever anticipated. Too funny. At least it sounds nice in the “wind”, right? We love when we’re making the bed and a gust of air sets it chiming!
xo,
s
allison says
I really love this idea! I also have a 50’s home with a small bedroom and would love to have these built in closets. I do have two questions for you that I was wondering….1) where do you have your alarm clocks and cellphones or water without bedside tables?
2)It looks like you cant close your curtains, do you just leave the window open?
Great blog/website…I recently found it and have been telling family to check it out!
-allison
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Allison,
All of our cell phones and alarm clocks (and other bedside table stuff) are tucked into a shelf that’s behind each curtain (we can easily stick our hands back there from bed and grab whatever we need). As for the windows, we have a pull-down roller blind on the bigger one (where the sun comes up) so we close that at night, but as for the tiny window above the bed, we just leave it uncovered since it’s on the side of our house (which is private so no one can peek in) and the sun doesn’t come up over there so it’s not too bright even when it’s uncovered. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Virginia says
Beautiful job! Living in an 100 year old home, I too find myself in a very similar predicament. Imagine your size room with radiators to contend with also :) However, you have inspired me! Your room is gorgeous! Any suggestions if there was a full size, long window where your small one currently is?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Virginia,
Good question! I think we’d treat the window the same way. We’d still flank it with the built-ins and bring the bed in front of it (with a headboard so it wouldn’t matter if the window is lower than the height of the bed). We’d also still bring those floor length curtains in along with the swing arm lamps for ambiance and a bit of polish. We probably just wouldn’t have room for the art above the bed but otherwise it would be great. And if you need privacy you can also hang bamboo blinds with the curtains and use them to block light (or even tuck a roller shade behind the bamboo shades- for easy privacy that doesn’t show when it’s rolled up). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Robin Duggan says
The lamps you chose to mount on the wall above the headboard look great from the side… but when lying in bed, don’t you find yourselves looking up into the light bulbs of the lamps? Do you sometimes wish you had used some sort of uplit lights such as wall mount sconces? Or would that have looked more like a hotel room?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Robin,
Good question! We actually find ourselves staring at the chandelier from our pillows since our pillows are stacked slightly so we’re not staring straight up (we stare up and out). Does that make sense? Plus our pillows are about 20″ from the wall and the swing arm lights are about 8″ from the wall so we literally would have to crane our necks back towards the lights while laying down to get them in the eye. It’s actually a great set up! They cast enough light for nightly reading but they’re not glaring or anything. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Felicity says
We just moved to an older house with small bedrooms and closets in northern VA. Using your bedroom as my inspiration, I bought a wardrobe and all it’s fun insides from Ikea with the intention of flanking one window with two wardrobes and placing a small “window seat” chest below it.
I assembled the first wardrobe last night, and took it apart tonight. Apparently our room is much smaller than yours and while it does fit, just the single wardrobe dwarfs the entire room. Such a disappointment (and a really heavy pain in the neck return)! I have to admit, however, my main concern is with the particle board construction. Do you find that it has held up well over the past few years? I’d like to buy something else to use in its place, but I’m hesitant to buy anything but Ikea’s solid wood furniture.
YoungHouseLove says
We love our wardrobes! After two full years of heavy-duty everyday use they still look as good as the day we installed them. We even anchored them to the back wall so they’re super sturdy. We definitely recommend them for their durability and functionality. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Heather says
Without a bedside table, where do you put your alarm clock? Glass of water? Book to read before falling asleep?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Heather,
Scroll back through the comments for the answer to that often asked question. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
amy says
We are looking to add more storage to our small “master” bedroom as well. I love this idea and am hoping I can talk my husband into a little DIY :) Which wardrobe did you use from Ikea? I’m assuming you just did not assemble the doors?? Thanks for all of your ideas and tips!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amy,
It’s the Pax wardrobe from Ikea without doors. The doors are actually sold separately so we didn’t even have to pay for them (the armoires were much cheaper without them). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Emilee says
Hey guys! LOVE the blog :) Anyways… I recently moved back home with my parents and had to move into the “den” because my brothers and sister took over the 3 rooms upstairs when I left 3 years ago. This “den” (now known as my bedroom…) has no closet. Such a bummer! I have a temporary, cheap, freestanding cloth covered wardrobe from Target, but it is slowly falling apart. I’m not sure I want something that will be permanent (forever), but want something that is sturdy for the time I am here. Can the Ikea wardrobes be easily taken out as well do you know? And how did you guys hang the curtain over it… I looked over the pictures several times but could not figure it out! Thanks so much! :)
-Emilee
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Emilee,
As for how we hung the curtains, we used cheap metal curtain rods (sort of shaped like a long “U” and attached them to the sides of the baseboard that we used to extend the top of the wardrobes to ceiling height). In essence, they protrude outside the top of the wardrobes and the curtains drape down to the floor in front of both of them. They really didn’t look finished until we hung the wooden header from the ceiling to obscure the bunched curtains over the tops of the rods. Once that was up everything looked built-in and seamless. Hope it helps!
As for the wardrobes, they can easily be taken out. We did anchor ours to the wall in the back as recommended (so they didn’t come crashing down on us with everyday use) but removal would be as simple as unscrewing one screw on each one that holds them to the back wall. Good luck with your den!
xo,
s
Katherine Martin says
Just found your blog. You guys are just to cute and so is your bedroom ideas. You are right the plank of wood and molding tied it all togeather. Great luck with any more projects.
Kath
Kate says
I keep coming back to this project again and again, I love it so much! I can’t use the idea myself right now, but once we get a house I’d like to try and do something similar for a craft area (a desk where the bed is). I always have such a hard time finding storage for all my fabric and yarn, but a bookcase on each side of my workspace would be perfect!
Katie says
I am on the search for white curtains (not tab curtains) and am having a really hard time finding simple white curtains that I love. Bed, Bath & Beyond will soon be flagging me for so many returns. Where did you get yours? Any help you have would be wonderful!
Thanks!
Katie
YoungHouseLove says
Ikea! We love them. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Candy says
I am totally inspired by your entire website! My husband and I moved into our home alittle over a year ago now and I have wracking my brain over how to spruce up it’s decor and your website has been a huge help.
Heba says
Hi
plz can u tell me the name and the price of your chandelier?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Heba,
We got our chandelier at West Elm for around $80 (on sale) but they no longer sell the exact same model. You might want to try ebay (search for “capiz chanelier”) or even places like World Market (they have something similar for under $80 as well). Oh and West Elm has something that’s pretty close too, but it’s square or round but really long. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Casey says
HI….fabulous what you did to your master bedroom…I live in about the same vintage of house and my master is remarkably similiar to your. I love what you did with the wardrobes and the board you put across the entire room right in front of them…I have a question though…did the room have an existing closet?? My room does, unfortunately on the wall where you have placed the full length mirror and the leather chair…do you have any suggestions for me? As well..in your Ikea wardrobes, do you have space to hang LONG clothing like dresses, etc., because I could just make my closet a nook or something I suppose if I had a place for my coats, capes, etc.
YoungHouseLove says
Our room does have a closet (a teeny one that only fit my clothes so poor John had to keep his in the guest bedroom) but it’s on the side of the room across from the window (it now comes in handy for housing all our long clothes like dresses and suits, etc). The only reason we placed the mirror and the leather chair across from the bed was because that wall was blank and there wasn’t a closet there- so if there was we would just have put them on the wall across from the window. Nothing about our floor plan can’t be adapted so we’d just suggest playing with things until you find a configuration you like (you can even use blue painter’s tape to mark things off on the floor to see how much space they’ll take up). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Taylor says
Beautiful! I love it! First possible solution to our tiny master and tiny closet I’ve seen. Baby #3 is coming and so having husband’s clothes in the will be nursery room is becoming a problem. We have plantation shutters on the wall that I would have to use- and they would go down past a headboard. Should we not use a headboard and have the pillows propped up against the shutters? What would you recommend?
YoungHouseLove says
We would just see what looks best. Definitely before buying a headboard check out how things look with the pillows propped up against the shutters. It might be charming and perfect. If it looks a little too raw (or is uncomfortable) you can always get a bed like ours and set it about a foot away from the wall (so the headboard goes up in front of the shutters to create a nice clean backdrop for pillows). It might not matter that it overlaps the shutters somewhat. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
casey says
i love the rm. i’m trying to do something similar in my apartment and i just have a few questions.
1) was the plank wood/ baseboard 2 pieces of wood attached at the center with glue or wood filler or 1 long piece
2)how did you attach the plank wood/ baseboard to your walls
3)what size was the crown molding you used on the baseboard? was it molding or trim? and if you don’t mind would you send me a link of what kind it was?
thanks so much for the great ideas. i love your home
-casey
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Casey,
1. The header was two long pieces of wood that we installed flush against each other (and used wood filler and glue) so it looks like it’s one long piece. We actually had a handyman friend come over and help us with our header because we had a hard time finding studs in our plaster ceiling as well. He was able to go up into the attic and look at the way the beams ran and knock on the ceiling until he found one. Then of course to make sure we were right on it we drilled a screw in and it held like crazy. If you hit a stud you won’t need plastic screws or crazy anchors since good old long metal screws will hold your wooden header into the wooden beam overhead like a charm. Hope it helps! And don’t be afraid to ask for help from a handy friend or even hire a handyman for the day to get that header up and keep yourself safe from falling lumber in the middle of the night. Trust me, it’s totally worth it!
2. We used a few finish nails and some Liquid Nails to attach the baseboard to the tops of our armoires.
3. Our crown molding is 3.5″ thick. We don’t have a link but it’s just the basic design from Home Depot (crown molding, not trim) and it came pre-primed which was nice.
xo,
s
Molly says
This is so fabulous! I’ve been reading your archives a little every day. This is one of my favorite posts. Thank you! I’ve got a million ideas spinning in my head now.
Taylor says
Thank you again for the time you put into this blog for your readers, fans, and people like me- the domestically challenged. I’ve also appreciated your dillegence in responding. Quick question (i’m sure more will come as I comb through your blog) were you able to put your bed and closets on the 12ft wall or did you have to use the 13ft side? Could I squeezeand make it worth while into 12 ft? I got Gentle Tide but my room is so small and lit so weird I had to get it at 25%! But I love it now! The first coat at least :)
Congrats on the baby!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Good news! Our built-ins are actually on the 12″ wall, so you can definitely make it work!
xo,
s
Cassidy says
What is your paint colour?
YoungHouseLove says
Gentle Tide by Glidden (a close match is Benjamin Moore’s Quiet Moments).
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jen says
Oh I love the look you guys achieved here! We’re gearing up for a move to Germany where – we’re told – you don’t typically find closets in flats. This will be a great starting point for us when we have to think about storage!
Suri says
Love your website! What kinda light bulbs do you recommend for nice soft lighting?
YoungHouseLove says
We like CFLs for their energy saving benefits (plus they leave you more money to spend on decor!) and we find that the ones labeled “soft white” are our favorites. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jenny says
I have a question about lighting. I need to purchase ceiling lights for my bathroom and for a bedroom in our basement. My husband is super tall and won’t go for anything that hangs from the ceiling. Do you have any ideas about where to buy non awful looking flush mount lights? HELP!
YoungHouseLove says
We’d try lampsplus.com, overstock.com and even just dropping by Home Depot and Lowe’s. You can also look up a lighting outlet (via google or the yellow pages) since there are usually at least one or two of them in almost every city- then you can slide through there and see what they have. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Brittney says
I LOVE your room!!! We just switched rooms with our kiddos (three in one bedroom so we took the smaller room). Our bed is the only thing that fits in the room (we actually have the same bed but we have the end tables). I’m just curious…where do you store books that you read at night? I have to have a book and my alarm clock by my bed but I don’t see anything like that in your photo. I would love to do something similar as our room now is very institutional. Please share! :o)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Brittney,
We usually slip any book or magazine that we’re reading into the wardrobe on the shelf right under our hanging clothes. That is, of course, if we don’t fall asleep reading and the book just ends up on the floor. :)
-John
Alex says
I’m am new to this website, and I am so glad someone shared it with me!! We face a similar problem with the size of our master bedroom and the lack of storage space. Love the ideas, love the final outcome- I cannot wait to get to Ikea, I think I am going to install these in our tiny space :) Thanks for the great ideas!
-Alex
Alex says
This room has really motivated me to re-do our bedroom. I just have a few questions about the built in closets…did you guys completely customer size them to your spacial needs, or did you happen to get lucky with a closet system that happened to be a perfect size?? I am planning an Ikea trip in the next few weeks, and I just dont want to drive all the way there and then find challanges with measurements that I wasnt prepared for. Thanks for all the great ideas and money savers!
Alex
YoungHouseLove says
We just measured the space on either side of our bed over to the wall and looked up the sizes offered online before we headed over there so we knew they would work (there are many many different options of size for the Pax wardrobes that we went with). We ended up with one flush against the right wall and the bed (my wardrobe) and one that is flush against the bed with about three extra inches of space between the wardrobe and the wall on the left side, but once we hung the curtains we obscured that sliver of space so everything looks built in. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Suzie Dyer says
I LOVE your room!! We would like to try something like that in our room and I have read through all of the comments and haven’t found the answer to the question I have, so I was wondering if you could tell be the depth of the Pax wardrobe you used. In the pictures it looks like it is only 12 inches, but that isn’t really enough space to hang clothing, so maybe it just looks that way in the pictures. Also, the shelf that you put books or magazines on, is it just one of the shelves that goes with the system, or did you have to build something special?
Thanks so much. i LOVE your website. I just found it a few days ago and I can’t stop reading it!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no, our wardrobes are both super deep (around 24″). The Pax systems are made to be used as closets/wardrobes so they all accommodate a hanging bar with space for hangers and all that stuff. And as for the shelf for books and magazines, it’s just a regular shelf that works with the system (you can choose from a bunch of pull-out drawers, doors, baskets and shelf options so head over to Ikea and look up “Pax” to see all the possibilities). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
nblankenbiller says
Ok, so first I have to say that I am absolutely obsessed with your site! I stumbled upon it earlier this week and have been looking at all of your articles and videos since then. However, my absolute favorite room is the master bedroom. My husband and I will be closing on our first house in late May and I want to replicate the curtained wardrobe closets. My only problem is that our living room and dining room furniture is very traditional, all cherry and espresso colored wood with black leather sofas. I am not sure how to incorporate this idea into our master without it looking out of place with the rest of the house. Also, since we typically use darker colors, would the black wardrobe closets from IKEA look okay with white curtains over them? Do you have any ideas on how to make this work?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah it can easily be integrated since there’s nothing super modern about our bedroom set up except for our low platform bed & bedding. So if you use a more traditional bed with more traditional linens that’s half the battle. Then hang some elegant art on the wall with some more luxe (think espresso or bronze) swing arm lamps or sconces above the bed and you’re almost there. You can definitely go with the black wardrobes covered in white curtains if you’d like- or you can stick with the white wardrobes (which can still look elegant an traditional, especially if the trim in your room is white) and bring in wheat, cream, chocolate or tan colored curtains (to work with your new lighting, bedding, art, etc) and it will instantly have a luxe and elegant traditional feel. Just feel free to experiment with different curtain, bedding and lighting options to see what works best. Good luck!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Hello :o)
Ditto on my obsession with your bedroom (& everything else!!) and also like the previous poster- hubby & I will be closing on our 1st home in May (funny, right?!) We have the same issue as you guys did. 50’s house and small master bedroom. Those ‘built-ins’ are amazing and we can’t wait to steal your idea. Here’s my question. I’ve been on Ikea’s website and can’t seem to find the wardrobes that you guys used. Do you happen to remember the actual name of them? …They’re just soooo perfect!!
Thanks so much!!
Melissa
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, they’re part of the Pax system (they come in a ton of sizes) so just search “Pax” on ikea.com. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Melissa says
Awesome- thanks so much!
Julia says
Hi Sherry!
I love all your ideas and am considering stealing one from your master!…but with a bit of a twist since I don’t have a window above my bed. I am planning on making a head board and love your swing arm lamp idea and how you tucked their bases behind the curtain. What I need your expert opinion on is, do you think I can hide the bases of the lamps behind a head board? (rather then the curtain like you). I’m not sure how tall its going to be yet, and I’m trying to visualize this, and think it will look a bit weird. However because im renting I have to use lamps with cords so I thought I could hide those behind the head board as well. What do you think? Awkward or kinda chic?
Thanks! (Love you guys!)
Julia
YoungHouseLove says
It could totally work. Just have someone help you by holding them up at different heights to see what looks best while you stand back and pick the best “arrangement” of sorts. There’s definitely a way to get those cords/bases hidden behind the headboard and still have a gorgeous outcome (hiding them behind a curtain is just as weird of an idea but we somehow made it work!). Good luck!
xo,
s
Jenny T.A. Nguyen says
I’m in love. Absolutely fantastic. How beautiful is your bedroom now?! :D Congratulations on making your home so lovely and inviting!
Amber says
I’m contemplating this for our minuscule 11×11 master bedroom. (Can you even call that a master?!) On one hand I hope it doesn’t make the room look even smaller… but I really don’t know if that’s even possible at this point. :) My main concern is clothes storage! But a quick question, are the tops of your wardrobes completely sealed off and out of reach? Just wondering about dust collecting up there (allergies!), since it doesn’t look like you’d be able to be up there with a rag. Do you just not worry about it because it’s so far up out of sight? Let me know if you can!
YoungHouseLove says
Our bedroom is 12 x 11 so your 11 x 11 room is definitely going to look great! And yes, the Pax wardrobes from Ikea have a top, just no front unless you buy the accompanying doors. So dust doesn’t get on your clothing from the top or anything like that. If you build the header it should be impossible for dust to collect up there anyway (we haven’t noticed any atop ours after well over a year and a half) since it would be a pretty strange flow of air to get particles to go straight up behind the header and then curve 90 degrees to land on the top of the wardrobes. And they’re essentially sealed completely on the sides thanks to the molding you’ll add to build them up to ceiling height. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Ashley B. says
This site is such an inspiration.
Just curious to know how you re-hung the curtains once you added the header?
Thanks much!
YoungHouseLove says
There’s about 5″ of room behind the header before you hit the vanities, so there’s plenty of room to pop the curtains up and down (for easy washing, etc) with the header in place. Just by placing the header away from the wardrobes a bit gave us a lot of wiggle room in that aspect, and it still looks polished and deliberate (so it’s not weird that the header is that far out). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lindsey says
WOW! You truly have a beautifull eye for amazing design. You have taught me that you don’t always need to buy brand new things to make your house look like a million bucks. Thanks so much for inspiring me to use what I have ,and to enjoy finding to places to get killer deals.
Can’t wait for more ideas
Thanks
Lindsey