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.
\
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!).
Sammi H. says
Hello! Thank you soooo much for a great idea. I went to Ikea this weekend and accomplished this look. Unfortunately they were out of white so I opted for the oak. Since my bedroom is so tiny because I live in the UK, I put my dresser between the wardrobes instead of my bed. I love it so much better than the unsightly clutter that existed before. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad to hear that it worked out for you! Flanking your dresser with built-in wardrobes sounds like a perfect alternative.
xo,
s
Funmilayo says
Hi, first of all, I can’t get enough of your site :)!
I’m wondering if you can give me a couple of tips on a clutter-hiding idea I’ve got.
Our Toddler has a little play area-a nook of sorts in our formal living room area(we don’t use it at a formal living) However, I want to come up with a way to hide away her toys when we have guests.
Right now, we have a BIg trunk-basket, where a lot of her toys go, however, she has some big ones like a play kitchen, a little bike etc.
Anyway, I was going to get one of those folding screens, but the more I think about it, I’m not sure if that will work, so after looking at your site, I started thinking about installing some curtains to cover that side of the room, since it’s kinda carved out in the wall with a ledge that creates a little bit of a divider.
How do you think we could go about that?
thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah you can totally do that! Ikea sells wire curtain rods that can be mounted right to the ceiling so you can create a nice curtained nook for toy storage that’s out of sight. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Funmilayo says
Excellent! I was wondering where I could get something like that. I’ll let you know how it turns out :) Thanks!
NikKidd says
So, I don’t know if you just answered my question with your response to Funmilayo, but I kept looking at the photo and trying to figure out how you guys hung the curtains in front of your wardrobe. I’m totally stealing your idea for my bedroom (we just finished building our bed from KnockOffWood plans and hanging a window in front of a mirror for added light above the bed), and I can’t figure out how to hang the curtains in front of the wardrobe, since I can’t mount a traditional curtain rod on the wardrobes.
YoungHouseLove says
Ok, so picture the wardrobe being doorless and curtainless. There is a front edge to the entire wardrobe (about an inch wide all the way around it). So we mounted a long u-shaped metal curtain rod (one of those cheap $3 ones from Walmart) to the front edges of the molding that we used to extend the wardrobe up to the ceiling (if you didn’t need to add height to your wardrobe you could mount it right to that front edge at the top of your wardrobe). That way the curtain isn’t inside of the wardrobe (like it would be with a tension rod) but is curved out in front of it so the curtains don’t get in the way and are set forward about 2″ (just like curtains are set forward from the wall a bit when you use those long cheap-o metal u-shaped rods). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Chelsea says
Do you know the specific name of the duvet from west elm, to speed up the searching process. I love it! I found some fabric similar online, however it’s outside fabric. BUMMER!
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
No idea! So sorry. Maybe something with “geometric” in the name? Just a blind guess!
xo,
s
Rachel says
love your play by play=)
Question about the swing arm lamps… are they installed into the wall or are they plug-in fixtures? I’m thinking about adding two to the sides of my bed and I have to say, the plug-in lights sound much easier!
YoungHouseLove says
They’re plug ins (the curtains obscure the wires). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Rachel says
¡gracias! love it EVEN more!
Megan says
Hi Sherry- me again, back with more advice needed for our bedroom redo.
Our bedroom is about the same dimension as yours 12×11, although somehow yours looks so much bigger….photos angles I guess? Anywhoo, I notice that you don’t have bedside tables? Where do you guys keep your books, glass of water, etc etc? I am trying to figure out what to do, being on a very tight budget right now. I have a dark antique dresser that must be placed in the room, an old three tiered bookcase that usually hangs out on hubby’s side and a glass table on a metal frame on my side. Talk about not matching or looking cohesive! There is also the fuse box sticking out of the wall above where my table would be.
I just am at a loss- know of any cheap bedside tables or any ideas of how I can get some sort of symmetry to this room? We don’t need the built ins b/c of ample closet space. Our bed can only go along this one wall b/c of windows, door, closet etc.
I’ve tried looking for ideas everywhere…
thanks for all your help in advance, I love that answer all your questions- way to go!
YoungHouseLove says
We just reach behind the curtain from our bed (where we have a shelf with our stuff on it). It’s nice because the clutter is out of sight. As for affordable bedside tables you should check out target.com for something cheap. We also like overstock.com and jcpenney.com. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Andela says
WOW !! I just love everything you have done on the house. God Bless you both !! I wanted to ask you a question.
we just finished painting our bedroom and I am planning to do the same thing you have done with the picture frames . Our room is about your size ‘s room and is painted in a natural Caramel . it has the hardwood floor as well . MY question is Is it safe to do the dark expresso frames and what do you suggest for one of the sides that has a dresser and a round mirror . How can I put it together ???
Any suggestion will help.
YoungHouseLove says
Dark espresso frames would look great. Definitely go for it! And as for how to approach the side with the dresser and the round mirror, just play around and see whet works. Don’t be afraid to take home a few different options of things and just return what you don’t want. Good luck!
xo,
s
Christine says
My husband and I did the exact same thing in our tiny bedroom with the ikea wardrobes but i really like the wood at the top! it makes it look super polished and i am definitely going to add it to the list of weekend projects i’ve got going. thanks a lot!
Fariha says
I LOVE the play by plays you give….my fiance and i are buying our first house and i’ve been looking through interiors sites but sometimes its really hard to break down the different elements which make the room work. This post was an education!!
Marianne Lynch says
Love your master bedroom ideas! Am planning to do a similar arrangement here. I wondered why you chose fabric for the front of the wardrobes rather than doors. Was it just a personal preference, cost savings, or did the doors create a problem in a small space?
Thanks!
Marianne
YoungHouseLove says
Sometimes one of us gets dressed while the other person sleeps so we didn’t want to worry about slamming doors. And we thought that doors might have made it feel like we were sleeping between two big refrigerators (the curtains soften things up). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hannah says
Do you think I could create this same effect with a sleeper sofa? I have the issue of the third bedroom/office/someday baby #2 room. I’d like to have it be my crafting room and also have a bed for my in-laws to stay. It’s approximately 10×10 with a closet similar to the one you keep your wrapping paper in and a window on the opposite wall that’s 30 inches wide and 40 inches tall. The house comes prefab with espresso stained wooden window valences, do you recommend putting curtains all the way to the floor? We have 8 foot wall and I would love to create an illusion of tall ceilings. Thanks for your help!!
Hannah
North Idaho
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, it’ll look great! We love floor length curtains and they’ll definitely create that tall-ceiling illusion you’d like to create. Good luck!
xo,
s
D'Aun Robinson says
Oh my gosh! I have EXACTLY the same problem! Old house, no master bedrooms… My husband has to use the guest bedroom closet, and truth is even with that the closets don’t fit all our clothes. A bigger problem is that we’re renting, so we’ll have to find less permanent ways of doing things, but this is amazing and I’m so glad I found your site!
kelltalen says
I love the look. Question: Where do you keep the alarm clocks? :)
YoungHouseLove says
We actually use our cell phones as alarms so we slip them on that shelf behind the curtains too. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
skruger says
Hi YHL!
I love this idea and was all ready to use it as an inspiration for our “not a master bedroom, just the biggest in the house” bedroom only to discover that not only is our room small, it’s short! The tall wardrobes are too tall and the shorter ones leave a big (10 inch) gap. I’m scouring the web looking for some solution and wondered WWYHL do? Any thoughts?
YoungHouseLove says
We would probably get the shorter ones and make a ten inch header above them to make them look custom. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah says
I love this! We have the same problem and I am on a mission to have a “place for everything-everything in it’s place” home. This will definitely help with that! Sherry, I am sure you know this but just in case, IKEA now has drawers for the 29 inch width. I think I remember reading that you bought shelves because of the width… Anyway, just wanted to share in case you haven’t studied the PAX system recently ;)! Thank you for doing what you do!
YoungHouseLove says
We didn’t know that Sarah – that’s awesome! We may pick up one next time we’re there (though most of Sherry’s shelves hold shoes, so the open shelves are actually great in those cases). Thanks for the heads up!
-JOhn
kristi says
Love your home :)
getting ready to move on Saturday and would like to do this in our master too!
what kind of rod/track are the curtains over the wardrobes attached to? I see they are hanging on outside so that edges on wardrobe are not visable.
Please let me know.
Thank you
YoungHouseLove says
Hi Kristi,
Here’s a link to a rod similar to the one we used: http://ow.ly/2dTkB
That type ended up being best because we not only does it detach easily, but it also allows the curtain to be pulled all the way around the side (as you noted). Plus they’re very inexpensive!
-John
Stephanie says
Hey guys, love your blog! Just curious…have yall ever thought about what you would have done with the space had you not put in the wardrobes? Assuming the house came with giant closets (that’d be a dream come true!) and you didnt have the need for the extra storage space.
YoungHouseLove says
We probably just would have put two round pedestal tables on either side of the bed with big dramatic lamps on them or something. We probably just would have played around to see what we loved best (we rarely have a game plan going in other than to just do what makes us happy in the end). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Caz says
Ohmygoodness! My fiancee and I bought our house THREE years ago, and the strange people who lived there before us built an addition onto the house creating our monstrous master bedroom… but didn’t build A CLOSET in the new room! So we have a Major Master with a Major problem. We have been trying to think of creative ways to add closet space without building just a boring box on the wall. My only concern would be having a place for an alarm clock… it’s impossible for me to drag myself out of bed to hit the snooze! LOOOOVE the site! Your wedding ideas were amazing & I love that you dyed your dress and continue to wear it! You are like a way more hip Martha Stewart! Keep the great stuff coming! Can’t wait to get started on my closet now!
Courtney Gillis says
Hi guys! We love this and are trying to do something similar but can’t figure out how you mounted the header above the wardrobes. Is it attached to the wardrobes, the wall or the ceiling? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
It goes right into the studs in the ceiling (we placed it a few inches in front of the wardrobe and the curtain rods so it doesn’t interfere). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erika says
I love this idea, so does my husband…and actually I love the whole site. 2 questions for you:
Would you have considered patterned curtains to hide the wardrobes-such as the IKEA stockholm blad(I love these)? Why or why not?
I also looked at the KARTVAL hanging system (it uses panel curtains and they say it could hide wardrobes, be used to create a nook etc…something to consider?
YoungHouseLove says
We say go for it on both accounts! It’s all a personal preference thing so do whatever floats your boat. And good luck!
xo,
s
Janine says
Hi, i think your house looks fantastic however i have one query.
I would just like to find out what exactly the floor in the lounge is, as you say in Part 2 on the ‘diyideas’ site it’s concrete [under the old carpet you pulled up] and on your own blog you say it’s hardwood? it looked like wood to me at first sight, so which is it?
thank you
Janine
YoungHouseLove says
Hi Janine,
Thanks! We’re not sure exactly which room you’re referring to when you say the “lounge.” The only room we pulled carpet up in was our sunroom (featured in the first part of DIY’s Part 2), which does in fact have a concrete floor that we have currently painted a dark brown color which is why it may appear to be hardwood. The other room in Part 2 of that feature is our den, which we had new hardwood installed in to match the rest of the house. Hopefully that clears things up!
-John
Meg says
Just stumbled across your site. Love it! Love your style! and LOVE that you did it on all diy! Amazing. Now I’m off to make one of those darling mobile’s for my daughters room!
Jen says
AWESOME. But, how did you hang the curtains from the front of the closets? And also how did you hang the header from the ceiling. Love the look, but just need a little info for when I tell my husband how “EASY” it will be to duplicate. Thanks.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jen,
Just scroll back through the comments here for more info. We’ve answered that question quite a few times so hopefully our description will help! Good luck!
xo,
s
Mel says
Love your site! Your bedroom looks very similar to mine! Same colors and about the same size. Do you pull the curtains closed over the lamps? Our closets are on the wall opposite the head of our bed and I too have been planning for the past 3 years to put curtains in for the doors but have yet to find the fabric I want. I think I am just going to find a neutral curtain and be done with it. Enjoying your blog and snooping around your house online :)
YoungHouseLove says
Those darker curtains on either side of the window are just dummy panels (we don’t pull them closed because the lights are in the way but we did add blinds to the window to block light). The curtains are just there to make everything look centered since the widow is actually not balanced looking without them. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
kelly says
1st of all, I love the look…it is exactly what I want to do in my bedroom…I also live in an older home and have 1 closet in the whole house, I make due with a couple of garment racks, but this would be perfect! I do have a couple of questions for you…as for the Ikea wardrobes, can you tell me which ones you bought? I am thinking the PAX wardrobe frame, but would like some insight.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we went with Pax wardrobes without doors. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Anu K says
Hi,
nice site ! wondering how you put up the drapery panels to the actual PAX frame. velcro ?? have one without a door too & always hesitated to drive a nail into the particleboard frame.
Thanks !
YoungHouseLove says
Just scroll back a few comments for that answer. We used a u-shaped curtain rod attached to the fronts of the doorless wardrobes. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
pam p says
What a great room! Our new Master bedroom is the same size but we have 4 door ways and a window and not a lotta wall space to place furniture. Bed facing the door way (DH built it himself and it is BE U TI FUL!!) It’s a queen size which leads me to my question, Where did you get the comforter on your bed I read through the blog but didn’t see anything mentioned about it ounly the curtains and the lighting.Is it a soft blue or an aqua blue, hard to tell on my screen. Just so so happy I stumbled onto your blog. I savor it every night and there are sooo man useful tips and ideas. Thank you both for sharing. Blessings!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s from West Elm and is a soft blue color. They no longer sell it but maybe try eBay? Good luck!
xo,
s
Sarah says
I like it a lot! Great job!
E says
Hi, I was just wondering what the color/name of the paint on the walls is? I’m wanting to paint my bedroom a shade of blue, and really like this color!
thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hi E,
The paint color in our bedroom is “Gentle Tide” by Glidden. You can see a list of all of the colors in our house by checking out this post: https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/02/our-homes-recently-expanded-color-palette/
-John
C says
Where did you get the big center chandelier? beautiful.
YoungHouseLove says
That was from West Elm but they no longer sell it. You can find something similar at World Market though. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Virginia says
I have bought great light fixtures that I’m so excited about for my apartment in DC. However, living in an apartment, I have limited access to the main breaker switches (limited pretty much means zero). How should I install these? Is it safe to just turn off the switch or do I need to call a professional?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Virginia,
We really couldn’t say. We’d recommend talking to your building’s “super” to see if he can help (for free even- especially since he knows the building and has more access to anything than a pro would). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Serina says
I noticed you use the IKEA Vivan curtains in most areas of your home, but the curtains on the wardrobes look to be heavier material/not so sheer. Are they Vivan as well? Thaks! Love the blog!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Serina,
Those are pricier and less thin curtains. We don’t remember what they were called but they were $30 a pair instead of $14 a pair like the extra long Vivans. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Amanda says
This looks great and I am excited to try it. We do have a closet in our master bedroom but we are hopeless packrats and it just isn’t enough room. We will be buying the Ikea Sultan Alsarp bed foundation with storage (essentially a box spring with optional legs and a hinged lid). That actually fits in the Malm bed frame you have, if you are looking for additional storage. We are going to skip the bedframe because I have exactly 120 inches of width to play with, and bed foundation plus two 29.5 inch Pax wardrobes are JUST BARELY going to fit. I don’t even know how I will manage to change my sheets, but I am just not willing to go down to the 19 inch Pax wardrobes. But I digress…
My real question is, do you have any suggestions for a light-weight alternative to the wooden header? I fear we lack the construction skills (and handyman funds) to pull this off properly, and we are in a rental so I do not feel comfortable just drilling holes into the ceiling. Could a giant piece of foam work, if I affix it directly to the wardrobes? Where would I get that? Thank you for helping a beginner!
May you continue to enjoy your beautiful home (and share you secrets with us)!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, maybe find a ceiling mount curtain rod system (Ikea sells a few that can be hung from the ceiling) and string a “header” of fabric (just essentially create one long valance in front of the wardrobes just like our wooden header). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kristine says
I love it! Just one question, what do you do for side table stuff (glasses of water, books etc.)?
YoungHouseLove says
We both have side-table-height shelves tucked behind the curtain that we can easily access from bed (where we keep books and other night table stuff).
xo,
s
Katie says
It looks amazing!! Wow! From dorm-y to swanky. Once question though – where do you put your alarm/glasses/phone/hair elastic/glass-of-water? I’m tring to tackle the problem myself of life without nightstands and coming up empty handed!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Katie,
Just scroll back through the comments for that answer. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Christy says
You two will probably get questions about his DIY forver! It’s such a functional project and looks great too! My questions are:
1) When you added the molding to bridge the gap between the top of the wardrobe and the ceiling, did you just do it on the inside edges (facing the bed)? I know you mentioned that John’s wardrobe wasn’t flush against the wall, so I’m wondering if you used molding on that outside edge.
2) Since there was a gap between John’s wardrobe and the wall, how did you get the curtain to look like it fully extended to the wall? I know you mentioned that you used U-Shape rods attached to the moldings, but I imagine that you would still be left with a gap between the curtain and the wall. Did you mount John’s U-Shaped rod closer to the wall instead of on the wardrobe molding?
Thanks a ton for this tutorial!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes, we only added the molding to bridge the gaps that were visible, which were the two interior sides. As for covering that sliver of space next to John’s wardrobe, we actually mounted a sliver of wood to the wall and then attached that side of the u-shaped rod’s holding hardware to that piece of wood (which was flush with the other side so the rod hung in front of the whole opening and the wardrobe). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jorja says
Absolutely love this idea for adding storage in the bedroom. We’re moving into our first home next week and decided that your solution would also work well for us (since there’s just one existing TEENY-TINY built-in closet in the room and we already own the Malm headboard).
Our new bedroom measures 13×11. I noticed your bedroom was 13×12. Which wall did you use? I love how it looks perfectly fitted to the wall. We’re not in the house yet, but want to make our IKEA trip this weekend. I’m hoping the double-wide PAX would fit on the 11′ wall (instead of having to get two single-wides or one of each)!
YoungHouseLove says
There are about a million different Pax sizes so you should definitely be able to get two that will fit on the 11′ wall with a bed in a similar formation. Ours was on the 13′ wall, but we’re sure yours will work too. Good luck!
xo,
s
Bethanne says
Hello, Happy New Year to you both! I enjoy your blog. Sherry you are so sweet!
Here is my question I am renting and am wondering if I install the wood header
would it be difficult when I move out to just take the wood out and then patch a few of small holes and repaint the ceiling or would it be significant damage that would have to be fixed professionally? Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Bethanne,
It really depends how you install it. If you use a few long screws into a stud in the ceiling, you’d just have to unscrew them and patch those holes when it comes down. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Barbara says
This is great! I have a very small bedroom (same dimensions) with a small closet (that I share with my husband). I love the idea of the closests with the curtains. Do you think it would look silly with NO window above our bed, and a window to the right of the right closet? Or do you have another suggestion?
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve seen it done without the window and as long as you hang art about that size in it’s place it should look awesome!
xo,
s
Becky Anderson says
I am loving your whole website you have. I recently bought a small 1000 sqr ft house that has NO storage and I am a first time home buyer and you have given me so many ideas and I thank you for that. My question is, where did you buy the lighting fixture hanging in the middle of the ceiling? It is so pretty and I have searched high and low for something close to that. Keep the great ideas rolling!!!!
-Becky
YoungHouseLove says
That was from West Elm (they no longer sell it) but we’ve seen something similar at World Market for about $60-70. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah De Felice says
Hi YHL!
I know you are super busy in your new house, but I am hoping you can give me some quick advice! Our master is extremly similar to yours except our window is lower and taller than yours. This poses a few problems. One, it looks out into our neighbors driveway – so we must be able to have curtains that close. Two, we need to have lamps like yours but have no where to mount them. I was thinking we could mount on either side of the window (instead of under) and use the swing arms to position them, but then we won’t be able to close the curtains. Then I was thinking we could hang four cutain panels so that the window is permanently covered and the lamps could peek through the panels. But that might be bland, so would it look ok to hang a mirror in front of the curtains that would be covering the window? I hope this makes sense! Any help at all is super appreciated!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sarah,
We would totally suggest getting four curtain panels (or cutting two in half and sewing them so they look like four finished panels). Then you can hang two on the outside of the lamps and two on the inside so the lamps peek through the panels like you suggested. Then we love the idea of suspending a mirror or a piece of art in the middle of the curtains! Katie Bower over at bowerpowerblog.com hung art in front of a curtained wall over the bed and it looks great!
xo,
s
Ashley says
We have a similar closet situation in our master bedroom, so I’m looking to take on this project in the near future, but first a couple questions: 1) do you think this would work without a window above the bed and maybe 2 pieces of artwork with gallery style lights above them? 2)We have a canopy bed very similar to the one you now have. Would it work with this layout? i’m alerady thinking it’s too big for our space, so we may ditch it or turn it into an outdoor canopy daybed. Thanks! Ashley
YoungHouseLove says
It would totally work with art instead of a window for sure! And as for the canopy bed, why not try working with it first, and if it doesn’t work you can switch it out then. Good luck!
xo,
s
Aimee says
You guys, I am so excited! We’re buying a thirty-year-old house with a pretty sad closet situation. I think I’ve just about convinced DH to go for this solution. Thank you so much for the inspiration.
Ashley Lankey says
I am SO glad I randomly found your site! A fellow Richmonder, I also love to DIY! I am obsessed with your closet solution and need to do the same ASAP. It’s beautiful! I know I’m totally late on seeing this post but hopefully IKEA (one of my faves) still has similar wardrobes. Online you can only see them with the doors. I prefer the drapes- lovely!!
Sarah says
Hi YHL! I’m back again – this time, I have convinced my hubby to do this makeover!!! We bought the wardrobes and have them assembled and I have another question for you. Ikea was crazy this weekend and I didn’t have a chance to really look through the curtains. I wasn’t thinking about how hard it would be to find such long curtains! Anyway, when I was looking at your pics again, I noticed yours have a chocolate brown satin strip at the bottom. Did you add this, or did they come this way? TIA!
YoungHouseLove says
I just added some thick brown ribbon at the bottom. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lauren says
My hubs and I did this in our bedroom and it works and looks great! We recently purchased our 1969 fixer-upper and have been tackling projects every weekend. Thanks for the inspiration!
YoungHouseLove says
So glad! Congrats on your new cozy sleeping nook!
xo,
s
Jessica says
My husband and I are thinking about doing this in our room. But there is a window on the right wall that would come very close to the Pax wardrobe on the right side. What is the depth of the Pax wardrobe that you used? i noticed there was a 14″ and a 22 7/8″. I wasnt sure if the 14″ was actually big enough to hold hanging clothes. Anyway if we got the 22″ one, the curtains from that would touch the curtains from the window. Do you think that would look funny? what would you suggest doing? :-) Thanks!! love everything you all have done!
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we no longer live there so we can’t confirm the depth, but we think it was the 22″ one. As for your room, I think if the wardrobe touched the curtains from the window it might look weird, so maybe call Ikea to see if the 14″ version works with hangers (it might and then all will be good!). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
ruthie says
I’m reading this for the first time today! Wow! What an awesome job. I think you should retire from blogging and become professional stagers! Your site has given me lots of ideas for cheap updates we can do to spruce up before we put ours on the market. Any ideas for organizing/ perking up master closet? or any closet for that matter? THanks, Ruthie
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, maybe paint the walls, replace the light fixture if there is one (for something less basic and more special), and add some organization systems from somewhere like Target or Home Depot or Container Store? Good luck!
xo,
s