design dump

Sep 19, 2013

custom closets on a budget

custom closets are expensive. if you have ever played around with one of those online closet planners, then you have probably been astonished at how much it can cost to outfit even a modest sized closet.

however, you can get a high-end, custom look on a TIGHT budget!

let me show you what we did!

since the time we drafted up the plans for our house, we had always planned on building the closets ourselves. (and when i say "we", i really mean my husband allen, and a talented friend of his from work.)
HOWEVER, we had the worst winter here in utah since 1945, which delayed a few important projects during the construction, which in turn delayed us building our closet shelving.
we went ahead with the projects that HAD to be completed, and put a few "non-mandatory" things--like the closets (and door knobs) on hold. you can live in a house without closets, but you might have a hard time passing the inspection without a retaining wall or plumbing!

so, we have been making do since we moved in with drawers and wardrobe boxes. (and there might have been a tension shower curtain rod involved on a small wall in one of our closets as well....)
anyway, we were finally able to complete the closets in the master bedroom last week, and i am beyond thrilled! (you really never appreciate simple things like a place to hang your clothes until you don't HAVE a place to hang your clothes!)

here is another look at the floor plan, so you can see the spaces we were working with:

as you can see, there are HIS and HER closets in the master bedroom, which is something that we have never had before. we may never be able to share a closet again. ha! ha!

one of the things that i knew i wanted in my master closet was a "dressing area". i wanted some drawers, with a mirror and a place to store my jewelry and perfume. these items have always lived near the sink/vanity in my bathroom, and i wanted them to have their own little space inside my closet.

i used the martha stewart closet planning tool here for my preliminary layout:

in order to control the cost, i decided to use a chest of drawers from ikea. after visiting ikea, i decided to use the 4 drawer malm dresser instead of the cullen 5 drawer. i liked the proportions better, and the malm was available in white, which would match the MDF that we planned to use for the closets.

after purchasing the malm dressers, and talking over the budget and layout with my husband, we decided to tweak the plan a bit....
since the malm dresser is wider than the cullen dresser, we nixed the shelf on wall C, and then swapped the location of the long hanging area on wall B.

we purchased an obscene amount of mdf from lowes, and drove home veeeeeery carefully.
the mdf was made into a few boxes, that were then installed on the wall. the most complicated box was the one with the adjustable shelves for our shoes.
in order to make the slots for the adjustable pins, we made a spacer that went on the drill bit. this allowed the holes to be drilled the perfect depth to allow the shelf pins to go in.

a sheet of pegboard was clamped to the sheet of mdf, and the holes were used as a guide.

isnt that handy?

a grove was routed out for the fixed shelves, as well as the top and bottom of the box.

here is the shoe tower, ready to be hung!

the total cost for each closet, INCLUDING the $100 ikea dresser was $300. just for reference---when i priced it out my closet with pre fabricated units, the cost was between $900-1200, depending on the site! so, we built TWO closets for about half of what it would have cost us to buy a single one. not too bad!

**note: FREE labor definitely helped to keep the cost of this project low!

thanks sweetie!

a few progress shots---the pictures may look a little odd. i was playing around with the panoramic shot on the camera on my phone.

sorry i didn't get any more progress shots---as soon as i could, i started to hang up my clothes! after months of not having a closet, it felt like christmas.
i have some great "after" shots coming in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Sep 16, 2013

affordable find(s): caged brass pendant

these simple, caged pendant lights look amazing over a kitchen island, but can also be used over the sink in a bathroom, or beside a bed!

hudson valley groton pendant

$598

urban renewal pendant light

$148

sequestered cage pendant

$124

stephen 1 light pendant

$89

murray feiss urban renewal pendant

$99

happy shopping!

Sep 14, 2013

maximizing closet space

How to Maximize Closet Space in Your Apartment

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When you’re looking for apartments for rent, one thing that may jump out is the tiny closets. Small apartments are known for a lack of proper closet space, but if it’s the apartment you want (and can afford), you’re going to have to make it work. Don’t worry. With a few simple tricks you can maximize the space in your apartment closet.

Start by Looking at What You Have

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The very first step is to look at what you have before you start trying to tuck it all into the closet. Get rid of the tops you haven’t worn in years, old shoes, ripped items. Donate, recycle, give away and trash the stuff that really is, well . . . trash. If you don’t really need it, there’s no point in trying to fit it into your apartment or home closet.

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Also consider your wardrobe. Is it July and you’re looking at a pile of bulky sweaters? Or is it December and you have a bunch of shorts and swim suits? Consider splitting out seasonal items and storing them when they’re out of season. These items could go in a bin under a bed or in a closet. Space-saving bags are great for sweaters and winter jackets.

Assess the Closet Space

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The next step is to figure out what you’re working with. In most apartments for rent, the closet space is not maximized very well. There may be a single rod or worse, two rods that split the hanging space and don’t allow for longer items. Take a look and see what you have available so you can start to strategize.

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Don’t forget to look up. Often there is a shelf with tons of space available above it. Also consider the open wall space inside the closet that may or may not already have hooks installed.

Baskets, Racks and Hooks, Oh My!

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Now it’s time to utilize every available closet organizational tool. Start with hangers. It may be worthwhile to invest in quality hangers. Many have padded arms to keep wide-neck or slippery clothes from landing on the floor. Also, check out the tiered hangers to truly maximize space. These hangers allow 3 or even 4 items to be hung on one hanger. You can triple your closet space.

If you don’t have any drawers, you can pick up some baskets for loose items like socks and underwear. Hanging shelves and racks can help organize shoes and other items. In fact, the pockets designed to hold shoes can also hold jewelry, swim suits, toiletries and more.

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Not all apartments for rent have small closets, but if you’re faced with a closet that just doesn’t fit your stuff, don’t get discouraged. With a little imagination and a trip to the closet organization aisle at your local housewares store, you can maximize and organize your apartment closet space.

*this is a sponsored post by bre properties

Sep 11, 2013

framing odd size art

i love the simple, great looking frames that are available at stores like west elm, pottery barn, ikea, target and michaels. most of these frames come with mats that are cut to fit standard size prints. but what if you have a piece of art/print/object that doesn't fit the norm?
here are a few ideas to help you solve that dilemma:

custom framing

custom framing can cost a small fortune but is worth the occasional splurge.

custom mats

even though i am a big believer in custom framing, there are MANY times when the money in my budget or clients budget needs to be spent elsewhere.
one of my favorite tricks is to use an inexpensive, store bought frame (ikea ribba frames are a favorite of mine!), and have a mat custom cut to fit my art.

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no mat

one very simple solution is to place the art work directly on a piece of canson paper (available in the art section of any craft paper) or mat board. this works best when there is minimal contrast between the art and the background.

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trim to fit your frame

have a inexpensive poster or print that doesn't fit any frame? consider cutting it! the trimmed piece will seem transformed with its new shape that you will most likely just find more appealing that the original! (can you tell i have bison on the brain? the print in the background here is the same one is used in grady's bathroom.)

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floating glass

floating your art between two pieces of glass helps the eye to focus on the art, and any uneven space between the art and the edge of the frame becomes less obvious. this is a budget friendly option, as it requires no mat or paper to mount the art on.

do you have another way to inexpensively frame art? leave a comment--i would love to hear!

Sep 10, 2013

a peek at grady's finished bath

well, after ~~weeks~~ months of delay, and a massive paint spill, grady's bathroom is finally finished!
i am working on getting a professional photographer to take some pictures in the next week or two, but until then, here is a quick look with some lame phone pictures:

i will be posting more about both the sign above the toilet and the framed "divided" bison print soon!
oh, and i had a small miracle happen to me a few weeks ago---after an exhaustive online search for the perfect mirror for above the vanity, i walked into my local homegoods store, and spotted THIS beauty:

and the best part??

yeah. that was a pretty. good. day.

some sources:
(a complete list will accompany the final photos)
wall color: cumulus cloud-benjamin moore
flooring: montauk black slate, 12 x 24
vanity: logan vanity-restoration hardware (discontinued)
shower curtain: 84" drapery panels-marshalls (similar)

Sep 8, 2013

Choosing the Right Bedroom Furniture for Your Home (guest post)

You'd be amazed at how many people, having recognised the need for new bedroom furniture, simply go out and buy the first thing that catches their eye. This is obviously a schoolboy error. For not only does your bedroom furniture need to provide a practical use, but it clearly also needs to fit in with the rest of your room, both physically and from a design perspective. So before you go out and purchase on impulse, consider some of these important guidelines.

Is It Going to Fit?

This may seem like a very elementary question, but it's incredibly important. Not only do you need to know if your new bedroom furniture is going to physically fit in the desired room, but you also need to consider how much space will be left afterwards. After all, there is no point in having a luxurious double bed that is almost wall-to-wall, leaving no remaining space for other things. The most practical way around this issue is of course to measure your room properly before committing to any new furniture. Double check your measurements, write them down and then keep them on hand when you shop in store or at an online retailer.

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Does It Match the Interior Design of Your Home?

This is very much down to your own personal sense of style. Where previous approaches to interior design dictated that furniture all be uniform and matching, this is not so much the case in contemporary practice. From the current perspective, an eclectic mix of styles can be even more pleasing on the eye, providing you have the ability to distinguish fusion from confusion. If you're unsure, then choosing quality wood furniture – such as the beds from Fortune Woods – is always a safe bet. Unless you have a particularly futuristic or sterile home décor, well made oak beds tend to go with just about any interior design scheme.

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Does it Serve Its Purpose?

Beyond style and size, bedroom furniture clearly needs to perform a task as well. A lovely oak cabinet may be a perfect fit both practically and stylistically, but does it actually provide enough storage? Similarly, treating the kids to their own futon might be a sweet idea in theory, but will there then be enough room for their other possessions? Try not to be impulsive during your purchase based simply on your aesthetic attachment to a piece of furniture. If it isn't going to work from a practical perspective, you'll need to look for alternatives.

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Style, Size and Practicality

Selecting the right bedroom furniture for a room is not as simple as going on instinct. Size, style and practicality should all play an equally important role in your choice.