Before
Got a closet with a small doorway that makes it hard to reach up and use the upper shelf? Would you like to open it up? That's exactly what Jamie Pup did in his old apartment, and he liked doing it so much he took pics. In a follow up to his great Custom Shelving Demonstration from a few weeks back, here's his totally excellent closet remodel. Thanks, Jamie! (Do you have something great in your apartment that you'd like to show off? Send it in to editor@apartmenttherapy.com and we'll Post Your Baby!)
"The two biggest problems with most closets is the single bar for hanging clothes that they typically have, and that difficult-to-use shelf space above the bar that extends up behind the wall above the door opening. You have to reach in and up through a small opening making the space much less useful than it could be....
Wow, Jamie pup, you could do this as a business on the side. I'm totally in awe.
Unfortunately, we apparently have pipes above and around our incredibly awkwardly configured bedroom closet. I wonder if we could do something like this elsewhere, though.
Wish I were as handy at DIY as you are Jamie. Of course my landlord would probably complain if I started doing that in my rental.
I have an upper closet in my only closet, and I love it. I also have a little nook in my hallway where someone installed one shelf high up. It's hidden from the front door, but still easily accessible. That's also a great little storage space.
J.P. I'm in love!
That is with your closet re-do!
You know I have to agree with Fiona...you could do this as a business...starting with my 5 closets that need tending to.
J.P. find it in your heart to help out a fellow AT buddy!
Jamie pup, didn't we recently see some of your shelves that you built right into the wall? Are you doing this work full time or in your spare time or what? Truly amazing.
very cool. not to be dense, but what's the "doors" caption?
and hey gang! =)
Thanks again folks. Again I wanted to show what could be done if you are handy and I hope this does inspire. In fact I believe that, if you have the right tools, can follow instructions well, and have enough time, then most people could do something like this themselves.
It goes without saying but having enough time to do this is critical. I cannot do anything like this now because we have children who take up all our spare time.
I did talk to my wife about retiring and doing this kind of thing for a living but she didn't go for it. Our mortgage is too big!
Hey Mike, good to see you still around. The doors caption is there because the picture is not very clear. It is supposed to show the result with the new MDF doors in place above the original opening.
BTW, picture #4 came out in the wrong sequence because, when I attached the photos, the name of that pic was 3/4" plywood installed and yahoo mail got confused with the /4 I guess and labelled it with 4 at the start. It should really be around pcicture 12 I think.
Another BTW. Drawers are the most difficult part of a job like this and, although I have made drawers in the past, I did not do so in this case. I broke up an old Gothic Cabinet Craft dresser (I hope they have improved construction recently because this dresser was very badly made) to get those two drawers. If ppl don't have something lke that to hand then I would suggest finding drawers when ppl chuck out stuff on the streets and then build the vertical shelving piece around the width of those drawers.
Tear out the whole wall and the rest is easy!
i am months behind on this posting, but i'm also curious about the doors. can't see what's up in the pic.
but i want to get rid of my terrible closet doors and do something more clean, steamlined, modern, and space saving!
i always wondered about that space. I pile things so high up there and it's a hassle to get to. That's an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing