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DIY for Homeowners

DIY Walk-in Closet Makeover - Mother Edition!

6/16/2021

4 Comments

 
text by Vicki     Sign up here to join our weekly email newsletter!
Picture
Rarely do I see a pin on Pinterest that makes me go, "wait, I want that!"

The pin below stopped me mid-scroll! I saved the pin and pondered how I could do a similar design in my small primary walk-in closet. 

Well, one thing led to another and I figured out how I could make it work using primarily what I already had on hand. 
Light and bright master closet space pin I found on Pinterest.
When I realized the three old Ethan Allen seventies cabinets I already had would work as the base for the countertop, the design came together quickly.

I had several goals in mind as this closet was gutted and put back together:
  1. Remove all the clutter; things like Christmas decorations, etc had no place in this closet
  2. Ruthlessly purge clothing I hadn't worn in over a year to make space for the thing I regularly wear
  3. Install a long countertop for folding towels and clothes
  4. Create an easy-to-access space for towels and hand towels
  5. Create ample wall hung shoe storage and purge my shoe collection
  6. Create eye level storage space for hair dryer and items that would normally be stored under the sink or in a medicine cabinet
  7. Decorate with objects that are meaningful that make me smile!

Materials/Tools:


  • (2) Everbilt 8 ft. White Heavy Duty Closet Rod (Home Depot)

  • (3) Everbilt 8 in. x 12.4 in. x 1.05 in. Heavy Duty 300 lbs. Shelf and Rod Bracket White (Home Depot)

  • (1) Everbilt #7 x 1-1/4 in. and #7 x 1/2 in. White Shelf Bracket Screw Kit (12-Pack) (Home Depot)

  • (1) Everbilt 1-5/16 in. Heavy-Duty White Closet Pole Sockets (2-Pack) (Home Depot)

  • (1) Everbilt 1-5/16 in. Heavy-Duty Decorative White Closet Pole End Caps (2-Pack) (Home Depot)

  • 1 in. x 12 in. x 8 ft. Primed Pine Finger-Joint Board (Home Depot)

  • Pry Bar Set (Home Depot)

  • 8 in. Angled Long Nose Pliers (Home Depot)

  • DAP DryDex 16 oz. Dry Time Indicator Spackling Paste (Home Depot)

  • Stinger 2-1/2 in. Angled Sash Trim Brush (Home Depot)

  • (3) Wall Control SLOTTED ONLY TOOL BOARD WALL PANEL 32IN TALL X 16IN WIDE (Wall Control)

  • (1) Wall Control SLOTTED ONLY TOOL BOARD WALL PANEL 8IN TALL X 32IN WIDE (Wall Control)

  • (9) Wall Control 3IN X 96IN GALVANIZED METAL PEGBOARD STRIP METALLIC PEGBOARD RAIL PACK (Wall Control)

  • (5) Wall Control 6IN DEEP SLOTTED METAL PEGBOARD SHELF ASSEMBLY (Wall Control)

  • (5) Wall Control 6IN DEEP SHELF GUARD AND WALL CONTAINMENT STABILIZING BRACKET (Wall Control)

  • Wall Control SLOTTED METAL PEGBOARD PAPER TOWEL HOLDER AND DOWEL ROD 4IN SHELF ASSEMBLY (Wall Control)

  • Wall Control Standard hooks (shoe storage) (Wall Control)

  • Wall Control Medium reach hooks (for forward facing sandal storage) (Wall Control)

  • Wall Control C-Bracket (for flip flops) (Wall Control)

  • (2) Wall Control Accessory Hanger (Wall Control)

  • (10) Wall Control Spring Clips (Wall Control)

  • Wall Control Rod Holder (Wall Control)

  • Plywood for counter 3/4in thick by 18-3/4 wide, by 91in long, front edge is 1-1/2in by 91in

  • Total Boat Tabletop Epoxy (Amazon)

  • Plastic measuring cup (Dollar Tree)

  • Plastic spreader (Harbor Freight)

  • Rust-Oleum Decorative Color Chips, Glacier Grey Blend (Home Depot)

  • Tyvek tape (Home Depot)

  • Hangman HM-30D Heavy-Duty Walldogs, 30''/300 lb, Silver (Amazon)

  • Skylight Flat Panel by Artika (Costco)

Hanging the new closet rod in the walk-in master closet makeover.
Once everything was removed from the closet and all the wire shelving was out and the wall spackled and painted, it was time to install the new hanging clothing rods. We installed two closet rod brackets for the rod which will also hold a shelf. The new clothing hanging space is installed in one end of the closet. The opposite end will be wall hung shoe storage.
Creating space for longer clothes by cutting the original closet rod.
Initially, we had two full length rods here, but after using the space for a while, I decided I wanted to bring my longer clothes back into the closet. We cut the the lower rod and added a bracket to create space for longer clothes. Bonus, the one suitcase I keep in here, fits under those longer clothes quite nicely.
The lower closet rod is secured to the closet wall.
This is the other end of the lower bracket. We used one part of a closet pole bracket to secure it to the wall.
Cutting the metal closet rod with a makita circular saw fitted with a Diablo tools metal cutting blade.
Both of the closet rods needed a bit of trimming to fit the space. They cut easily with a circular saw fitted with a metal cutting blade.
The statement wall in the closet is painted in Behr
Once the rod was cut, it proved to be a perfect fit! Note, there are caps you can buy to finish the cut ends. We added a simple shelf on top. The wall was the original color, but did get touched up. It's Behr Paint in "The Real Teal" color. I've used it in several project as I really like it. Many years ago, I saw a picture of a credenza painted in this color on the front cover of HGTV magazine. I immediately went to Home Depot, picked up a gallon, and painted my dining room credenza in "real teal!"
Putting up the wall control metal peboard in the primary closet.
Using Wall Control panels and accessories gave me the storage space I wanted. Because it is wall hung, there's a lot of usable storage without taking up valuable floor space.
Making wall hung shoe storage with Wall Control galvanized strips.
Using nine of these Wall Control strips gives me space for 18 pairs of shoes in a little space. The strips come in glalvanized grey, but I wanted white, so I simply painted them! Since these are not going to get a lot of rough use, chipping of the paint should not be a problem.
We made a countertop from plywood which was painted and finished with epoxy.
With the three cabinets in place in the closet, it was time to make the countertop. We cut 3/4 inch plywood to size and added a 1 1/2" board to create an overhang on the front. The top was primed and then painted with the closet wall color.
the countertop is finished with Total Boat Tabletop Epoxy.
Our regular supply of epoxy had run out so we decided to buy and try Total Boat Tabletop Epoxy. It has a one to one mixing ratio making it super easy to measure and mix.
Using Rust-Oleum decorative color chips in Glacier Grey Blend makes the countertop look like quartz.
I wanted the closet countertop which can be seen from the bathroom to mimic the look of the Cambria quartz bathroom countertop. I thought these color chips from Rust-Oleum would give me the look I wanted. But, first, I sorted out all the black chips as I only wanted the mix of grey, white, and metal silver. I was unable or unwilling to remove the tiniest specks of black so you'll see those in the countertop. I like them as it give a little more depth to the look.
Adding the Rust-Oleum decorative color chips to the edge by blowing them into place in the wet Total Boat tabletop epoxy.
It was difficult to get the flecks on the edge so I simply blew them onto the wet epoxy!
We got our plastic spreader to use on the epoxy at harbor Fright.
We did several coats of epoxy and used these inexpensive plastic spreaders to help move it around. We got them at Harbor Freight.
Building a six inch tall base to raise the dressers to countertop height.
The closet was basically finished and I had been using it for weeks when I decided I wanted to raise the cabinets to counter height! Counter height is much more comfortable for folding clothes. Plus, the drawers are six inches higher making it easier to put things away. We built a very simple riser out of a couple of 2x6 boards. The finished base was painted in the closet wall color. Pro tip: those long clamps were a hazard while they were in place. We put a pool noodle on each end so if (when) we ran into them, we wouldn't impale ourselves!
With the six inch riser in place, we put the cabinets and countertop back into place.
So, this is the second time we moved the cabinets and added the countertop. At this point I thought we were finished but, later on I decided to completely redo the front edge of the countertop! Here you can see the original color of the cabinets. Also, do you see something else that may be wrong here? I'll let you know at the end.
Upcycling a piece of wood into a warm natural backsplash in the master closet.
We decided to add a natural, warm element to the space by reusing this old mid-century shelf. Here we are trying it out for size. That piece in the front, also from the same old shelving unit is going to sit on the top like a ledge. In the original design, a round mirror was going to sit in that groove on the top of it. Be sure to watch the blooper at the end of the video to see how that did NOT work out!
We added a French cleat to hang the wood backsplash.
The old piece was cleaned and the top ledge was glued and screwed into place. We put a French cleat on the back to hang it on the wall.
We added a piece of wood to the back so that the backsplash would sit flat against the wall.
We added a piece of wood to the back so that the backsplash would sit flat against the wall.
The master closet before was a cluttered mess of stuff most of which did not belong in the closet.
BEFORE
The closet is bright and cozy.
AFTER
This walk-in closet makes good use of the space and is still light, bright, and highly functional.
Time to clear out all the clutter and get rid of all that wiring shelving!
Two haning rods were sufficient to hold all the clothes in the walk-in closet.
The layout of the closet was change so that all the clothes would hang on this end. Surprisingly, after all the purging of stuff and folding my t-shirts and storing them in a drawer, everything fit with room to spare.
Another view of the closet before gutting everything and removing the wiring shelving.
This is so bad! That suitcase is about the only non-clothing/personal item that is still stored in the closet!
There is a Wall Control paper towel holder in the closet! Perfect for grabbing when I'm cleaning the bathroom.
Everything now has a place making it easy to access things and to put them away. I especially like my wall hung Wall Control "medicine" cabinet. I like having the essentials at eye level and easy to reach. I have always had paper towels in the bathroom, but I dislike the clutter of them on my countertop. This Wall Control accessory holds the paper towels right inside the closet door so I can easily grab one when I'm cleaning.
The one thing I really didn't want to give up was the DIY upcycled shoe holder on the left. But in the end, the Wall Control wall was a MUCH better storage option.
The one thing I really didn't want to give up was the DIY upcycled shoe holder on the left. But in the end, the Wall Control wall was a MUCH better storage option.
Storage jewelry on the Wall Control pegboard panel wall.
These panels make great holders for shoes and take up virtually no space at all! My costume jewelry found storage space on the wall.
These are Wall Control spring clips that are actually used for tool storage. I found they make great hooks for hanging things like belts, bags, and especially my year-round flannel shirts.
These are Wall Control spring clips that are actually used for tool storage. I found they make great hooks for hanging things like belts, bags, and especially my year-round flannel shirts.
A good look at the new master closet quartz look countertop which mimics the look of quartz.
I've purposely kept the countertop clear in order to have space for folding towels and clothes. And, in keeping with the "it doesn't have to be new to be awesome" theme, I've decorated with some vintage ornate over-the-top frames that I've collected over the years. On the sheIves I've added some of my favorite milk glass vases and my mom's vintage wedding gloves from 1951.
I'm holding a picture of Steph's childhood bedroom showing the original dressers used in the closet makeover.
Steph's childhood bedroom, circa 1992, showing the vintage dressers still in their original yellow! Years later, I found another matching dresser. The hutch in the picture is now painted and in the newly renovated closet.
At the beginning of the year, I didn't know I needed this closet makeover, but, I'm so glad I found that original pin which inspired me to tackle this mess of a closet. 

What is not shown in this project is the project that had to happen before this one could start.

I had painted one of the closet dressers many years ago and had been using it as a nightstand. The other two were buried in my laundry room closet. 

To get them out, I had to remove everything from that space. Once that space was cleared out, that closet got a makeover as well. All the wiring shelving was removed as well, it got fresh paint, the floor was cleaned and a new portable shelving unit was purchased and assembled to use in that space. It is a much more clean and functional space thanks to needing to get the dressers out!

Anyone else have projects snowball like this one? Do tell...

*Did you spot what was wrong? I didn't until, I got ready to add new a magnetic closure to the doors in the middle piece as they wouldn't stay closed. After installing one of the latches, it was then I discovered that after painting the doors, I had installed them back onto the piece upside down! As my eyes traveled down to the bottom of what was actually the top, I saw the latches! 

​It was a DUH moment for sure!


Please note: This is not a sponsored post. 

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don't claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!

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4 Comments
Karen Peaco
6/17/2021 10:04:50 pm

You ladies hit a home run on the closet make-over!
I love it, might have to think about getting rid of my wire shelving. Well done😁

Reply
Vicki
6/18/2021 12:08:48 pm

Karen, thank you so much. Yes, that wiring shelving is the worst, I'm very happy to be rid of it! ~Vicki

Reply
Jan Houston
8/22/2021 09:18:44 am

Could you tell me what the dimensions are of your closet?

Reply
Vicki Kubiak
8/24/2021 10:09:55 am

The closet is 57" wide (4.75 feet) and is 121" long (10.08 feet).

Reply



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