This one should really be titled #PandemicProjects! When we went into lock down in March 2020 it was the beginning of an unprecedented time . Unnatural really. Our whole world shifted just like everyone else around us . All of a sudden we were restricted to our homes 24 hours a day , working full time from home, some of us were home schooling our kids for the first time and there were very limited options to release the stress and anxiety. At least that's how I felt. About two months had passed and I started going a little stir crazy. Staring at the walls , ceilings and floors long enough will do that to you :). All of that staring trigged the beginning of my first solo project of 2020 which was a makeover of my daughter's bedroom and a major part of that makeover was tackling her inefficient closet.
Ikea Pax Closet Makeover
This project is well worth the effort! It has made our mornings getting ready super easy because Khloe can easily find everything she is looking for and its all within easy reach. The plus side is that the system is customizable and can change as she grows which makes it functional for many years to come.
We started out with the basic builder closet even though this home is more than 60 years old at this point. The closet had sliding doors that would often come off its track and one wire shelf at the top with a wood bar for hanging.
Designing for Function
I knew right from the beginning that I wanted the doors converted to French styled open doors so we we would have access to the entire closet at once. Since we already had solid wood doors I decided to trim these down using a table saw to fit the new configuration of being side by side . We then added black hinges - 2 each per door and attached to the metal frame. Throughout our home all of the door frames are metal and built into the wall so removing or replacing was not an option. You may need help with this part, if the doors are heavy, both for cutting and lining up to reinstall.
Next up was removing a portion of the base trim and the support which the wire shelf was attached to , so the Ikea Pax system could be installed flush against the wall and be securely attached to avoid tipping or falling. Once this was removed I used spackle to fill all the holes and rough spots, sanded and repeated until I had a smooth surface. Next up was painting . I opted to paint the closet in the same shade of grey we used on the bedroom walls. Alternatively you can use wall paper if its in your budget for an added touch of whimsy. Kinda wished I did but I was also redoing the entire room and wanted to be budget conscious.
Now that the area was prepped I started working on assembling the Ikea Pax System. If you've got a power drill it makes assembly move along so much faster than using a screw driver or an allen key. Luckily for me we've got a lot of tools around the house so everything was within easy reach.
I purchased the following items from Ikea
Pax Wardrobe Frame - 19 5/8x13 3/4x79 1/8
3 White Komplement Shelves - 39 3/8x13 3/4. I used the table saw to also cut these into sections for either side of the system vs buying individual shelves because the walls are not perfectly square and needed to be retrofitted
4 White Komplement Shelves - 19 5/8x13 3/4
1 Komplement Pull Out Tray- 19 5/8x13 3/4- to store jewelry
3 Komplement Drawers- 19 5/8x13 3/4
4 Lackisar Storage Cases - 13x20x11- used these to store keep sake clothing and stuffed animals. We usually donate all of Khloe's clothing as she outgrows them but she chooses 1 or 2 special pieces per year to keep
Total Purchases: $239.96 plus tax
To add the outer shelves to the wall I used basic brackets from The Home Depot . You'll notice I didn't paint these lol but you should . I'll go back and do that this weekend now that its right in front of me again hehe. I also purchased 2 pairs of Closet Rod Flanges in Brass and 2 Brass Closet Rods which I cut into 2 pieces each . A little gold never hurt nobody.
So what do you think? Khloe certainly loves that she can pick whatever she wants without needing help and if you know me, I LOVE having everything in its place. She has a better closet than I do so you already know what's on the 2021 project list when we're done with the basement renovation ;)
xo- Nalini
It came out beautiful! May I ask what tool did you use to cut the wood shelves and the gold rods?