An old armoire becomes a new closet for your daily threads or costume collection.
A charming old house may come with a few drawbacks. Inadequate closet space is one of them. For a bedroom without a built-in closet, a freestanding unit is an easy solution. Wardrobes sized to fit an odd corner or a small space may be purchased from a carpenter's shop or a home improvement store. Old armoires are useful for a lot more than media storage. Converting them to modest but functional closets is simple. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Set the armoire or the wardrobe on a dropcloth. A secondhand armoire should be thoroughly washed, dried and the interior shelves and drawers removed. Sand the old paint or finish on the armoire to provide a good surface for new paint.
2. Paint the wardrobe or armoire inside and out. Use an eggshell finish so fingerprints can easily be wiped off without disturbing the paint. Prime an unfinished wood wardrobe before painting, and plan two coats of paint for either piece to ensure good coverage. Let the piece dry overnight.
3. While the shell of the closet is drying, paint any interior shelves and drawers that will go back inside. This might be a top shelf for either a wardrobe or the armoire or some low bottom drawers in an especially tall armoire. The closet should have hanging space for long and short garments, so leave half the interior free for at least 60 to 65 inches of hanging space. The bar needs 3 inches of clearance so you can put hangers on it. A shelf that fits above that is fine.
4. Cut a 1 ¼-inch dowel to fit inside the cabinet. Measure the length, leaving room for the rod supports that the dowel rests in at either end. Paint the dowel the same color as the inside of the closet or paint it in stripes or another colorful design. When the paint dries, cover the rod with a clear coat of polyurethane to protect it from hanger wear.
5. Replace any shelves that will go in the closet, and install a few hooks for windbreakers or belts on the back wall just below the top shelf. Screw in the rod supports and slip the clothes rod into the supports.
6. Place plastic shoeboxes or sweater boxes on the top shelf. The shoeboxes that have slide-out clear drawers will keep shoes, gloves or other small items accessible. If half the closet will be used to hang jackets or shirts, dedicate the space underneath it to drawers or bins for folded clothing.
7. Attach a mirror inside one closet door and a couple of scarf or purse hooks inside the other door. Replace boring knobs with hand-painted ceramic knobs and edit your clothes so your wardrobe fits in your new closet.
Tags: hanging space, inside closet, interior shelves, interior shelves drawers, shelves drawers, that will, wardrobe armoire