{coat closet turned built in shelving}

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I did this project a few months ago – i will try to do the best i can to describe how i did it…i get lots of emails about this closet and i am sorry that it has taken me so long to post about it!!  The next thing that i get a billion (yes, that’s a slight exaggeration, but i do get a lot) of emails about is my room – I am making a promise that i will post about that in the next week – ahhhhh…the pressure!!!

OK, so what i had goin on was a space filled with doors – seriously 5 doors!!!  (laundry, coat closet, broom closet, bathroom, and garage).  I never liked looking at all those doors, and new homes are seriously lacking character – so i decided to make a closet a little more functional and cute to boot :)

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BEFORE…

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AFTER…

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I started by removing the door – and there was one shelf in the closet that had to be removed – it was done very, very carefully by my son Kdin (ummmm – he knocked that thing out in about three swings – maybe he was angry that day?)

Maybe i shouldn’t post a picture with such a dorky face?!  He REALLY is a pretty handsome boy – just trust me…

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Then to make the closet look like a built in – instead of just some shelves in a closet, i popped off the door jamb.  Just run a razor down the caulk line and then it will pop off real easy

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Then, i framed in the entire closet so my shelves wouldn’t be so big – make sense?  I just doubled up a couple of 2×4’s and used my framing nailer – cuz I’m a cool like that

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I also dropped the ceiling down because the ceiling in there was 10 feet like the rest of the house – again i wanted to make it look like a built in and didn’t want to look in there and not see a ceiling – am i making sense here?!!

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After everything was framed up, i put bead board sheets up on three sides

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See that stash of crap in that basket thingy?  That’s another reason that i had to do this closet – i was sick of seeing that mess :)

Then i measured where i wanted my shelves to be – and i determined that measurement by my baskets that i had already bought (@ TJ Maxx)

All i did for the cleats (fancy word for shelf supports) is leftover MDF sheeting cut down to size – then i used wood glue and a brad nailer to attach them to the bead board and 2×4 studs

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Next i put in MDF for my shelves

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See those gaps?  Im not picky so those were just filled with putty and sanded down – you would never even know ;)

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Then, i filled all my nail holes, caulked the seams, added some decorative molding on the front of the shelves,  sanded, painted, painted and painted some more – i HATE painting bead board

See the cute molding?  That really finishes it off and makes it BEE-UUU- TIFULLLL

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You can see here that i added a piece of molding on the bottom and raised my bottom shelf to cover the floor – also adds to the “built in” factor

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So now its all done (except for one more little frame that i need to get).  Here are some random pics for your viewing pleasure :)

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By the way – everyone has their own basket for hats, gloves, etc.  The top basket is for the dog – and the bottom basket is for stuff that is to be donated.  And i have to say that i love that bottom basket being there – especially since its so close to the laundry room and usually its outgrown clothes that we are donating :)

I also added a cute little thrift store chandelier in place of the can light – love it

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See how framing in the closet to make it smaller made a difference?  Otherwise the bead board would be way back and you wouldn’t even be able to see its cuteness :)

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Directly across from the built-in closet…another project for another day….. :)

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So, i am sure that i left out a ton of stuff – if you have a question leave it in the comments or send me an email

By the way – i lined all the basket bottoms with felt so they wouldn’t scratch up the shelves – just so you know :)

Anyways, that is my attempt @ making my house have a little more of that “old house charm” that i love – i love the closet and its so much more functional than what we had goin on before.  I have one more closet that is going to get this same treatment…one day :)

I will be linking up to these parties