After our March elopement five months ago, I faced a townhouse my hubby had bought as a fixer upper, decorated in bachelor pad mid-century modern.
That meant I had lots of opportunity to live out of boxes while clearing out extras, finding contractors for the fixer upper…and seeking closet space for me.
FAIRFAX COUNTY SHORT ON CLOSET SPACE
When I joined W a few years ago on his house hunting expedition in Fairfax County as his strategic advisor, I was flabbergasted at the lack of closets.
Settling on this fixer upper, I wondered how in the world any married couple, like those from whom he bought the townhouse, stored their clothes with two children.
Each child had their own room and closet, so the only closets left in the master suite was one shallow closet along one wall that was short on racks but heavy on cubby units.
With one more closet at the top of the loft in the master suite, there was very little hanging space.
Also there was little space within the bedroom for furniture.
Crazy! And no, I have no before photos since this wasn’t initially my home, despite my work as strategic advisor.
After all, this would never be my home…SURPRISE!
I NEEDED MY OWN CLOSET
Amidst fixing immediate problems that shockingly arose, my new hubby declared the one free wall in the bedroom could be filled with IKEA PAX storage units for my wardrobe needs.
Shopping at a massive IKEA store at Potomac Mills yielded agony when the staff explained there were options available in stock due to supply chain issues.
Everything was on back order for weeks to months, even years…
Long story short we grabbed what we could at the last minute, which meant him coming home from work early to beat the mad rush…
Meanwhile we bought a clothesrack that W assembled and put into the loft so I could unpack my wardrobe boxes in the dining room.
GLAMMING PLAIN GREY IKEA PAX WARDROBES
In June, we picked up and assembled two basic IKEA PAX units that were only available in dark grey. Ugh.
While I still agonized over a sweater storage drawer (but my hubby thought I might like it for shoes since PAX shoe racks were on indefinitie back order), I continued to struggle with where I wanted all the rods placed…
Then I became quite busy with helping prepare for my son’s wedding at the end of July…
In early August, I focused on glamming up my ugly IKEA PAX wardrobes with chalk paint and wall paper.
Since VanEch Studio Home and Garden in Occoquan, where I often drool over lovely decor, sells chalk paint, I drove over to pick some up and ask for some tips.
While there, the very helpful clerk started asking the opinion of Carol, one of the shoppers there, who has her own business refinishing furniture, Refurbished Finds.
Carol suggested I use Dixie Belle Slick Stick as a primer…
After applying the Dixie Belle Slick Stick, purchased at VanEch…
Then I used Jolie Chalk Paint in Palace White, also purchased at VanEch…
After the first coat of chalk paint…(btw stay tuned for the master bath remodel).
Letting the first coat thoroughly dry for an entire day, I added a second coat of chalk paint…
Repeating the process with a third coat…
Finally, the pièce de résistance…removable peel and stick wallpaper that I stumbled upon at Lowes…
My hubby, who does not favor diy jobs, happily cut out this hole for the electrical outlet.
Finally the doors arrived, which I’m not super keen with.
Although I now LOVE my wardrobe when I open the doors, I’m still puzzling over drawer and rod placement.
EPILOGUE 2025
Nearly three years later, the paint is holding up perfectly, as is the removable peel and stick wallpaper.
I’m still agonizing on rod placement and I’m thinking of abandoning the drawer.
Four months ago my hubby suggested I get a third wardrobe since we have the space (after I moved my vanity table to the loft, which is now mine!
The crazy stuff interrupted so we still need to chase down the extra wardrobe.
So my master plan is this:
Designating the first wardrobe for my blouses, skirts, and pants, and jackets..
In the second wardrobe my dresses…of which I want to create a little black dress collection Audrey Hepburn styled!
Then the third (new) wardrobe my historical clothing, since some of the trim has been smooshed for years now and I’m not sure I can salavage that.
Also I’m thinking of decorating the front of the doors in a subtle French Country way…
Nevertheless, the clothes rack has been removed from the loft and now that will be my video recording for draping and hand sewing historical clothing. Can’t wait!
