Richards Drive Closet Reno
Consultation Notes Cheryl and Nate live in East Grand Rapids, MI and have been working tirelessly to get their home and spaces ready for the arrival of their first baby. They are coming down the home stretch on their bathroom renovation and would like the space attached to be a walk-in closet with room to move around and plenty of storage. The closet needs to house shoes, clothes (dresses, pants, shirts/etc.) purses, some jewelry, a charging station, place for ironing, etc. Much of the couples home is decorated in shades of gray, and the conjoined bathroom features black marble, gray (ish) cabinets, white tile, and brass elements. Cheryl has met with a closet company, but the options were extremely expensive and they were not as flexible/custom. She’d like us to explore options that mix both modern and vintage in a way that makes sense and feels timeless and curated. Our goal is to create a space that is functional and inspiring to both Nate & Cheryl. We will do diligent research on what is feasible within a $3-$4k budget and will take the needs and style of our clients into account as we make recommendations. We also will pay careful attention to recommendations in regards to space planning as we are trying to fit/do a lot in a limited amount of space.
After exploring a number of options (and with your prior meeting with the closet company), we believe that utilizing the Pax System from IKEA will make the most sense for your budget and can be “hacked” and customized. With that in mind, you should to go with a white system (since you won’t be able to match doors perfectly to the counter drawers in your bathroom). With such a small space, too, the white will keep the room feeling as open and airy as possible. This also means that we recommend painting the walls white to blend in as much as possible and make everything feel as one. Paint swatches should be matched up with the door colors, so there are no specific recommendation at this time until a door is procured.
Since we are working within particular size confinements and standard PAX sizing, the walls where there are “gaps” and from the top to the ceiling should be dry-walled out & finished with white molding. Prices on molding vary greatly by style, so it is up to you to determine what makes the most sense for your budget. The important part is that it covers the unfinished edges and is white. The more elaborate molding, the more custom it will feel, but it is an easy place to save some money.
We have two options for floor plans/ cabinet layout. The first option utilizes both the parallel walls to their maximum fit potential. That means the longer side would house (2) 19 x 23 x 79 wardrobe frames and (2) 39 x 23 x 79 frames. The shorter side would have (1) 19 x 23 x 79 wardrobe frame and (2) 39 x 23 x 79 frames. The perpendicular full wall would have a very large mirror, some additional storage, and a bench down the middle (see later pages for more specifics).
PAX System
The PAX closet frame constraints utilized in the plans here are a 23” depth (the maximum depth was chosen to give you more storage space across the board) and the 79” height (due to ceiling constraints). We also chose frames that allow for hinged doors (as opposed to sliding) for maximum storage and higher capability of customization. Floor plans utilize a mix of both the 39” and 19” wide systems to fit as closely to the wall measurements as possible.
Additional open shelving or mirror on wall
PAX System
FLOOR PLAN OPTION 1
Door prices vary, and options are limited due to the PAX system. The ones pictured here are the best options to fit with the overall aesthetic and connection to the bathroom.
PAX System Open Shoe Wall
Rolling Floor Mirror
PAX System FLOOR PLAN OPTION 2 The second option utilizes all three main closet walls to their maximum potential. The bench is still an option, but the floor-length mirror would have to be floating on wheels (stored by the window).
The middle, perpendicular wall would remain “open” without doors for primarily shoe display/storage. The parallel walls would have the doors still to provide cleaner-looking storage. If you opted to do no doors, however, you’d save a bit of money, but it would feel less put together .
Bergsbo ($50-60 each)
Tanem ($60-$70)
Tyssedal ($85-$100)
We recommend that door hardware be added to give the doors a custom look. The hardware should be a modern or vintage brass pull (the longer the better).
Interior storage would be based on the floor plan you choose. If the first floor plan is selected, the two end pieces should focus on shoe/purse storage. If the second is selected, you would be able to add additional rods/drawers in the end frames. From the PAX system, the glass and wood shelves, drawers, jewelry storage/drawers, rods, and pants holders should be utilized to meet your needs. You could also get brass rods outside of IKEA if you wanted to customize the look even further. Once a plan is settled on, we will work with you to determine what will fit in each as it would need to be very specific, but would take only an hour due to the online PAX planner.
Price Example: 20� bar from Hardware Hut $44
It is harder to customize lighting within the PAX system, and with only one window, we will need to add additional lighting to the space. One option is to run track lighting in front of both parallel walls with heads that can be tilted/ turned to highlight the cabinets/storage. Another option is to add something ceiling mounted (vintage or new), but with ample light. The ceiling mount would be more “stylish� but would have to definitely provide enough light.
Bench (maximum 2-foot depth due to cabinet and door depth), rug (approx. 5 x 8), and mirror should be added to the space for function and style. The floor plan decided on will determine if a wall mounted oversize mirror is an option. Regardless, we recommend keeping the mirror in the brass family and rug in a gray color. Depending on whether you choose a soft or hard style bench, the rug will have to balance out. If you go with a hard-surface bench, we recommend a more patterned, cushy rug. If you go with an upholstered bench, you can keep the rug more plain and low pile. It’s important that one or the other is focused on comfort/softness to balance out the other hard surfaces of the space (floors, cabinets, etc).
Additional Notes: Small corner closet to the right of the room should have a white, vintage door added for additional linen and luggage storage (per our conversation). On this door, too, door-mounted ironing board should be added. This will keep it tucked away and on a sturdy door- accessible at all times without being fussy or a visual nuisance.
If Floor Plan Option 1 is chosen, consider adding glass, marble (black), or wood wallmounted open shelves by the window for additional storage. They should be less than 12� so as to not interfere with the window.
We’d have to get exact measurements, but consider adding a credenza or lower cabinets (for under TV) for extra storage in your bedroom in the one cut back. In the other, consider adding a PAX system as well for storage (and coffee center). Both should be white/brass to bring both spaces together and create a cohesive look.
So, what’s next?
Whew! That was a lot of information. Now that you have seen the inspiration/recommendations, soak it all in. Let us know if you have any questions. After processing the information, you have a couple of options. ü Call or e-mail to set up an appointment to discuss your likes/dislikes of the design and how we can move forward together with Hunt & Gather managing the project (we would discuss what items you would like to purchase yourself, what we should be hunting for, budget, and timeline). ü Start working on the room on your own (purchasing items, hunting for things, etc.) and only call us when you need clarification, recommendations, or final styling. Remember, the WHY is more important than the WHAT, so if you don’t like a pillow/lamp/etc. that we recommended, find something with similar lines or a similar purpose (or a cheaper price) and consider purchasing that instead! ü Nothing. This wasn’t what you were looking for, and you would like to discontinue working together. Additional pricing for services would be given at the follow-up meeting that fit your specific needs. Hope you love the design concept! Can’t wait to hear from you!
THANK YOU Kelley Howley & Fernando Ramirez Hunt & Gather 740 Curve St. SW design@huntandgatherGR.com