Grace's Closet The Big Reveal

Grace's closet is done.

As with every home improvement project, there is always something unexpected that occurs.

For this project, the custom shelves my husband labored over, considering every detail to make Grace's closet perfect, were the culprits.

The problem, he measured very accurately from wall to wall BUT he forgot to take into account the baseboards and that the that our very old plaster walls are not straight. 

So, he decided to remove the baseboards...

And remove a random 2 by 4 that was attached to the middle of the wall.

And, anyone that has plaster walls can probably guess what happened...the plaster walls began to crumble.

Ah, the joys of home improvement projects.

After a week of repairing the holes and repainting, we were able to put Grace's closet back together.

 

Some  toys found a new home.

Shoes were put into place.

But, let's not forget, Grace shares this closet with her dad's tee shirt collection.

Which can be found occupying every free shelf.

Believe it or not, he actually thinned out some of his collection and donated them.

He also keeps treasures in this closet, stored in an old machinist tool box we found at a flea market {that he polished up}.

To recap, Grace's closet went from this...

To this...

 

From this...

to this...

The closet is finally done.

And, I am now happier than a pig in, well...you know what :)

Grace's Closet

Things are about to get very real around here.

Be warned, if you have a weak stomach, look away.

I know...terrible isn't it?  This closet, in Grace's room, is both her closet and where my husband keeps his massive collection of tee shirts {they would be pared down already if I thought he wouldn't notice}.

We decided, Grace's closet was in DESPERATE need of a makeover.

As if you needed more proof, right?

So my handy husband built not just one custom shelving unit for her closet 

 But two!

And, she'll even have her own custom shoe rack.

If you are questioning if that disastrous closet can be transformed.  Let me just remind you what the master bedroom closet looked like.

And what it looks like now.

There is hope.

100 Year Old Closet

This year our house turns 100. Most of the rooms in our house have the character and charm you'd expect to see in an older house {crown molding, built ins, thick baseboards}. The exception being the master bedroom closet which looked 100 years old AND not in that charming sort of way...

The joy of have having 100 year old crumbly plaster walls.  Disgusting, right?  I would often have to brush plaster dust off of my clothes.

We had been contemplating updating our closet, when one day an 8 foot shelf ripped out of the closet wall.  It was as if the even closet grew weary of looking so shabby.

The decision was made, the closet needed updating.

I am a self proclaimed home improvement junkie, thanks to my dad, SO after some begging and pleading, my dad agreed to embark on another home improvement project with my handsome husband and I.

After a weekend of dry walling, rewiring, building a shelving unit, mudding, taping, sanding, trimming, painting and crying {what is a home improvement project without a few tears}...my closet underwent a dramatic transformation from shabby to chic.

Everything now has a place...

And there is now a place for everything...

And, a girl with a blog called 'while wearing heels' needs a place worthy of storing her heels, right?

And illuminating those heels, with some under shoe rack lighting, right?

Here is a before and after as you look to the left of our closet

and a before and after as you look to the right.

My closet went from one I would cringe to enter to one I now want to entertain in :)

Knowing that this sort of transformation is possible, is what will make me continue to be a home improvement junkie.

Home Improvement Junkie

Guilty as charged. I am a home improvement junkie.

This was introduced early on. My dad, whom I inherited this disease from, was always fixing or building something. Often, my sister and I would hand him tools, keep him company or, in the case below, dance along to whatever music he was playing.

We were probably listening to Billy Joel's Glass Houses album {yes, this was before CDs}. Is it strange that certain songs remind me of a home improvement project {and, of course, my dad}?

The Beatles, remind me of the hours I spent, in my first house, working with my dad as we remodeled a very pink and very outdated bathroom.

Penny Lane {by the Beatles} will forever bring back happy memories of my dad whistling as he labored turning a vision of what I wanted for my new bathroom into a reality. It will also remind me of the importance of buying quality tools {but that's a story for another day}.

Louis Prima crooned as my dad helped me turn an attic into a loft.

Jump, Jive An' Wail {by Louis Prima}, will remind me of dancing around that dusty old attic with my dad as he taught me how to use a nail gun for the first time.

Frank Sinatra played as my dad, Grace and I put up molding in our dining room {in our current house}.

That's Life {by Frank Sinatra} brings me back to that happy day when Grace got to work with her grandpa on her first home improvement project, another generation exposed to this disease. My favorite project by far.

This past weekend, Dean Martin played, practically on repeat as my dad, my husband and I all worked side by side turning this disaster of a closet into...

A closet I still can't believe is mine.

{It's still a work in progress touching things up and moving clothes back in.}

The only thing better than my under shoe rack lighting...

Being able to work on another project with my dad.

Memories Are Made of This, by Dean Martin, ironically, will remind me of my most recent project with my dad.

Much like childbirth, the trials and tribulations of home renovation projects {like the mess, the countless trips to Home Depot, the frustrations, the disarray} all fade over time. What lingers on, at least for me, the memories created spending time with my dad.

I think this is why, I'll forever be a home improvement junkie.

One of those days...

I was going to spare you any before pictures of my closet until I could show you pictures of its transformation BUT sometimes life throws you a curve ball.

We've been planning a closet remodel. It's one of the only rooms in our house that we haven't remodeled. It was last on the list of things to do because no one sees it and, though it wasn't the prettiest of rooms, it was functional, until yesterday...

Though I love old houses, I am not a fan of plaster walls. An 8 foot wire shelf ripped right out of the wall sending all my clothes flying in different directions.

If there was ever a question about investing in a closet remodel, I think that it was answered yesterday.