Walk-in Closet Makeover on a tight budget
So today I finally have my organized walk-in closet makeover to share with you. Now if you are thinking that I ripped out everything, then I have to disappoint you. I know that the standard wire shelves (these are available at Home Depot) are hated very much in the design community but ripping them out was not within my budget. And since we talk about moving every now and then, a major expensive makeover wouldn’t make sense for us. Now I could justify ripping them out if they weren’t functional but they are working just fine. And let’s face it, nobody really walks into my closet to check out what’s in it.
This is where I have to rephrase now, someone will probably walk into my closet soon and that’s the entire reason I got myself into gear to get it organized. I have been holding out on you my friends and I’m very sorry for that. I just wasn’t sure if it was going to happen or not, but I can happily state now that DIY magazine will be coming to take pictures of our home and our family right after Halloween. I’m giddy with excitement as you can imagine. This is the reason why I haven’t decorated much for Halloween this year, I have been trying to get some unsightly things fixed behind the scenes.
So back to my closet! The goal was to make it prettier and to work with the wire shelving.
Walk-in Closet Makeover on a tight budget
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In order to draw your eye up and to distract from the shelving, I decided to wallpaper the ceiling in my small 73″x84″ closet, and my friends at wallpaperdirect were kind enough to provide me with the paper. I picked wallpaper by Lindholm (I don’t think it’s available anymore). As usual, I was smitten with the graphic black and white pattern.
Isn’t it cool? I can imagine this wallpaper in so many other rooms!
Now I had all intention to have a great wallpapering tutorial but I underestimated trying to wallpaper a ceiling in a tiny dark closet and having to take photos along the way. So sorry about that!
Do you want to see a very ugly before picture? I just have to throw some in here to refresh your memory. I know some of you have seen it right after I returned from Germany.
Ahhh yup, not so pretty!
So let’s move right to the after again shall we?
Here is the ceiling:
That awesome copper goodness is an Ikea fixture that I spray-painted copper. I just couldn’t get THIS copper fixture that I saw in Germany out of my head.
Doesn’t the wallpapered ceiling look fabulous? Wire shelving? I don’t really even notice it anymore!
I painted the old brown Ikea boxes pink. I now wish I would have used blush but I had the pink. I didn’t want to paint them white because I could have never matched the existing white of the other boxes and I didn’t want the old ones to look dirty which would have resulted in me having to paint all of them. Lazy blogger again 😉 here.
The boxes hold all my seasonal clothing and bedding sheets. Because their content is changing frequently, I didn’t want to put labels on them and actually prefer the clear windows to show me what is in them. Having to print new labels all the time is too much work!
The dresser is one of my Ikea nightstands with the gold ring pulls that I hoarded in bulk and I have to buy another one quickly!
Here is a trick of mine. Do you see the faux sheepskin on the floor? Well behind it is a mirror leaning against the wall. It serves many purposes. I can see my shoes when I try them on, it makes the closet look bigger and the sheepskin as well. That small mirror makes a big difference.
I have a full-length mirror on my closet door so I don’t need to hang a large one in my closet.
It looks like I have two stools but it is that mirror trick again 😉
I used the Ikea Tjusig door hanger to display my necklaces and Ikea Godmorgon for other random pieces of jewelry.
So what do you think? So much better than before and working with what you have can be stylish too.
You can see and read more about my coat closet makeover by clicking HERE
I’m almost ready for DIY magazine to come to our house.
Thanks for the visit my friends.
Tschüß
(Youleeya)
Wow, Julia!
Das sieht soo viel besser aus. Super gemacht. Love the stool, wallpapaer and ceiling light!:)
Bold and beautiful! Love it. And can I just say that you have totally fun clothes. I mostly stay in the gray/black range, but I love all your patterns!
Congrats on your magazine news!! I think it’s awesome that your ceiling matches many of your clothes!
Julia, this is so, so pretty! I love a dramatic ceiling, and that light is outstanding. What a nice space! So happy for you and your big home shoot!
holy crap that is awesome!!!!! the ceiling! i die!
Congratulations on the magazine venture! Looking forward to seeing it. The closet is rad! Love the ceiling paper choice. You are an organizing guru!
It looks amazing and so very sexy! I’m going to try your mirror trick- very clever. (ps, so where are the hubby’s clothes?) 😉
Thanks Amy!
The hubby is fortunate enough to have his very own walk-in closet 😉 One major reason I love our little house so much!
Oh my goodness, I wish my closet looked so good. This is amazing.
That look so good Julia!! What a beautiful oasis you have created. I love the hit of copper in there. That lamp is beautiful as is the stool.
Yay!! SO happy for your exciting news, Julia!! And that closet and ceiling – oh my, amazing job!
So lovely, Julia! The copper, pink, white and black look so great together! Let’s not talk about my closet, okay? I would never have the patience or motivation to give it such a lovely makeover 😉
SO flippin’ cute. That light fixture. Geez. I’m inspired but also jealous of your huge walk-in…My old home has more of “put a foot in it” sized closets.
Thanks Heather. It might took bigger in the pictures than it actually is 😉 but it sure makes me happy.
I love it Julia!! I can’t imagine the ache of your shoulders after wallpapering the ceiling, but it looks amazing. Totally worth all your pain!! 😉
It looks amazing Julia!! I love the mirror trick too, I’ll have to try that.
Your closet is beautiful Julia! I love the wallpapered ceiling. I’ve been thinking a lot about our closet lately but I should probably finish our laundry room first before I start another makeover haha
That is one Striking closet! Oh I LOVE IT. LOVE IT ALL!!
I absolutely love the ceiling!! Such a gorgeous closet.
I love everything about this and the mirror trick is awesome! I’d love to know your go to copper spray paint because the light looks amazing! I’m struggling with shoe storage in my space 🙁
Looks greats and gives me some ideas for mine. Can I ask how big your closet is? And where did you gets those wire shoe shelves?
Hi Jen, the closet is only around 73″ x 84″ and the shoes are on wire shelving turned upside down. They sell brackets for just that purpose at HomeDepot. Works great.
Thanks for the info! Mine are a ton smaller then! but I have lots of height and still trying to maximize that space efficiently (already have built in shelves, so…)
oh my goodness I am obsessed with every detail!!!! I could live in your closet!!!
Nothing like a magazine feature to get your butt in gear huh? I am seriously jealous, my closet needs serious help!
WOW! How beautiful.. love that gorgeous ceiling and everything else. I have always loved your shoes, now jewelry is included and clothes of course.. wish I was little enough to get your hand me downs.
OMG Julia! Its gorgeous. I love the high contrast and of course you know I love the copper. Adore all the details pretty displays of jewelry. What a great update without the heavy lifting of a complete overhaul. You nailed it friend.
That wallpaper, swoon! You’re totally right. There’s so much personality and pretty things to catch your eye you don’t even notice the wire shelving.
So gorgeous! That wallpaper is amazing!
I love the attention to detail that you’ve put into your closet. Is that a wood stained block the pearls are sitting on or is that a semi precious stone? It’s absolutely gorgeous.
Thanks Pia, that is actually an agate slice.
Oh heck yeah!!! This makes me want to go in and freshen up my closet!
i’m obsessed with your closet! i tried commenting yesterday but my phone was being dumb. the ceiling is redic awesome
I’d walk into your closet & probably never leave. Love the copper accents too! And I’m positively giddy for your DIY Mag feature eeep! You deserve this x1000, xoxo.
LOVE it all! Nice work Julia! The wallpaper on the ceiling is amazing! I’m about to do our master closet and wanted to wallpaper the ceiling but cannot make a decision!
WOW!! Gorgeous! That wallpapered ceiling is so fabulous – and the whole space looks so beautifully pulled together- you must enjoy hanging out in your closet!! How exciting about DIY magazine…Congrats!
i love how much bigger the closet looks with the mirror trick. i definitely have to figure out a way to do that in my own WIC. do you mind me asking where you got the pink/coral boxes? thanks!
Thanks Jennifer. The boxes are Kate Spade. I got them at lifeguard press and posted about them here: https://cuckoo4design.com/2014/02/neon-kate-spade-new-york-nesting-boxes.html
Love the ceiling, clever idea and the shoes in one pic! Have to laugh at the small closet remark, had to re-read that sentence. I think your closet is bigger than our only bathroom and probably half the size of our bedrooms. Envious of your closet and no sharing either, my dream!
I love the mirror and the upside down shelves. Organized and beautiful! May I ask for some details on those great black shoes?
thank and sure you may. They are INC from Macys.
Love your closet, and love the ceiling design!!! I don’t think I would have ever been brave enough to try it myself. Great to see though if I ever do.
Thank you so much!
Love your closet makeover! I followed your link from I heart organizing. Can you tell me what Ikea boxes you used and how you painted them? Spray paint?
Thanks!!
Thanks so much. Unfortunately those boxes aren’t available and yes I did paint the boxes with regular spray paint. Very very easy project. Ikea has plenty of other great boxes though.
I love your closet!!! So pretty and organized! I am dying to know where your purse and black shoes are from, love both!!!
Hi Ashley and thank you. The shoes are $20 Macy’s INC clearance and the purse was from Ross.
I am not sure how I missed this post before…what a great tip! You absolutely don’t notice the wire shelves anymore. On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it to hang wallpaper on the ceiling?
Haha, that was not my favorite part. Hanging wallpaper on a ceiling isn’t all that easy not sure what I’m comparing it too though if I’d have to put it on a scale from 1-10. But it sure was a pain in the rear.
Those boxes are awesome… nice organization! I keep planning to organize our closet but we’ve lived here 3 years and I still haven’t unpacked all of the stuff I threw on the floor when we moved in. Yikes.
Haha, thanks!