Reader Inspired By My Closet

I got these cool photos from a reader named Sommer. She was so inspired by the IKEA closet system I have in my bedroom - she decided to put one together for her home office. I absolutely love my closet, it comes in handy living in NYC! What do you think of hers??

                                                                         Nice right?

Above is the closet in my room & below is Sommer's IKEA closet system.

Love the marbled paper she used. You can find them via paper mojo.   

If I ever decide to change the animal print paper in my drawers - I'd choose something like this. The gold hardware we both used can be purchased at My Knobs.

- top 2 images by janis nicolay
- bottom 3 images by sommer parvino

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My NYC Closet

Hi everyone! This has been a busy week - I'm very much looking forward to the 3 day weekend. 

Thanks once again for all your support & kindness. My husband says he is going to take me away for the weekend to do something fun - he tells me I need to clear my mind & relax. I feel overwhelmed with work - in a good way though.
  

Speaking of work - our apartment is featured in the new issue of Style At Home magazine - it's the organization issue available in news stands all over Canada! Supposedly this issue will be available in new stands until next year, very cool! I have gotten many emails asking about our apartment here in the city & since the apartment is now featured in the magazine, showing you photos isn't a problem. Here we go!

So excited! Let me start with my wardrobe.

 I say "my" because only I use it (for the most part). Below is what was supposed to be 'our' bedroom closet. Even though it's bigger than most NYC standard closets - it wasn't going to fit all my things. 

It was certainly a challenge trying to find an apartment with good closet space here in the city. Living in Las Vegas & having a huge mini-boutique as a closet, was great.  Unfortunately, I had to give all that up to make it work here.

So, we thought it was best to go to IKEA & buy something relatively inexpensive and similar to what I had in LV. This time I chose a closet with doors & all white. This IKEA closet system is called PAX wardrobe, the doors are white BERGSBO.

 

I love the white wardrobe, it's so bright & pretty, but a far cry from the space I used to have - don't you think? Now, instead of in a closet, my wardrobe opens up to our bedroom. I can't say I love having doors on my closet, but I definitely LOVE the way the doors look!

  

oh chandelier, I miss you! 

In order to make things interesting, I decided to give these IKEA drawers a more hip look. I lined the inside of all the drawers in a leopard wallpaper.  The same wallpaper I used in LV wardrobe above.

Then I added my jewelry - neat huh? I love how much more interesting it makes it appear!  You can add any color or style of wallpaper - just as long as you don't glue it. I recommend using double sided tape, it should hold just fine.

My friends always point out the hardware - they tell me it makes the inexpensive IKEA wardrobe look high end. I'd agree. In fact many of them didn't even think it was IKEA! The brushed gold pulls are the same ones I used on the floating shelves here. The hardware can be purchased at myknobs.

images below by janis nicolay

I donated several items of clothing & handbags before I moved out here- I only kept the ones I knew I would use. Do you keep extra handbags & never use them?? 

I am trying NOT to do that anymore.

Check out the newest issue of Style At Home magazine where more of my apartment is featured as well a great organization tips! Next week I'll show you our living room! 

So, now you know how I made my IKEA wardrobe look CHIC.

cover image via decor happy

Have you had to downsize your wardrobe?

Let me know what you think of my NYC wardrobe.

Thanks to my husband for building the whole thing, he's amazing. Stay tuned!

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A Stylish Dressing Room

The lovely Mai - a fellow blogger who blogs at A Cup of Mai, emailed me photos of her new dressing room! She put it all together on a budget & WOW is it it pretty or what!?!  It's super girly & fun! I really like how she incorporated the shopping bags into the frames!  I think I saw this first on Moth Design & was so impressed with this idea! I love name brand shopping bags, don't you?? 


It really gives Mai's dressing room a boutique sort of feel. She said she put the whole space together on a BUDGET & that the most expensive piece (which she purchased at full price) was the mirrored vanity! 


Let Mai know what you think of her space! Leave a comment! 

Source List:

Mirror Vanity Table- Pier1 Import
Louis Chair- gift
Storage Shelve- Home Depot
Clothing Racks- Target
Owl Tray- Urban Outfitter
Hand Astrological Jewelry Stand- Urban Outfitter
Frames- Ikea and Michaels
Floor length mirror- Home Good
Chevron Rug- RugsUSA

Walls- Benjamin Moore Feather Grey

Art Print - Holstee

-all images via a cup of mai

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My Master Closet is Done....

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful...remember that commercial with Kelly LeBrock? - Well, don't hate me because my closet has gotten BIGGER! Ha! Ok, so it's done...& I finally feel like I have a place for everything!  It feels amazing to be this organized, know what I mean? 


I think I would FREAK OUT everyday if my closet wasn't neat & organized!! Creating extra shelving IS DEFINITELY a great way to keep things in place & organized...I can't say it enough. 

For this side of my closet, I decided to add some leopard print wallpaper that I purchased online via Interior Mall. 

I like that it adds to that boutique look that I was going for & also adds some depth to this wall. Having so many clutches- I needed a specific place to display them.  We figured that building little cubbies made sense and it would feel like I was shopping for clutches, which I love!  

I also saved a section to the right hand side of this wall for longer hanging items. The boards were all purchased at Home Depot and stained to match the rest of the closet which gives it a consistent feel. The bottom half of the closet is reserved for my clothes hamper and maybe a pair of boots. 


It's an UGLY hamper, so I may end up buying another one that's more aesthetically pleasing & still functional!

BEFORE

AFTER

Oddly enough in this month's Lonny Mag - there's a closet with a wallpaper background...! See it here.

BIG Thanks to my guy for all the work he did....he's awesome! 

Update below: People kept asking me where my clothes are. Here's a pic of the left side of my closet where most of my hanging items & other items are in drawers....this side is made up of IKEA cabinets.

So, tell me...what do you think?  I'd love to hear your thoughts & questions...

-images by jen ramos

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Closet Freak....(Via Made By Girl)

Welcome back everyone!!

Women are FASCINATED by closets.

I DEFINITELY know that one of my favorite parts of my home is my closet space!! It's roomy, glamorous & so useful.  In there's a growing trend of MEN that are into closets too! It's not just us LADIES anymore....
 

So, with that in mind...I decided to pull together  a few closets I thought you'd enjoy! You'll notice some are for women as well as for couples and one in particular was made just for a man- which I thought was super luxurious & totally MASCULINE.

This reminds me, my guy STILL hasn't gotten around to doing his closet yet....he's been soo busy!

Check them out below!

above: image via Warner Bros.

 above: via esquire

If my guy had a closet like this (above)...I wonder how long it would stay  clean...?? hmmm

above via frame fanatic

above: via diy design fanatic

above: via good life for less

 above: one of the COOLEST ways to use those empty shopping bags you get from stores! Just frame them!

above: images via moth design

above: images via southern exposure

above: I really LOVED the sheer size of this closet. It reminds me of a boutique, with the cute light fixtures...don't you think??!? The brick wall at the end really gives it some character and the dresser adds an interesting touch! 

So, are you a closet FREAK?? Do you have a cute closet you're proud of?

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