Closet Project: Details

Once the demolition is completed and all the surfaces have been patched, Stefan, the contractor, is going to install the storage pieces. The wall is approximately 13 feet long, and I need to leave approximately 3 feet at the far right side of the wall so that the door can open. That leaves about 10 feet for the storage unit, but as Stefan, the contractor, wisely pointed out, all the materials that I am thinking of using come in 8-foot lengths. I’d originally imagined filling the whole space with shelving, but it would be a lot more expensive to do. So, the current plan is to do eight feet of cabinet below with eight feet of shelves above, using wall-mounted brackets like the Elfa system above for the upper shelves.

Stefan suggested that I could buy two extra butcher blocks and cut them lengthwise to make the shelves, which will look a lot nicer (and will be only be a little more expensive) than white melamine shelves from a place like the Container Store.
For the cabinets, I plan to use Ikea’s standard Akurum units (above) with the Applad doors. The Applad finish is the glossy, white one that almost looks lacquered. I plan to do them without handles for a clean look.

One option for the additional space would be to add a high cabinet at the end. This unit from Ikea below is about the right size, and it would give me a lot of additional space. I think what I might do is have Stefan build the eight-foot unit and then figure out the end piece once the shelving has been installed. Stefan suggested building some cubbies at either end, but I worry that, that would end up being really expensive. We’ll see what he has to say about pricing and go from there.