In short: we removed one pair of exterior doors from our bedroom, reducing the total from eight to six, and it’s been a great change. We mainly use the center set of doors to go outside, but the remaining doors flood the room with light and frame a lovely view that really defines the space. Adding a fence to create a private courtyard outside has made the yard feel more secluded and the bedroom feel cozier and more intimate.
Removing that one set of double doors created a cozy nook where we were able to move the bed. It transformed the layout and made the room feel more intentional and restful.
For context, this is what the room looked like when we bought the house. The two-door opening you see in the older photo is the space we drywalled over; the bed now sits along that wall.
Before closing off that opening, the bed was arranged differently. After drywalling, we shifted it one wall to the right so it rests where those doors used to be.
That shift created space for a large built-in-style closet using Ikea Pax wardrobes along the wall where the bed used to be. It’s been a game changer—tons of storage where there once was none.
We didn’t remove the exterior doors; we simply drywalled over them from the inside. Because the doors were inset, the drywall sits flush and hides them cleanly. From the exterior we left the hardware for now and frosted the interior glass for privacy. Down the line, when we’re ready to have pros work on the house, we’ll remove those doors and patch the siding. There’s even a possibility of adding small windows over the nightstands to bring in more light.
Inside, we installed three Pax wardrobes—two large double-door units and one narrow unit in the corner. The two wide units (8′ tall and 39″ wide) hold most of our clothing, linens, and bags, while the small 19″ unit stores seasonal items like holiday decor behind the night table. We left hardware off that last door so it reads like a paneled detail rather than a frequently used door.
We love Pax for their versatility, and we added brass hardware to coordinate with our other finishes. The wardrobe interiors include pull-out drawers, shelves, hanging bars, and baskets—everything organized and accessible. The new closets also freed up space elsewhere in the house: the 3-drawer dressers that previously served as our nightstands were moved to our daughter’s room, where they now provide much better storage and were lowered to fit her bed height.
The rearranging had a ripple effect: our son’s closet became solely his and we added custom shelves and painted it a fun color; his dresser was replaced with a desk, giving him a dedicated workspace. The kids gained more functional spots in their rooms as a direct result of our bedroom closet upgrade.
It’s genuinely euphoric to have intentional storage after living without a proper bedroom closet. Smart storage simplifies life: less clutter, lower utilities, faster cleaning, and the satisfaction of knowing everything has a place. It’s a small luxury that feels huge.
The inlay dresser in the bedroom is temporary; the long-term plan has shifted as we’ve lived in the house and refined how we want to use the space. Instead of building an ensuite off the side porch as we initially imagined, we now plan to move the bedroom entrance to where the dresser sits and build a compact ensuite inside the current bedroom footprint. That approach preserves kitchen windows and the side porch while giving us a practical bathroom without an extensive addition.
The space earmarked for the new bathroom is a comfortable size (about 9′ by 6′) and will align with the front of the built-in closets. There’s already a former doorway in the general area, so the structural unknowns are minimal. The mini-split will be relocated into the recessed area above the future bedroom door, keeping it efficient and discreet.
Adding this bathroom wall will also help center the fireplace on the opposite bedroom wall and create a balanced layout. The fireplace area currently serves as a cozy puzzle and laptop zone, but it could easily be softened into a seating vignette with a chaise or comfy chair and ottoman.
One of the best parts of making changes gradually is the ability to course-correct. We didn’t bulldoze into a major renovation before living here; instead, we tested, lived, and adjusted. Drywall can be undone, doors can be reopened, furniture can be moved. That flexibility keeps projects manageable and prevents costly missteps.
So that’s where we are at ten months in: a sunny, functional main-floor bedroom with a generous wall of wardrobes, plans for a compact ensuite that keeps the kitchen windows intact, and a bright table for puzzles and work. The changes have improved storage and flow throughout the whole house, and we’re grateful for how well it’s working for our family.
P.S. To see everything we’ve done over the last ten months in this house, check the archive of posts about our Florida house.
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