We kicked off 2008 with a home-improvement sprint that turned out to be bigger than expected.
On New Year’s Day we were up at 8:20 a.m. and on the road to Ikea by 9:00. Why get up so early on a rare day off? Simple: the promise of not one but two new bedroom closets. Our master bedroom had a single tiny closet, which meant John stored most of his clothes in the guest room. We decided to change that.
Here’s how the day unfolded:
8:20 a.m. – Up and ready.
9:00 a.m. – Headed to Ikea.
11:00 a.m. – Arrived and made a beeline for the closet section.
12:30 p.m. – Left Ikea $460 lighter with two large wardrobes plus interior fittings.
2:00 p.m. – Back home and taking a short rest.
2:05 p.m. – Rest over; the wardrobes won’t assemble themselves.
2:06 p.m. – Forgot to take a “before” photo. Here’s an older snapshot for context:
2:15 p.m. – Moved out side tables and dug out the allen wrench.
3:50 p.m. – One wardrobe frame complete; one to go.
4:30 p.m. – Finished the second frame and re-hung curtains on the back wall to visually expand a tiny window.
4:35 p.m. – Took a break with a victory bowl of cereal and snapped a “during” photo.
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5:25 p.m. – Quick run to Lowe’s to buy long screws to anchor the wardrobes — Ikea didn’t include them.
6:15 p.m. – Installed six shelves and a hanging bar in Sherry’s wardrobe.
7:30 p.m. – Installed three drawers and a hanging bar in John’s wardrobe (we intended to add two shelves but bought the wrong size).
8:30 p.m. – Took a Burger King break; cereal and adrenaline weren’t cutting it.
9:30 p.m. – Finally moved clothes, shoes, bags, and belts into the new closets. The guest room closet was empty for the first time in ages.
10:00 p.m. – Hung matching white curtains on both wardrobes. We intended a soft, elegant look but it read cheap and staged instead.
10:05 p.m. – Pushed the curtains to the side and immediately preferred the look. The wardrobes read more like built-ins than fabric-covered bookcases.
Over the next few days we kept improving the setup. We bought 7-inch molding at Home Depot to bridge the four-inch gap between the wardrobes and ceiling so they would appear flush. We tried heavy chocolate-brown panels from Linens N’ Things, extended the wardrobes to the ceiling with the molding, and rehung the curtains so they sat flush with the ceiling. Bridging the gap made a big difference, but the dark brown curtains didn’t feel right.
So we returned them and went curtain shopping. We tried many panels from Bed Bath & Beyond, Linens N’ Things, and Target — and yes, we ended up spending close to $500 testing options. It was a lot, but seeing multiple choices at home helped us make the right pick. Most purchases were returned; only our favorites stayed.
Here’s Burger inspecting the finalists:
The winner was obvious: khaki chenille-like curtains with a subtle crosshatch texture from Bed Bath & Beyond. They brought warmth and texture without overwhelming the room.
With curtains settled, we hunted for plug-in swing-arm lamps for bedside reading. After checking several stores with limited success, we found two brushed-nickel plug-in swing-arm lamps at a Lamp Factory Outlet. At $40 each, they were a steal compared to other options. We installed them on the wall, tucking the base behind the curtain and angling the arm around the edge for a refined look.
The lamps added a hotel-like finish; the room feels cozier and more complete. Here’s a close-up showing how the lamp base sits behind the curtain and the arm angles neatly around the edge.
To make the wardrobes read as a single built-in unit rather than two freestanding boxes, we mounted a wide painted wood plank to the ceiling as a header. That header hangs in front of both wardrobes and visually tucks the bed into a nook. We added crown molding for the finishing touch. The difference is striking.
Here’s the setup before the header:
And here’s a during shot:
After painting the header, rehanging curtains, and adding crown molding, the eight-inch plank creates a finished, built-in look. Here’s a detail of the new master bedroom nook:
And the full view:
Laying in bed now feels like being tucked into a cozy built-in nook instead of wedged between two separate wardrobes. The arrangement looks intentional and polished, exactly what we wanted for our modestly sized bedroom in an older house.
So that’s the tale of two people turning a 12-by-13-foot room into something special. Older homes don’t come with sprawling master suites, so you make smart moves to make small spaces feel distinctive. Mission accomplished?
UPDATE: Several readers asked how the curtain rod attaches behind the header. We mounted a basic curtain rod on a bracket attached to the piece of molding bridging the wardrobe and ceiling. The rod sits a couple of inches below the ceiling so it can be lifted off the bracket — a small detail we learned the hard way.
