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| The shoe closet is finished! |
A few months ago I decided to start tackling what we affectionately call, “The Shoe Closet.” It’s got a lot more than just shoes–it’s roomy enough for the wrapping paper, holiday decorations, all seasons of coats and lots of other knickknacks and things that don’t really belong laying around, so they end up living in the shoe closet when not in use.
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| Ready to paint and recarpet! |
First and foremost, it needed a new coat of paint. I just happened to have enough left over from another painting job so that was the color of choice (I hate waste). It wasn’t that I minded the robin egg blue it was before, but the entire house will be repainted from ceiling to basement because the previous owners were heavy smokers and kept a pack of very pungent dogs. A fresh coat of paint does wonders.
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| Assembled! Now for some padding… |
The carpet definitely had to go. It was old, worn and had the distinct smell of more cigarette smoke mixed with the occasional whiff of dog urine. Ew. Typically, carpet isn’t one of those things that I mess around with and am fine with paying the professionals to do, but in the closet–even an enormous closet–I couldn’t bring myself to pay. Armed with a few rolls of double-sided carpet tape and a section of heavy duty carpet, Claire, Kate and I managed to lay it just fine.
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| Ready to bolt to the closet wall. |
I’ve always wanted a nice little bench seat below a coat rack and above a shoe shelf, not because I wanted it solely for looks but so the girls couldn’t give me an excuse for their shoes and coats being scattered all over the floor. We have all tripped many-a-time over each other’s poorly placed shoes, particularly Jack’s, whose are more like canoes than shoes.
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| Soooo many shoes. |
We didn’t go too wild and crazy building the bench. I exclusively used the wood we’d retrieved from last fall’s house salvage and bought a yard of fabric, batting and foam. With a little sawing, screwing together and stapling, it was as good as ready.
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| Painted, carpeted and ready to be played in! |
The shoe room is what I’d officially say is the first all-the-way done room in the house. Ironic, yes, that it’s the room hardly anyone ever actually sees. Oh, well, I know it’s done. So, there’ll be no more painting or carpeting or furniture building for the shoe closet. Unless of course, I finish the rest of the house and get bored. Maybe I’ll build another shoe rack…
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| What would a shoe room bench be without a majestic picture of running horses? Thanks Jenny and Jordan! |
