New Build! Kids' Closet Overhaul With Built-In Reading Nook

A couple months back John redid a closet for a local reader, Nicole - or more specifically for her daughter Friday. He did a fully customized design that includes a cozy little reading nook, so I thought you'd like to see!

Here's the Before:

This is a pretty typical bedroom closet, with just one high shelf and a hanging bar. As you can see there's all KINDS of potential space in there, though, especially since Friday doesn't have many clothes to hang.


After we visited to take detailed measurements and get a wish list from Nicole, John drew up this blueprint:

You can see the closet space extends beyond the wall opening on either side, so there's quite a bit of hidden storage, especially on the right side beyond the hamper. (You have to remove the hamper to access it, so those three shelves are for slightly more long-term storage.

John built and painted everything at home, and was so dang fast this is the only process shot I got:

He made everything from MDF, which he then painted white.

Next John rented a truck to get it all to Nicole's, where the install only took a few hours. First he removed the old shelf and bar:

Then he slid all his pre-made pieces into place, screwed it all together, and anchored it to the walls:

OooOOoooh.

That solid section on the bottom is the side of Friday's new book shelf for her book nook:

Ready for the final reveal? (This is my favorite part!)

Here's the Before again:

Aaaaand After!

Ahhhh. Don't you feel more relaxed just looking at this?

The plan was to add a curtain over the reading nook with a tension rod, so that's probably installed by now. Just adds a little more privacy and coziness for Friday.

 John installed all this when Friday wasn't there, btw, so later her mom sent some pictures - and she said I could share with you bots, yay!

How awesome is this?

Nicole told us Friday's reaction was to immediately crawl into the reading nook and not come out again for the rest of the evening. Can't ask for better than that!

Here you can see the interior bookshelf, which Friday had already decorated, awww:

This makes me so happy.

This build was really all John; from Nicole's very first e-mail he was just so excited to take this on. My only contributions were a few suggestions in the design phase, and then I got to sit back and watch John turn into a happy productive blur. Once he gets going on a build project he likes, there's really no pause button, ha.

I hope this gave you a smile, and maybe some inspiration for your own closets. And thank you, Nicole & Friday, for trusting us with your space!

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If you're in the Orlando area and need help with home-related things: interior painting, repairs, organizing, design, etc., then please e-mail us. It doesn't have to be a big project, we like little jobs, too! Especially if they're for someone who can't afford to pay a pro right now, so feel free to nominate a friend or family member who's having a hard time. (We work for free, and only accept payment for material costs.) We are insured professionals who can replace or fix most things, love to organize, love to paint interiors, and REALLY love a good geeky design challenge. So hit us up!

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Or if we're your kind of peeps and you'd like to help support me and John, then you've got lots of options: share my posts, browse my favorite products on Amazon, leave encouraging comments, buy a t-shirt, or even donate to us directly through Paypal!

(I've heard your cries, btw, and I'm having John upload this design with an orange Epbot, too. Should be up tonight! Like all our shirt designs, you can choose from different colors and fits.)

Just your being here is helping, so please never feel pressured to do or give more than you can or want to. I love you lurkers out there! Thanks for sticking around.

P.S. It's up!

Y'all were right; the orange is better. :) I also had John tweak the blue stripe so it's a little more blue.