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Design Dilemma Storage & Closet

Help with coat closet

last month

We are downsozing and looking at a new home we love the area nut lack of coat and linen closet a problem we want to make it work any ideas for adding at least a coat closet i can store linens and towels in bedrooms or maybe laundry area

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Comments (8)

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Patricia Colwell Consulting
last month
last modified: last month
I store all my linens in my laundry closet I put shelving up on one wall next to the W/D so maybe that will work. The caot closet is tricky since you enter directly into the kitchen maybe in the porch? Where do you live ? When we had a small space we had heated front porch and that is where we put our coats and the rest got put in the bedrooms . We had 3 kids so miminum 1 pair of shooes by the door each. Small space require major neatness
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vall622
Original Author
last month
Hi we live in NJ downsizing because kids are grown definitly a con not having a coat closet or even an entryway
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I have a tall closet, w/ a tall door even, and I find that storing stuff on the topmost shelf is hard because I have to maneuver stuff down in front of everything to get it into the doorway. So I used short "under-bed" boxes up there. The standard "stash a lot of stuff" bins are too big to make the turns. (and that's w/ a closet door that's as tall as a regular door plus a transom) These are 9.5-ft ceilings, so note that there's only about 14" of space above the door opening (see the corner w/ the ceiling in it, on the far right?)--and it's still a tight turn. So, don't let the topmost shelves stick too far out into the space, or you won't be able to get anything in or out. And of course, pockets on the back of the door would be nice for mittens, gloves, dog leashes. And as he's framing, remember that having space "around the corner" from the door frame (when the door is 24" wide, but the closet is 36") is really annoying and hard to get to. So try to have your doorway go the full width of the closet.
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The transition seasons are hardest, aren't they? But I would say either store only TWO coats (a lightish one for whichever season you have, and a heavier one for that season) in that closet. At the very least, I would say that wool dress coats should go in the bedrooms; they're probably not used daily. And when you want them (dress-up days), you'll be willing to go get them, probably. (And if you're not, then maybe you don't really need to own them--I do not ever buy my kids, or me, dress coats.) And rain coats can go in the closets, because if you need them, you'll REALLY need them, and you'll be willing to go there to get them. And you probably don't use them *that* often. Or, start storing ALL coats in the bedrooms. At the very least, perhaps you can train yourself to travel all the way into your bedroom before you take your coat off; then it's just the 2 boys. (I bought a Lands End Squall, bcs it's light AND heavy.)
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Comments (28)
Fori, my parents just bought an Eichler on the Peninsula as their retirement home project. It's mahogalicious! In fact, they too have the kitchen opening directly to the right as you enter the front door. Paneling as far as the eye can see. My mom is despairing because the paneling darkens the place but she can't/won't paint it out of historical respect. I agree on the virtues of a smaller more private entranceway as a place to take off one's hat, check lipstick and correct slip peekage before tromping straight into the living room. Ideal if you have room for a coatrack, shelf for purses, and a mirror. We have a tiny little 5x5 vestibule with a second door and love it. Besides being great for stopping thermal loss, it's the perfect cat airlock. People do forget that in sunny climes, you really don't need-capital-N a mudroom for dirty boots & dripping coats. But you could use my plan above and add a nice big coat closet or mudroom with shoe bench to the right of the door, either only on one side, or across the whole shebang, giving you another doorway between hall and office/laundry room. This would also be swell if you go shoeless in the house. My Japanese friends have special shoe racks with guest slippers in that very spot. With that said, I'm off to shovel the 10" of new snow we just got last night here in Maine. My outlaws are arriving today for a long visit, 'nuff said.
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Comments (5)
Hi MoccasinLanding; thank you so much for the comments and suggestions. I do need help! My south wall refurbishment is almost a miniature/doll house size version of yours. This is the south wall of my "living room" which is a long narrow room in this old, poorly planned house. But it is ours; it is paid for, and for the next several years this will be home. It's up to me to take it from homely to homey while keeping the expenditure as low as possible. We just put in a new furnace/heat pump and A/C, so "low expenditure" has entered the realm of unbelievable. This wall is 11-ft, 10-inches wide. That's from the left side of the new closet to the far right side where the short wall starts. The ceilings are 8' tall. The window is roughly 55" square. It's replacement will be the same size. There are 19-inches of wall space on either side of the window so 18-inches is as wide as I can do for side cabinets. The useable window seat width will be about 55". The only sleeper on it will be big old Harry Hounddog. I am in North Dakota; the light from this window is what gets me through the winters. It's a life saver. I do want drawer storage under the window seat. Would you suggest 18" wide x 24" (or 30" ?) tall x 24" deep base cabinets on each side of the 55" window seat. Then top them with 18" wide, 15" deep wall cabinets? Do you have a drawing of your ideas? Or - should the window seat run from the closet wall to the right wall, about 90", side to side, with wall cabinets, about 15" deep and 18" wide, on either side? Should the window seat extend out in depth more than the closet and end cabinets? The side of the closet wall is 28" deep. If I manage to get the right size boxes, my neighbor is going to help me mock up several options. I have a round 36" table that can sit in front of the loveseat, or I could find a smaller rectangular table, similar to the oak library table I use as a desk in the office. This house did not have a single coat closet or a broom closet and this is the only place I could add one. My mops and brooms have been hanging on nails on the only open (tiny) wall in the kitchen. The vac has been in the walkway of the small mudroom. The two table leaves must be stored flat; they've been taking up valuable space in our small bedroom closet. Now with this closet I will have room for so many homeless but needed items in my house. Here's a picture the opposite, north wall. It will hold a buffet-type TV cabinet and two bookshelves. The big window is being replaced, too. The hole in the north wall held a no-longer-used air vent. It has been patched. The 60+ year old floor has just been refinished. I do love it. The room is 21-ft long from the north wall to the front of the new closet. The front door is on the right with a direct path to the kitchen, so the "useable" living room area is about 11'10"x17'. The arched doorway opens to the short hall leading to the bathroom, Bedroom 1 (my sewing room) and Bedroom 2, our office/library/den.
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jackowskib
last month
Looks like there may be space in Bedrm2 to have a linen storage cabinet next to the closet. Here's an idea -

www.wayfair.com/storage-organization/pdp/winston-porter-rhasaan-freestanding-linen-cabinet-w110611211.html?piid=365665992

Not sure if the sun deck is the main entrance, but perhaps a coat storage system can be configured near the stairway?
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Kay Stu
last month
You could put coat hooks on the wall by the kitchen door for the coats you are wearing and keep the rest in the second bedroom closet.
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Mrs Pete
last month
last modified: last month
Thoughts -- none requiring moving walls, so they're all fairly budget.

- Being a simple square, this is a budget build. Good for you.

- I'd alter the windows in a couple places ... the nicest rooms all have natural light coming in on two sides.

- Front door: I'd lose the door opening into the kitchen ... and replace the sliding glass door into the living room with a "real" front door. This'll allow you a small entry area directly in front of the dining room. You can't really "do anything" with that bit of space anyway.

- I'd like to see the windows in the master bedroom become a sliding glass door. This is mainly for fire safety, but you won't mind it for bringing in big furniture.

- Do the stairs go to a basement? Do you need a basement? If it's just for storage, do you need the stairs to be inside, or could you access storage from the outside only? It would free up living room space.

- Since the kids are out of the house, do you NEED three bedrooms? Instead of a cramped laundry room and little storage, I'd consider making Bedroom 3 into a large, comfortable utility room. Move the laundry in there, add a desk, add storage closets.

- With Bedroom 3 becoming the utility room, the current laundry could become a roomy coat closet. Big win.

- If Bedroom 3 isn't a bedroom, you could turn that closet so it opens to the hallway ... and it can become an excellent broom closet.

- Regardless, you never want your dryer in the center of the house. It has to vent, and venting directly to the outside is cheaper /more fire safe.

- In Bedroom 2 I'd extend the closet a bit ... bring it closer to the door.

- I wish the bathrooms had larger vanities, but I don't know how to fix that.

- No fireplace?
Kay Stu
last month
Or, move the front door to where the slider is in the living room. Then add a closet to the wall where the door in the kitchen is. Eliminate that front door. The kitchen will seem larger and there will be a small entry way on the right side of the living room.
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vall622
Original Author
last month
last modified: last month
Thanks for all your advice we will be looking ar all your suggestions

its a raised house with a garage and storage on first level and third level a loft
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Cathi Thomas
last month
Can you build in something under the stairs? Not the ideal location maybe, but it seems like it could be extra unused space.

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