If you don't need a closet for clothes storage, it can become a great bookshelf. This is an ideal way to convert an old bedroom into a home office or library. You can use the shelves to store books, magazines, office supplies and decorative items. By removing the closet door and painting the closet interior to match the room, you create a seamless indentation in the room that is ideal for mounting shelves. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove the doors and door hardware, as well as any trim around the closet, so that it becomes a more streamlined part of the room. Fill any holes left by the removed hardware with spackle, let dry, and sand until smooth.
2. Remove shelves and hanging rods from the closet interior. Remove any hardware mounted into the closet, as well. Fill holes with spackle, and sand smooth once dry.
3. Paint the interior of the closet to match the room. Use the same color as the walls of the room, or a complementary color. You might paint the sides of the closet the same color as the walls of the room, and use a complementary color just on the back wall of the closet to create depth and highlight the objects displayed on the bookshelf.
4. Cut shelves the width of the closet. Decide how many shelves you want by measuring the height of the closet and deciding how far apart you want the shelves to be spaced. If you are storing larger books, such as textbooks, art books, or even magazine collections, be sure to accommodate the size and space the shelves far enough apart for the books to easily slide in and out.
5. Paint the shelves the same color as the closet interior. Alternately, if you are using a nicer wood, such as maple, oak or cherry, you can stain it or sand and oil it for a more natural look.
6. Install shelf brackets. Mark the spacing for the shelves on the back wall of the closet, then install shelf brackets at the right space. You will need at least two per shelf. For shelves over 3 feet wide, use a third bracket to support the center of the shelf.
7. Install the shelves by sliding them carefully into the closet and onto the brackets, then attaching them to the brackets if needed with hardware.
Tags: closet interior, same color, back wall, back wall closet, color walls, color walls room, complementary color